We were lucky to catch up with Amy Theisen Walz recently and have shared our conversation below.
Amy, we are so deeply grateful to you for opening up about your journey with mental health in the hops that it can help someone who might be going through something similar. Can you talk to us about your mental health journey and how you overcame or persisted despite any issues? For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.
Our family was deeply affected by mental health diagnoses. We created a facade for our family, no one have ever know we were struggling. in 2005 I had a mental health “break”. I had struggled for 18 of my then 36 years with depression and anxiety, it finally manifested itself in my 30s as anorexia. When I was two years into my therapy/recovery, our then 11-yo son attempted suicide. We were unaware of the struggles he was facing in school, until a Monday night when he attempted suicide. We discovered that night in the ER that he had been being physically bullied by “a friend”.
After hospitalization and a few months of therapy, the therapist gave us his words of advice, “your son would benefit from the love of a dog”. Two months later, a beautiful 6-hour-old little black lab retriever changed the trajectory of our future. The unconditional love of our sweet girl, Lilly Rae of Hope, changed our family in sooo many wonderful ways! After five years we added another pup, Oliver, to the family and he provided comic relief!
During this time in our family struggles, God planted in my heart that we would eventually share our story and help others to not feel as alone as we had during that scary and sad time.
We learned of the amazing healing power of a pup in our lives and wanted to share that with others struggling with mental health diagnoses. Lilly passed away at the age of 12 and on that day I took a nap on the porch (our favorite spot) and a vision for my future began to unfold.
This vision had a golden retriever as the center to build our mission around. In sharing my vision, I was gifted with a beautiful and sweet 4-month-old golden retriever whom I named Willow Grace. My goal was to train Willow to be a therapy dog that I could take with me into hospitals and nursing homes, and hopefully into the school setting. With Willow as “the draw”, I would utilize her as a conversation starter, share our story and help others struggling in the darkness of mental illness.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
In the years of recovery from mental illnesses diagnoses, I discovered two passions. After working in healthcare for over 30 years; two profound events changed everything for me.
1. Amy’s Cherished Events; coordinating weddings/events, decor rentals, decorating and cleanup services. I found a passion for this when our only daughter was engaged and married back in 2015-2016. Her fiancé was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) during their engagement. In business, I come from the perspective of the mother of the bride, and have since been the mother of the groom twice in the past four years. I provide anxiety relief and coordination of a couples’ special day, thus allowing the couple and their parents to enjoy “every moment”.
2. You’re Not Alone; I am the founder and executive director of You’re Not Alone; a mental health nonprofit that utilizes therapy dog teams in schools promoting mental health and wellness. Our mission; “You’re Not Alone; strives to shatter the stigma of mental illness diagnoses, one therapy dog at at time”. I started at the middle school in my community, the school where years earlier my son had been bullied and struggling with his mental health. My therapy dog Willow and I created small group discussion with kids; Willow providing unconditional love and creating a nonjudgemental environment. The chemical reaction in the brain, a release of oxytocin (a happy chemical) when we see an animal. If you get the opportunity to pet the animal, your blood pressure and pulse lower and you’d be amazed at how kids and adults open up and share. We became official as a 501c3 in June 2022…After 18 months of visiting students and staff and hearing all the “pawsitive” comments, we discovered we had a pilot program!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
1. Follow your heart (or your gut, some would say). If you keep hearing the same messaging whether you believe it is you (or in my case God), listen! Take the first step/leap!
2. Work hard/be persistent! Share your message with others. The right people will come into your path to help direct you on the journey ahead.
3. Don’t let the anxiety hold you back…this is HUGE!!! Anxiety will ALWAYS hold you down, make you doubt yourself and stay paralyzed in fear…but DON”T allow it! Find a therapist and/or a business coach…I had both!
4. Yes I have a 4th…continue to SHINE YOUR LIGHT!! You were made for a purpose! The most passionate people are those that have gone through hard struggles, fought their way through and want a better future not only for themselves but also for others! 🙂 Be open…this could be your life’s purpose…I know it has been mine!
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
You’re Not Alone; has had exponential growth since May 2023 when Willow and I were the only therapy team in one school. Now, present day January 2025, we have 42 therapy dog teams in 42 schools. We currently have 30+ schools waiting and in need of a therapy dog team! Our goal was Minnesota, but we have expanded into Wisconsin, Rhode Island and have hopes of starting in Texas! Our programs is of no charge to the school district, but we come in as another level of support in their mental health and wellness programs in place. We are in need of therapy dog teams! Currently in the Minnesota area, but as we expand further nationwide, we will need therapy dog teams that would like to help us create You’re Not Alone; programming into their local schools. Anyone can become a therapy dog team. If you have a dog that loves people, loves attention and is a great listener, we can help direct you on how to become certified. It is the BEST volunteer “job” I have ever had; whenever we enter the room, Willow brings joy, puppy love and tail wags! Please inquire at our website; www.ynausa.org
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ynausa.org
- Instagram: @yournotalonenp and @amys_cherished_events
- Facebook: You’re Not Alone; and Amy’s Cherished Events
- Linkedin: Amy Theisen Walz and You’re Not Alone
- Youtube: You’reNotAlone;Amy Walz
Image Credits
Amy Gregg @greggmedia
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
