Unwind Your Mind with Wendy-Anne Steer, Founder of Wendy-Alchemy
This week we asked Wendy, Founder of Wendy-Alchemy, some questions as part of our Unwind Your Mind series.
1. Tell us about yourself and your company
My name is Wendy and my business is Wendy-Alchemy. I call myself a Well-being Alchemist because I have trained in quite a few modalities so they all underpin my knowledge and help me support my clients, signposting them if need be. However, the main ones I use are Meditation Teaching (I am qualified with the British School of Meditation) and EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique also known as Tapping). I come from a strong corporate background of Programme and Project Management in IT and used to be happy to work my socks off. However, it proved detrimental to my health and I had to leave my ego behind, take a humbler path and invest in my own healing. I wish I had known someone like me.
So, the tools I use with my clients I have used and continue to use. I am passionate about walking the walk, not just talking the talk.
2. What do you find helps you unwind the best?
Meditation and nature. Where possible I meditate outside or in my She-Shed. I love Wild Swimming and that allows me to truly immerse myself in nature. It is the ultimate somatic practice in mindfulness, feeling the water and observing the breath and being part of nature (not just an observer). It cleanses me and restores my energy like nothing else.
3. What part of the business process do you enjoy the most?
Seeing the positive change in people is my motivation as well as knowing I am a safe space for them. Having someone truly hold the space for you in your time of need is invaluable. A lot of trauma can surface in the therapeutic relationship and EFT is an amazing tool for clearing this. Travelling with a client on their healing journey and seeing them have light bulb moments and seeing the weight lifted from their shoulders then them making healthier choices for themselves and knowing you had a part in that; I just blooming love it!
4. During Covid what would you suggest is a good way of unwinding when in close proximity to your family most of the time?
I would say Covid has been quite the journey and continues to be an opportunity for learning. In the beginning I felt fine in our bubble and I was almost smug about it; I had been working on my life balance very consciously already. However, having the different energies around me became overwhelming; husband working from home through the whole thing, the adjustments the kids had to make towards their education and how they interacted with their friends, the loss of routine. I made good use of an online group of Meditators and joined them most days. I also swam as much as I could once we were allowed to meet one person. At the beginning we did manage daily family bike rides. It was during lockdown when I just could not cope with household chores with everyone home that I have now taken on a cleaner. The key for me when I felt frustrated with the teenage kids was reminding myself how I would have felt in their position and I think teenage me would have been devastated. So, moving forward with the current covid situation the priority for me is balance. So that really does encompass everything whilst ensuring it is all sustainable. So it will include daily meditation, regular swimming, getting back to yoga, healthy eating, quality time with friends and family (this includes the furry friends) and of course lovely clients.