Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in mental wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Dezryelle Arcieri, CEO of Satya Wellness Collective, PLLC., located in Seattle, WA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We are a collective group of therapists and health professionals seeking to support the collective healing of our community. Mental Health is our focus, and we are committed to providing holistic services that attend to the mind, body, and soul, including individual therapy, family therapy, couples therapy, and group therapy. In addition, we also offer non-traditional services that further support meaningful healing and whole-hearted living, including yoga therapy, body-centered approaches, spirituality, and wellness retreats.
The foundation of our work is collaborating with our clients to help them seek acceptance, create meaningful change, honor their unique strengths and limitations, and trust their innate ability to heal. We are committed to providing ethical and accessible services for all humans of all ages, body types, abilities, ethnicities, cultural backgrounds, genders, and sexual orientations. We specialize in the treatment of trauma, anxiety, depression, chronic illness, and grief and loss.
Tell us about yourself
I was ten years old when I first started attending therapy. Honestly, I don't remember anything about the therapist I worked with, and I certainly could not pick her out of a lineup today, but what I do remember is the way she made me feel. This was the first time in my life I felt truly cared for. Afterward, when people asked, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" I would state, "I want to be a therapist." Of course, at the time, I didn't really know what that meant or what exactly therapists did all day, but I knew I wanted to care for others in the way that my therapist cared for me.
As I continued to grow and develop, life happened, and, long story short, I took many detours that led me astray from my professional goals. Looking back on that time, I have come to understand that I was on a healing journey to process my own personal trauma. I struggled greatly for many years. My healing required me to dive deep into my pain. It was the most challenging and most important time of my life. I worked very hard to resolve and integrate my trauma, and I had many amazing therapists, teachers, and guides along the way, which led me back full circle. Eventually, I enrolled in school full-time with a very clear intention to become a therapist and received my BA in Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 2010 and my MA in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University in 2012.
During this time, I also found my love for yoga and mindfulness. Initially, I came to yoga as a form of exercise, but very quickly, yoga would prove to be so much more than that. The simple connection of movement to breath has been utterly profound and life-changing, especially when paired with therapy.
I came to yoga for physical practice, but I stayed for the healing. Yoga and mindfulness have taught me many lessons, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Time and time again, I come to my mat and work out the difficulties of the day, reconnect to my authentic self, relax and refresh, and am broken and made whole again by the beauty of this transformative practice.
My clinical work is strongly informed by my life experience and is a testament to the power of hope, love, vulnerability, and our innate ability to heal. It is my greatest honor and privilege to guide others toward greater joy and well-being.
With over ten years of experience in a variety of mental health settings, including community mental health, non-profits, residential treatment centers, and private practice, I deeply understand the flaws of healthcare in the U.S. The work that we do at Satya Wellness Collective is my commitment to breaking down barriers that limit us from meaningful change and well-being and to transforming mental health as we know it.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment is maintaining a strong dedication to my personal values and ethics, which inform everything I do in my clinical work and as a business owner. I care deeply about people and believe strongly that the services we offer are heartfelt, meaningful, and powerful tools for health and wellness.
It is apparent to me that American culture is losing its ethics, particularly care and sensitivity for people, human connection, and emotional well-being. Specifically, American businesses, including many healthcare businesses and systems, are placing profit over people, and this is causing serious harm.
Despite existing in a world that greatly values self-interest, appearance, money, and power, I choose to show up daily in love, service, and contribution. For which I am very proud.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
As a business owner, particularly of a business that is responsible for so many people, including our clients and our staff, I feel an intense responsibility to do my best and live with integrity. The hardest part of being a business owner is managing my need to 'get it right,' so to speak. I want to do well, and I want to do well by the people we serve.
Of course, I cannot be perfect, and I do make mistakes. Therefore, I am challenged to stay humble, be open-minded, think of others' needs and wants, be flexible and open to change, be willing to mess up from time to time, and let go of the things that are out of my control.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Be real, authentic, and honest with yourself and with others.
- Have an important message that you wholeheartedly believe in and can back up in words and actions.
- Get yourself a great team of people around you that you trust and who can help you. You can't do it alone. Let them support you.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.satyawellnesscollective.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SatyaWellnessCollective/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dezinsights/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dezryellearcieri/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.