Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Veda Leclerc. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Veda, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

One of the biggest risks I’ve taken was deciding to complete my undergraduate degree in just three years while simultaneously dealing with significant health challenges. At 19 years old, I was diagnosed with Lyme disease right as I was moving to an entirely new state, away from my family for the first time. Not only was I taking the risk of navigating college life independently, but I was doing so during the COVID-19 pandemic when normal campus life was disrupted.

Despite the obstacles, I worked relentlessly, pushing through my health complications while also holding down jobs to support myself financially. After working so hard to graduate in three years–taking summer and winter classes along with the typical fall and spring, working a job, and pursuing an internship with emotionally disturbed students, just 6 months before graduation, I had come to the realization that the career path I had been working so hard towards was not actually aligned with my deeper purpose and calling.

This prompted me to take another leap. I immediately enrolled in two additional academic programs, completing a 12-month course load in just 5 months while continuing to work. My education reignited my entrepreneurial passion, and I have since invested thousands of dollars to start my own functional health practice, Wellness by Veda.

The path has not been easy. I’ve now lost four jobs since graduating, which has led me to pursue my business full-time. But each setback only strengthened my resolve.

Now, at just 21 years old, I am preparing to move 22 hours away from home to double down on making my entrepreneurial dream a reality through my wellness practice.

Taking risks has defined my journey, but I’ve learned that the greatest risk is playing it safe and not pursuing your true calling. I am committed to continually betting on myself and my vision, no matter the obstacles.

Veda, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am a certified Functional Health Practitioner and Integrative Health Coach, specializing in women’s hormones and gut health. I am on a mission to guide individuals from the shadows of their health challenges into the brilliance of finding their inner glow. I have faced many of my own struggles navigating the ins and outs of the medical system. I was told countless times that my symptoms were “fine” and everything looked “normal”—but I knew there was more to this. After doing research, educating myself, and working with a functional health practitioner, I soon found out that my symptoms were in fact not normal. My symptoms were the result of chronic Lyme disease, an imbalanced gut, liver congestion that was leading to my hormonal imbalances, and so much more. I have now overcome chronic gut and hormonal issues, along with crippling anxiety and depression. 

I understand the darkness that can cloud one’s being, making me committed to bringing light to others’ health journeys. This is why I established Wellness by Veda, offering personalized 1:1 coaching and employing a holistic, whole-body approach. I use data from functional lab testing to help my clients get to the root of their symptoms and validate that their symptoms are real and not just in their heads. With the insight gained from my personal struggles, I address mysterious symptoms often dismissed as normal, empowering clients to unlock their inner glow. As someone who has been through the darkness, and didn’t see the light, I am a practitioner who is fully empathetic and dedicated to my clients. Depression and anxiety were two of the most pervasive symptoms that completely took a toll on me—mentally, emotionally, and physically. Through my wellness business, I aspire to be a beacon for those feeling lost and sick, guiding them toward the light at the end of the tunnel and demonstrating that true well-being is within reach.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I have always believed that pain equals suffering. However, my journey taught me that pain and adversity, though difficult at the moment, doesn’t have to result in suffering. Instead, if embraced with resilience, pain can paradoxically become the catalyst that guides you directly toward your deeper purpose and the path you were meant to walk.

In the winter of 2018, I fell extremely ill. I was so ill that I was out of both school and work for weeks. I was crawling to the bathroom, I was barely eating or drinking, and my fatigue was at an all-time high. I was in and out of the emergency room, picked and prodded. I had lost 18lbs and I was miserable. Not to mention, I was only 17 years old.

My immune system eventually regulated and I returned to school, work, and sports. However, within just 2 months, this illness consumed me again. I was back to being bedridden, back to being picked and prodded at the hospital, and went back to having no appetite, no energy, and losing unexpected weight. However, this time was different. This time, not only did the physical ailments consume me, but the emotional ones did as well. I started to have panic attacks. These panic attacks prevented me from hanging out with friends, going to school, or even enjoying life. I became extremely depressed, almost numb to reality. I was hopeless and often asked, “Why me?” I would see my friends and peers going out, enjoying high school activities, and then there was me, emotionally and physically numb.

While some of the physical ailments went away, my depression lasted for months. At one point, I was prescribed an antidepressant. This became many months of suffering that I didn’t see a way out of.

Fast forward to two years later, it was time for college. I was going for my undergrad, in a different state, away from home. At the beginning of my college days, not only was there a pandemic, but I also got a call from my doctor that I tested positive for Lyme disease. I had a sense of relief as I now had answers to my symptoms, but again I asked, “Why me?”

Because of this diagnosis, my college years weren’t typical college years. I couldn’t eat the college food, I had to make my own. I couldn’t go out, I had to stay in. If I did anything out of the “norm” my Lyme symptoms would flare.

The pandemic wasn’t the only thing that isolated me in college; my diagnosis did as well. I felt completely alone. No one else had to live the lifestyle I was living or eat the way I did. To sum it up, my college years didn’t feel like “college years”.

Now, as I fast-forward almost 5 years since I was diagnosed with Lyme disease, and almost 6 years since I experienced my first panic attack, I sit here writing this with the belief that pain can paradoxically become the catalyst that guides you directly toward your deeper purpose and the path you were meant to walk.

When I was in high school and college I asked the question, “Why me”, but now I sit here and ask, “What’s next?”

I always believed that pain equals suffering. My journey has taught me to unlearn this idea and realize that pain equals purpose. Sitting here today, I can say that I am thankful for my health journey. I wouldn’t be here today, nor would I have the resilience and empathy for others that I have today. God truly turns pain into purpose, and that is exactly what He did for me.

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

Other than the proper training and knowledge, I believe some of the most valuable assets for succeeding as a functional health practitioner are relatability, empathy, resilience, and an unwavering sense of faith in yourself and your process.

In this field, being able to genuinely relate to and empathize with your clients’ experiences is crucial. Without the ability to meet them where they are and understand their struggles, it’s nearly impossible to build the trust and connection required to properly support someone on their health journey.

Overcoming inevitable obstacles also requires tremendous resilience and faith that you will eventually achieve success, even if your ultimate goals don’t happen overnight. It’s about making the mindset shift that as long as you don’t stop putting one foot in front of the other and trust in your process, you will get to where you’re meant to be.

Prioritizing your own self-care and well-being is also vital. If you can’t first give to and nurture yourself, you’ll quickly become depleted and unable to show up fully for your clients.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.wellnessbyveda.com
• Instagram: @wellnessbyveda
• Facebook: Veda Leclerc
• Linkedin: Veda Leclerc
• Other: Tik Tok – @wellnessbyveda

Image Credits

Professional photos are done by Jose Leiva