Meet Whitney Pyles of WDP Coaching & Wellness Retreat MI

Today we’d like to introduce you to Whitney Pyles.

Hi Whitney, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
What a long and winding road! Being that I operate in the wellness space, it makes sense to start where my wellness journey began. One day in 2017, I looked in the mirror and realized – ‘man, I really don’t like what I see.’ I didn’t feel good, I looked exhausted and unhealthy, and I wasn’t happy with how I was living my life. I thought changing how I looked might be the answer, but it wasn’t the CrossFit that changed my world. It was the challenge requiring me to give up alcohol for 6 weeks. It was the longest I had gone without a drink, in my adult life, ever. That decision was the first in a long line of decisions that brought me on a path of relearning how to experience joy and celebration, finding my passions, attuning to the true needs of my body, and learning to love myself for the first time.

Fast forward to 2019, I had met my husband, we got married, COVID-19 makes its way to the US, and another big decision – I resigned from my corporate training and development ‘good on paper’ job for ethical reasons. Two weeks later, my husband’s department at work was dissolved. Another month after that, our lease was up. So… we converted a camper van and travelled the country for 5 months. 26 states. 20 national parks. Hiking, backpacking, biking, climbing, exploring plus dancing, working on a farm, and stargazing. It was a true adventure, but the deeper exploration was happening within.

That trip and the opportunity to ‘drop out’ of the world for a little while and learn to be with myself gave me a chance to wrap my head around what I wanted to do next, what I wanted to bring into the world. I had a profound experience while backpacking in Sedona, Arizona. At the time it was fuzzy but I knew I wanted to help people heal, learn to live without the crutches of their past, and step into their joy and authenticity.

While we were on the road, my husband received a job offer in Michigan, and we said, ‘why not?’ We were ready for the next adventure. That was January of 2021, and now… here we are in Grand Rapids. I am a year into starting my own business, and that vision I had in Sedona has manifested as:

– Creating a unique movement modality and workshop called Mindful Movement that combines stretch, yoga, intuitive movement, and guided dance
– Co-creating Wellness Retreat MI and the community that has sprung out of hosting quarterly retreats and other events
– Embracing my own uniqueness through the Human Design system and helping other people to do the same through readings and coaching
– Becoming a certified Somatic Life Coach to bring all of the work together and help people cultivate deeper self-awareness and connection between body, mind, and spirit

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Coming to a new place where we knew no one was a challenge, to begin with. So naturally, in addition to being the woman no one had heard of, I also created a movement modality that no one was familiar with. That has certainly been a challenge but a welcome one, and so much community-building and goodness has come out of it. Plus, I never had to do it alone. I had and still have an amazing partnership with local vegetarian restaurant, Gaia House Cafe, a husband who helps me every step of the way, and incredibly supportive community here in Grand Rapids.

I think it’s also challenging to operate in so many spaces (movement, retreat hosting, Human Design, life coaching). It can feel like I am stretched pretty thin at times, but at the end of the day – I believe what guides all of my work is the desire to create inclusive, authentic connection – within oneself, between body, mind, and spirit, and between people.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I operate two businesses. One is my personal business – WDP Coaching – I offer group movement workshops and somatic/holistic life coaching for individuals and groups.

As a Holistic/Somatic Life Coach, I encourage exploration of (and past) what the cognitive mind is capable of, and help people cultivate deeper self-awareness, access the wisdom of the body, and explore the unconscious and non-verbal.

I help people to recognize and stay in their joy, access inspiration, gain clarity in their lives, and manage stress. I feel that I am operating in a very unique space – somatic coaching, as a modality, is fairly new. In addition, the movement modality is my own, and though there are strong roots in dance, mindfulness, somatic therapy, and yoga, it is something I created to be a unique and expansive experience.

My movement work led to my second business, Wellness Retreat MI, which is a partnership. We build lasting and inclusive community, through retreats and events that empower people to begin, continue, and diversify their wellness journeys. My partner Megan and I facilitate, organize, plan, and execute these retreats. We invite other wonderful wellness practitioners (and an amazing chef) to share their knowledge and gifts as well.

Have you learned any interesting or important lessons due to the Covid-19 Crisis?
For me, COVID created an opportunity to think outside of the box. For many, it created suffering. I learned to not take one moment for granted. To be grateful, always. And that community is crucial. Life is too short to waste time not being who you are, asking for what you need, and finding people you truly love to be around.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://whitneydawn.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whitneydawnpyles/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wellnessretreatmi
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/kthanksB00

Image Credits
Jay Plyburn
Dan O’Neil
Erin Cook
Bethann Morgan
Alysia Belcher