Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Neill.
Hi Amanda, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Ohana Wellness Collective had been a pipe dream of mine since I had my first son in 2011. Navigating postpartum, parenthood, marriage, and partnership felt far more isolating and overwhelming than I ever imagined it would.
During that season, I found myself dreaming about the “village” of yesteryear; the kind of community where support and camaraderie were simply built into everyday life. As an eldest daughter, I think part of me was also secretly longing for an “adultier adult”, a big-sister tribe of women who could offer practical advice, reassurance, and support through all of life’s seasons.
It took nearly a decade for that dream to begin taking shape. In July 2020, I opened my solo practice. What started as one small practice slowly but surely grew into something much bigger: Ohana Wellness Collective, Orlando’s first wellness collective built by families, for families.
At its heart, Ohana is the village I once found myself searching for. It’s a place created so families don’t have to navigate the beautiful, messy, overwhelming seasons of life alone and so they can find connection, practical support, and a community to walk alongside them.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Like life in general, my experience as a small business owner has been filled with epic highs and disappointing lows. Entrepreneurship wasn’t something I grew up seeing modeled, and despite my best efforts, I never did find the magical life handbook on how to start and run a boutique counseling and wellness practice.
The human-centered part has always come naturally to me. Connecting with clients, creating a space where people feel seen and supported, and building meaningful relationships are the parts of this work that feel most intuitive. The business side, however, has involved a whole lot of learning on the fly. From navigating negotiations and partnerships to learning how, and when, to delegate, there have been plenty of lessons I could only learn by actually living them.
I always joke that being a small business owner is a lot like jumping out of an airplane and crafting your parachute on the way down. There are moments when you’re pretty sure you’ve figured it out, followed quickly by moments that remind you there’s still plenty to learn.
But I think that’s also been one of the most meaningful parts of the journey. Building Ohana has required me to grow right alongside the business, to become more comfortable with uncertainty, trust myself, ask for help, and recognize that you don’t have to have everything figured out before you begin.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Ohana Wellness Collective?
As a wellness collective built by families, for families, it was incredibly important to us that Ohana never feel like another overly sterile or intimidating clinical environment. Every facet of our practice, from the services we offer to the physical spaces we create, is intentionally designed to help people feel seen, welcomed, and comfortable being exactly where they are.
Our philosophy is rooted in recognizing and harnessing our clients’ innate strengths rather than pathologizing or stigmatizing their experiences. We believe wellness is deeply personal and rarely one-size-fits-all, so we embrace evidence-based, holistic, whole-person approaches that consider the many pieces of what makes someone human.
In addition to traditional talk therapy, we offer a diverse range of services and modalities, including play therapy, walk-and-talk therapy, animal-assisted psychotherapy, hypnotherapy, sex therapy, EMDR, yoga and somatic therapy, music, art and bibliotherapy, and support groups. Our goal is to give individuals and families more ways to connect, heal, grow, and find support that feels right for them.
What sets Ohana apart, though, is perhaps less about any single service we provide and more about how people feel when they’re here. We have worked hard to create an environment where wellness feels approachable and human.
Some of my proudest moments are actually the simplest ones: when a client or guest walks through our doors and gushes about how comfy and cozy the space feels, tells us they wish they could hang out in the waiting area a little longer, or lingers in our wellness space because they genuinely enjoy being there. Those moments remind me that the brand and vision we started with are still moving in the right direction.
Ultimately, I want people to know that Ohana is more than a collection of wellness services. We are creating the kind of village I once found myself searching for, a place where people can feel supported through the many seasons of being human, without judgment and without having to navigate them alone.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
Perhaps my favorite and least favorite things about Orlando are actually intertwined. Orlando and its surrounding communities have endured a number of trying, and at times deeply painful, moments over the past few decades. It can be easy to feel bogged down by the heaviness of it all.
And yet, I’m continually impressed by the resilience, tenacity, and heart of this city. Time and time again, I’ve watched our communities come together to support local businesses, families, neighbors, and causes greater than themselves. In some of the hardest moments, Orlando has shown just how powerful a sense of community can be.
Many people know the Hawaiian word “‘Ohana” means family, but fewer realize its spirit extends beyond blood ties. To me, it encompasses our chosen family, our friends, our neighbors, our community, and all of those invisible threads that connect us to one another.
I think Orlando demonstrates that beautifully. For all the challenges our community has faced, there is something incredibly special about the way people here continue to show up for one another. That sense of connection, the idea that we are all part of something bigger than ourselves, is at the heart of why I chose the name Ohana in the first place.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ohanawc.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ohanawellnesscollective/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ohanacounselingandwellness
