​Soul Growth Wellness was founded to help our human family heal, treat our minds and bodies well, and to thrive and grow in the face of difficulty. Always looking to love ourselves and be true to ourselves.

My Story

I wish I could say that the journey to feeling better as a highly sensitive person and empath was clean and simple. But being able to competently and efficiently move past my fears has been super messy and super rewarding too! My experience to feeling better and being better started with combatting the incessant rumination. Specifically going over my mistakes dozens of time. I spent a lot of time in the beginning just pivoting from automatic negative self talk to something more moderate. I had to practice this a lot!

Then I became interested in mental health wellness and read as much as I could about self improvement, eating regimens, exercise regimens, and specific things to deal with issues like depression, anxiety, and fear. Over the course of this time, I learned a great deal. But...I failed to put any of that into action. I couldn't understand my failure to improve my relationships, my physical health and my mental health. I was anxious of communicating with partners, I was depressed and fearful of ever moving an inch outside my comfort zone. And I drank like a fish!

But of course, nothing changed, because nothing changed! I didn't change the "inside" of me. I thought I needed to put into practice new habits with perfection. I certainly didn't think I deserved a reward or had much worth, unless I was perfect. You see where I am going here...until I changed and transformed my way of perceiving myself and the world, I would always fail to do what was necessary to improve my life.

Through therapy, coaching, support groups, lots of introspection, journaling and committing to baby steps rather than mountain-sized leaps I managed to apply many of the suggestions from my previous readings into my everyday life. Then a thing happened... I noticed that I felt good about myself, that I was happy for once! I couldn't believe it! All that inner work, taking small steps, letting go the desire for perfection and being okay with making mistakes and seeing them as learning opportunities finally improved my life in ways I didn't imagine were possible until they happened.

My process to healing and growing past my anxiety hasn't been a perfect unyielding spiral upward. Relapses into less self loving behaviors pop up now and again. But things like cleaning up my negative self talk, reducing unhealthy types of self medication, beginning a mindfulness practice to sit in my discomfort, prayer and developing a spiritual practice was the particular cocktail that worked for me.

Everyone is different, but there are very few regular practitioners of mindfulness and meditation who aren't feeling the benefits of a calmer mind and a calmer body.

In terms of mindset, the single most important realization I had was that my life was my own and that meant things were my responsibility.  Compassion from others helps, but there comes a time when we need to rapidly find our inner peace, regardless of the chaos going on around us. That’s where I am today. None of this easy, self awareness is a pretty all encompassing job truth be told, but...I can go where I want, have the conversations I need to have, approach things that make me fearful with courage, and a resilience to bounce back when my fears come true.

I chose this field because I believe I can be of service to my clients through engaging their mind, body, and spirit. When we're our best in our relationships, most especially with ourselves we thrive. Having a healthy being is all about balancing the social, career, romantic pairings, mind health and body health together. Although not all at the same time. We're human. But it is important to put the necessary time into each category of your life to produce your best self. So you enjoy you! Truly relishing the beauty of your being because you are worth it.

It is through these experiences that I decided to share my life, my empathy, my reflections, and my gentle guidance with others on how to find that richness and ability to say, "I am happy. I am fulfilled. I know where I want to go next," and mean it through and through.

Much love and positive vibes your way,
Santee


Background Trainings: Achology Academy for Life Coaching & Cognitive Behavioral Therapy skills, Illinois Institute of Technology for Recovery Support Specialist (RSS), Cortiva Institute for Massage Therapy.

Licensure in Massage Therapy in Illinois, Certification in Recovery Support Specialist in Illinois.