Wellness & Courage

02/24/2026

✨️Meet our CEO & Co-Founder, Wendy Johnson✨️

With more than 40 years of personal and professional growth in the helping field, Wendy brings both depth and lived wisdom to her work. After beginning her own healing journey in her 20s, she formally trained as a counselor in her 40s, bringing decades of insight shaped by both experience and study. Trained in the work of Dr. Brené Brown and grounded in narrative, CBT, psychodynamic, and existential approaches, Wendy works with individuals who are ready to become the best version of themselves by recognizing and shifting patterns that no longer serve them.

She is especially passionate about supporting entrepreneurs, clinicians, health care workers, and professional helpers. Wendy speaks candidly about self-love, self-care, and codependency, inviting helpers to examine how they show up in their relationships, their work, and their own healing.

A self-described yogi, Wendy finds restoration in the beauty of nature — the warmth of the sun, the smell of earth and water, the rhythm of birdsong, long walks with her dogs, and outdoor adventures with her soulmate.

Her encouragement to fellow helpers attending the retreat is simple and heartfelt: Do this for yourself. Take care of yourself in this way. The water itself will begin to heal the wounds associated with your work.

We are honored to have her wisdom and presence, as we would not be the clinic or the retreat we are without her! 🩷

02/23/2026

February Newsletter
📷 Wesley Hitt Photography

Photo: Wesley Hitt Photography

02/23/2026

When someone feels nervous, saying “it’s okay” usually comes from a caring place, but it can unintentionally make their feelings seem less important. Most of the time, nervousness needs someone to be there, not to fix it.

You can try saying:
✨️“I’m here with you.”
✨️“It makes sense that you’d feel nervous.”
✨️“Do you want to tell me what feels the hardest right now?”
✨️“You don’t have to go through this alone.”
✨️“Let’s take a slow breath together.”
✨️“What would feel supportive right now?”

You don’t have to fix their feelings to be supportive. What matters most is staying connected as they work through it.

02/20/2026

✨️Happy Friday✨️

Nicole Dill, our clinician in Bentonville, reminds us that play is how children communicate and connect. Here are some ideas to help you build stronger connections with your kids.

Thank you, Nicole, for reminding us that laughter is a sign of real connection!

02/19/2026

People often think that spending more time together will make a relationship closer. But just being in the same room or space doesn’t mean you’re really connecting.

Even short moments of real attention, like a good conversation, sharing a laugh, or sitting together without phones, can bring you closer than spending a whole day together without really connecting.

Spending more time together gives you chances to connect, but it’s the quality of that time that builds real closeness.

📸

02/17/2026

Get to know our Fayetteville Clinician and Wounded Healers Retreat presenter, Kailee Stonebarger!

With nearly 9 years in the counseling field, including 7 years as a school counselor, Kailee brings a steady, solution-focused approach to her work with young adults going through life transitions. Whether it’s choosing a college or making early career moves, she is especially passionate about helping clients manage anxiety that comes with change and uncertainty. Kailee is trained in EMDR and combines trauma-informed care with practical tools to help clients build confidence and develop an emotional “toolbox” they can use in the future.

Kailee is passionate about something we often overlook: real, restorative rest. She believes rest is more than just naps or taking time off, it’s about truly recharging.

When she’s not working, you’ll probably find her outside or caring for her house plants. These simple routines help her feel centered and refreshed. Her advice to other helpers is clear and meaningful: Find your rest. Take care of yourself simply for your own well-being.

We’re grateful to have her on our team and as a presenter for the Wounded Healers Retreat!

02/16/2026

Rest isn’t just a prize for being worn out. You don’t have to prove you’ve done enough to deserve it.

We often hear that our value depends on how much we get done, and that taking breaks is lazy or needs an excuse. But your body and mind aren’t built to run nonstop, and your worth isn’t about how much you finish each day.

Rest is a basic human need. It helps with:

✨️Clear thinking

✨️Creativity

✨️Emotional regulation

✨️Staying healthy over time

You don’t need to reach burnout to deserve rest. You don’t have to finish everything first. You’re allowed to rest just because you’re human.

02/13/2026

✨️Where do you feel emotionally safe?✨️

Emotional safety means feeling you can be yourself without worrying about being shamed, dismissed, or punished. It’s knowing your feelings will be listened to, even if others don’t completely understand. You’re free to share your needs, set boundaries, disagree, or be vulnerable without feeling tense or cautious.

In places where you feel emotionally safe, mistakes aren’t used against you. People don’t make fun of or ignore your feelings. It’s possible to fix things when they go wrong. There’s space for honesty, curiosity, and growth instead of defensiveness or blame.

02/12/2026

We asked Sara Chastain, our clinician in Farmington, "What is one thing you wish clients knew?"

Sara’s answer: “One thing I wish every client knew is that they are not alone. No matter what they’re facing, support and understanding are available, and together we can navigate even the most challenging moments.”

Thank you, Sara, for sharing these important reminders!

02/10/2026

A huge thank you to Kora for sharing her experience from our 2024 & 2025 Wounded Healers Retreat!

Our 2026 Wounded Healers Retreat offers:
✨️19 CE credits total
✨️16 hours of in-person CE credits
✨️3 hours of virtual CE credits (ethics)

🗓When: April 30th, 2026-May 3rd, 2026
📍Where: Hilton Pensacola Beach, Florida

We hope to see you there!

Learn more and reserve your spot today:
wellnessandcourage.com/2026woundedhealersretreat

02/09/2026

Emotional boundaries in relationships help us stay connected while still being true to ourselves.  With boundaries, relationships feel more stable and less exhausting.

In relationships, emotional boundaries are:
✔️ Expressing your feelings and needs clearly
✔️Allowing your partner to experience emotions without taking responsibility for fixing or absorbing them
✔️Deciding how much emotional energy you can give while still caring

Healthy boundaries do not push people apart. Instead, they build trust, respect, and help both people feel safe to be themselves in the relationship.

02/07/2026

As we go through these extra weeks of winter, take a moment to pause and ask yourself: What is winter teaching you about yourself?

There isn’t a right answer. Sometimes the lesson is to slow down, sometimes it’s about endurance, and sometimes it’s about what you need more or less of right now.

Take this as a gentle nudge for reflection.

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