Self-care enthusiasts open The Wellness Space at Waterside

As a child, Maria Luedeke moved around a lot, living in Italy, Japan, France, Singapore and the United States. When Luedeke graduated college, her family was in Singapore, so she moved there expecting to stay for about six months. There, she met her now husband Scott Luedeke and instead stayed for 25 years before moving back to the United States. 

In Singapore, she worked as a psychotherapist with yoga instructors, meditation teachers, nutritionists and doctors. She wanted to have a place where all of those different people could be under one roof. 

Luedeke moved to Lakewood Ranch in 2021 and met Kyle Schauenberg at a coffee hour at the Out-of-Door Academy where their children attend school. They instantly felt a connection.  Schauenberg has some international experience as an adult, too, having lived in Florence, Italy for a year in 2019.

Schauenberg said her time in Florence allowed her to slow down and appreciate the little things.

“There was that immersion into a culture that was everything we needed at the time,”  said. “Schauenberg know, we needed deep connection, we needed joy. We needed the nourishment of great food.”

Schauenberg wanted to continue to feel deep connections and be nourished in her daily life after leaving Italy.

“It didn't take us long to realize that we were in the same line of work, and we really feel really passionate about what we do,”  Schauenberg said. 

Schauenberg been practicing meditation her whole life, but properly for the last 16 years. 

“I love working one on one with people, but it's been on my heart for a long time to create a space where people can come together in a community around all kinds of modalities of wellness,”  Schauenberg said.  

“We're never going to come from the place where we tell people that they're not enough, ever, ever, ever, ever,”  Schauenberg said. “We have the absolute opposite view.”  Schauenberg and Luedeke describe The Wellness Space as “A new sanctuary for holistic wellness, connection, and personal transformation.”

They decided they wanted to pursue opening their own self-care studio, and the planning began in February of 2023. With permits, contractors and hurricanes, it took a while to put everything in place, but they are eager to welcome clients to their Waterside location, 1561 Lakefront Drive, Unit 208.

The Wellness Space offers NEST classes which stands for nourish, explore, soothe and thrive. These include breathwork, yoga, meditation and one-on-one wellness coaching as well as group classes and workshops. 

Schauenberg has been teaching meditation online for some time and still teaches clients she picked up on her travels as well as her year living in Italy. 

“My clients tend to also have a lifestyle like what I had, being on the road and going all the time,” Schauenberg said. “This is the magic of Zoom. It's so brilliant.”

Although she enjoys teaching online, she also wants to be able to teach groups who have no use of a computer screen. 

“I'm craving that in-person and community orientation of creating a space that feels like people can feel at home, a sense of belonging,” Schauenberg said. “This is where I come when I just want to feel soothed or taken care of.” 

Schauenberg said her clients know what makes them feel alive, it is just about tending to those needs in their daily lives. She wants to assist in diving into the nooks and crannies that clients may not know or think about. 

“You know what nourishes you. You know what soothes you,” Schauenberg said. “Let's help bring that to life and make it be the way that you habituate your day.” 

Luedeke said everyone has relationships with everything: stress and anxiety, difficulties with family members or marriage, drugs and alcohol being a few examples.

“You've got to work on your self care first before you're going to be able to be responsive in a really positive way with anything else,” Luedeke said. “That's our foundation here, it’s really about self care and how we take care of ourselves.”

The Wellness Space has multiple rooms and ways for clients to work on self care. They have a relaxation lounge with self care and wellness books, as well as a coffee and tea station. There are also individual consultation rooms for one-on-one sessions with the founders. They also offer a red light therapy room. 

“What red light does is it helps your mitochondria, like the smallest part of your cell, to metabolize faster, so it speeds up the healing process,” Luedeke said.

Luedeke said there have been reports of red light assisting in eyesight and nerve and ligament injuries.

Photo by Madison Bierl

Along with Luedeke and Schauenberg, there are two other full-time staff members, Alexis Stone and Emma Dasco, who each have multiple roles in the studio. Stone is a breathwork and sound practitioner. Dasco is a wellness coach and yoga instructor who focuses on Ayurvedic wellness and nutrition.

Both Stone and Dasco work on keeping the lifestyle boutique part of the space stocked and organized. They offer merchandise and items that are often recommended in the wellness world, including mala beads, which are a favorite of Schauenberg's.

Mala beads are rooted in Hinduism and Buddhism and are often used as a focal point during meditation in order to prevent wandering thoughts. Schauenberg holds her beads and moves them around in her hands. 

“I need a little movement in my meditation, so it's nice to feel like you're doing something while you meditate, and that part of your brain can chew on a little something, too.”

They also carry journals and essential oil sprays that Schauenberg described as delightful, soothing and energizing.

“We want people to come in and to experience our space, experience our classes, and what we have to offer,” Luedeke said. “Have an opportunity to meet other people that are wanting that same thing.”