Anyssa Grendel, LMSW
Owner/Supervising Therapist

Anyssa's mission in founding MIND BODY SOULUTIONS was to connect people with practical solutions in addressing symptoms of our mind and body.  Her practice focuses on mental and physical health to improve psychosomatic symptoms but also improving the way an individual may think, feel and act. 

Prior to starting a private practice in the Grand Rapids area and growing a community based fitness presence, Anyssa grew up in the Detroit area, raised by a single father and her grandmother. Working early on as a young adult in a brand new In-Patient Psychiatric facility in the heart of Downtown Detroit, called Circle of Life, she carried out various intake/admission functions. After about a year, she felt there was more she could do to impact patient care. She decided to attend Ferris State University where she pursued a degree in health. While attending school she worked with children in the local public schools after school program.  After a few years she transferred to Grand Valley State University (GVSU) to complete her Bachelor's of Science in Health Communications. Following graduation she worked in secured residential services of Pine Rest with adolescents and Kalamazoo Community Mental Health as a Program Specialist supporting program development and evaluation, Police/EMS/Fire departmental and community education, family support of loved ones with mental health issues and facilitating support groups. It was shortly after taking this role on that her supervisor mentored and encouraged her to pursue graduate school in social work. 

Anyssa completed her Masters of Social Work at GVSU and her practicum in Child Protection and Emergency Medicine of Spectrum Health/Helen Devos Children’s Hospital. She went on to work for local hospitals and health systems across West Michigan in Skilled Nursing, ER, OB, Cancer, ICU, Med/Surg, school based and community based clinics. Additional experience includes counseling/mental health coordination of a local and very large school district as well as In-Patient Psychiatric Hospital as a therapist/case manager leading individual and group services. 

Anyssa had engaged in her own yoga practice to alleviate tension, pain as a result of spinal curvatures and for her own self care related to schooling and her profession. She encouraged agencies she worked at to include education on how the body is affected by our mental health but felt there was little motivation for incorporating this into treatment. This led to a decision to start her own business that focused on mental and physical health. Recognizing that as humans we carry emotions in our bodies. We have a certain thoughts that trigger an associated feeling and those emotions translate into sensations in the body which then affect how we react or behave in response to stressors . These responses can lead to healthy or unhealthy coping skills or patterns. Anyssa wanted to focus her work on the whole person; mind, body and soul and provide practical solutions or tools to helping people address the present minded and functionality of their life. 

In addition to her established counseling practice, Anyssa teaches a variety of fitness classes in the community as well as corporate health classes on a contract basis. She has completed trauma sensitive yoga training through Mindful Vinyasa School of Yoga, social emotional and school based kids yoga training through Yoga Ed and has taught in residential, detention centers and school based programs. Additionally trained in Barre Connect training through NETA and has completed training through MOSSA in cycling.  

With a passion for counseling and education, Anyssa works with mental health and medical providers in the field specifically supporting their mental health as they serve others in the community. She has worked for two universities to foster the growth of undergraduate and graduate student development. She is a part time Professor at Davenport University and Instructor of BSW/MSW courses at Western Michigan University and sits on the College of Health Professions and Health and Human Service Case Management Advisory Boards of Davenport University.  Supporting the future of the profession, she provides clinical placement field work for graduate MSW students in her private practice and provides limited license supervision to new graduates. She has volunteered with Spectrum Health Healthier Communities, Postpartum Support Group and with Junior League of Grand Rapids. Anyssa is in currently pursuing her Interdisciplinary Health Sciences, PhD at Western Michigan University.