When it comes to total mind and body wellness, Andrea Wieland, Ph.D., director of wellness at Sensei Porcupine Creek in Rancho Mirage, California, has all the bases covered. The industry veteran spends her days developing and overseeing new initiatives, wellness programming and guest experiences at the innovative wellness retreat. Wieland spoke with us about how she creates meaningful connections that foster a personalized experience for every guest, and how the future of wellness may lie in skin care.
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When it comes to total mind and body wellness, Andrea Wieland, Ph.D., director of wellness at Sensei Porcupine Creek in Rancho Mirage, California, has all the bases covered. The industry veteran spends her days developing and overseeing new initiatives, wellness programming and guest experiences at the innovative wellness retreat. Wieland spoke with us about how she creates meaningful connections that foster a personalized experience for every guest, and how the future of wellness may lie in skin care.
What was your first job in spa and wellness?
I’ve spent my 30-year career in the integrated wellness, performance and health space, all culminating in my current role as director of wellness at Sensei Porcupine Creek. I started with personal development seminars for junior high, high school and college students and athletes. Then, I opened my first integrated facility, the International Center for Performance & Health, in Denver in 2005. Sensei is my first experience with full service spa offerings, including skin care.
What is your favorite thing about working in this industry?
I can say that working with talented individuals from whom I learn is the best part. It’s a joy to learn from other experts in the field and know they have dedicated their careers to optimizing their skills and presence to be of service to others.
What new trends do you find most exciting?
The boom in the skin care industry! Skin care products are becoming more and more precise and scientific in their ability to heal, which really aligns with what we teach at Sensei: getting guests away from fads and wellness myths, and instead looking to science and data.
I’m also intrigued by the rise of simple tools and exercises, such as microcurrent and facial yoga, that can provide an individual with a natural alternative to cosmetic surgeries and injections.
What’s your greatest accomplishment?
I am proud to have experienced a number of accomplishments—mind you, there have been plenty of failures, disappointments and learnings, too! Achieving my 21-year dream of playing field hockey in the Olympics was a major achievement for me, as was earning my Ph.D. in counseling psychology.
Most of all, I want my legacy to be my commitment to continually optimize myself personally and professionally in order to be of service to others for the benefit of all.
Related: Rest & Recover with Sensei's Expanded Mindfulness Offerings
What’s the first thing you do after a long day at work?
On my ideal day, I spend time with my horse, taking a ride and sharing a carrot or apple with him! Otherwise, I like to take a swim, go on a walk or just get out and do something active at the end of a day. Movement is one of my primary modes of wellness and self-care.
What do you love most about spa and wellness?
I love the meaningful connections and teachings that a personalized experience can provide a guest. At Sensei specifically, our expert staff delivers more than just a spa treatment. They offer their wisdom and scientific knowledge of how the treatment or program is serving the wellness and longevity of our guests, through setting intentions and goals, working one-on-one with them, and creating an actionable plan that they can take away with them when they leave the retreat.
What advice do you have for someone just getting started in the industry?
Stay open and curious to new ideas and different ways of doing things before concluding there is only one way. Informational interviewing, building rapport, developing a network and helping others will all go a long way.
What’s on the horizon for Sensei Porcupine Creek?
I’m excited for us to continue to refine our systems, develop our team members, grow our programming and deliver the best service to our guests. We also just launched a brand new experience, the Rest & Recovery Program, which focuses on two hot topics in the wellness industry: sleep and stress management.
