Wendi Sue Ciesielska, NP

About Wendi Brandon

“I’ve always been interested in being there for others,” says Wendi Brandon, PMHNP. Her interest in helping others in a greater capacity came while she was volunteering within the recovering alcoholic community. After learning and teaching yoga and experiencing some personal medical trauma and then a move to a new state, she eventually pursued a career in nursing.

Wendi earned a BA in fine arts from Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN. Ten years later, she completed the BSN program at Murray State University, Murray, KY, and then went on to earn her Master of Science in Nursing/PMHNP-BC (Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner-Board Certified) at Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY.

She was led to this specialty after observing how a person’s mental well-being greatly affects total well-being. “While I was a cardiac nurse, I noticed people felt better when someone listened to them and expressed genuine …concern,” she says, adding, “As an artist, my paintings and poetry were mostly about observing the emotions of others.”

Constantly learning is an important part of what Wendi does. “I meet people seeking help improving their well-being. I get to know them and work with them to discover what exactly ails them and we find a way to implement a plan that improves their mental health and overall well-being,” she says.

Wendi wants people to know she does not judge anyone, because anything can happen to anyone. She works with them on goal’s and helps them find solutions. Wendi’s philosophy is to work hard, and she expects the same of her clients.

Ultimately, Wendi wants patients to know this: “That I believe in them and want them to find their best life.”

In her own words…

Who is or was the most influential people/role models in your life? I was really inspired reading the teachings of Swami Vivekananda.

What was your first job growing up? What do you remember about it? I loved lifeguarding at a neighborhood pool. My favorite part was teaching swim lessons, because as a child I never was able to pass advanced beginner swim class.

What is your favorite food? I love Lebanese food and borscht.

What was your best/worst subjects in school growing up? Literature and math were my favorite. Government was my worst.

If you could sit down to dinner with anyone (alive or deceased) who would it be and why? Prince. I’m not sure if he was really into dinner, but I’d like to hear him talk about his life; I’m pretty easy to talk to and I do not gossip.

In addition to medicine, what are you passionate about? Learning about nature and I love rocks.

What are your hobbies, interests? Yoga, Jiu Jitsu, healthy food, running, walking, traveling, writing poetry

Do you have pets? Two cats

What is something most people don’t know about you? I live really simply and care about the environment.