Our Story

Simply Bee first opened its doors on February 1, 2018. Since then, we have grown into two different locations serving 300+ clients a week. So where did it all begin? It was first dreamed up by founder Audrey Grunst, LCSW in the mountains of Pennsylvania. 

"In 2017 at the Himalayan Institute, I found clarity and direction at a yoga retreat that allowed me to have a silent mind and listen to a heart that needed to speak. I discovered how simple it was to 'just be me' with no fear, shame, judgment or static noise from the outside world. I asked myself why I couldn't feel this way in my day-to-day life in the suburbs of Chicago—and the response that kept popping into my head was, 'Why not?'

So amidst the beauty of the mountains, I planted the seedlings of what would become Simply Bee as it's known today. I make sure to remind myself often of the inspiration behind this place and continually commit to creating an environment where all people can 'simply bee' themselves." -Audrey

We often get asked what the inspiration was behind the practice's name. Beyond Audrey's experience in the mountains where she was able to "simply bee", there is a lot of meaning attached to the name of our practice. 

Bees symbolize collaboration and hard work, two essential elements in the realization of growth – one of our core values. A bee is only as strong as its hive, and we believe our own hive is only as strong as the support we provide to each other. We cultivate in our team members a "hive mind" mentality in which we are all committed to our common mission, vision, and values to provide quality care to our clients. 

Like bees who help their hives become successful through individual work for the greater good, here we believe the same idea applies to you: when you take care of yourself first, you have a direct, positive impact on those around you. 

We believe that therapy and mental health do not need to be hidden within the walls of a building. 

Audrey's vision out in the mountains was to bring that same sense of peace, authenticity, and calm back into the busyness of her environment. She knew that this required breaking out of the traditional therapy practice mold. As a result, at the core of our mission is to be actively involved in our community—bringing mental health to all people whether that be through one-on-one therapy, events, partnerships, presentations, or workshops.

When we bring mental health out into the open, we can continue to break the stigma that has kept it behind closed doors for too long. Therapy is not something to be ashamed of, it is bright, powerful, healing, inspiring and for everyone. 

The work we do at Simply Bee is not just work—it's a lifestyle. #buzzbuzz

Through all of our efforts, we keep close in our hearts the reason why we do this work: to help people find wellness, hope and joy. We invest time and effort into our clients because we know that one person's wellness has a ripple effect on the success of their family, friends, and the community as a whole. This ripple effect is what changes the world.

Each person who works at Simply Bee is committed to our mission to change lives, our vision of a world where all people can simply bee themselves, and our core values of quality, caring, and growth. These tenets will help us achieve our larger goal of leaving a lasting legacy of wellness on all of those with whom we interact. 

The journey that started as a dream in the mountains of Pennsylvania has given us the opportunity to help people far and wide and we are so grateful. We can't wait for all that's to come!

-Audrey