Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Dana Waldie of Joshua Tree

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Dana Waldie . Check out our conversation below.

Dana , so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
Absolutely. A recent moment that made me both laugh and feel incredibly proud was being hired as a wellness practitioner for a retreat company dedicated to mothers called MTHR. I was invited to facilitate a sound bath and teach a facial ritual class for about 40 attendees.

It was such an honor — this is a large, well-respected retreat organization, and being trusted to lead two different wellness experiences felt like a real milestone in my career.

One of my favorite memories from the weekend was teaching my buccal facial massage class. It’s an intra-oral massage technique, so you can imagine what it looked like to have 40 women all trying to massage the inside of their mouths at the same time. The room got so silly in the best way — lots of laughter, lots of connection. It reminded me how healing and joyful these shared experiences can be.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hello I am Dana the founder of Methods + Rituals Spa. Methods + Rituals, is where beauty transcends the surface. Nestled in the heart of Joshua Tree, my boutique spa sanctuary merges age-old wisdom with modern skincare science to create transformative wellness experiences. Founded in 2021, my approach is rooted in the belief that true radiance emerges from a balance of spirit and skin.

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We harness the power of natural elements and energy work, including Reiki, sound healing, and guided meditation, to craft personalized rituals that nurture both body and soul. Our treatments are designed not just to beautify, but to instill a deep sense of calm and renewal. We offer in-spa treatments and mobile services from 1:1 options to group options.

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Embrace the journey of self-discovery and self-care with Methods + Rituals—where your path to radiant skin and a rejuvenated spirit begins.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who taught you the most about work?
I’d say the people who taught me the most about work were definitely my grandparents — especially my grandmother. They were both incredibly hard-working entrepreneurs, shaped by living through the Great Depression, which gave them this fierce determination and a “work for what you want” mindset.

My grandfather was a contractor and my grandmother was a real estate agent, and together they became this amazing team — building, renovating, and flipping homes long before it was trendy. My grandmother also owned a beauty salon where she rented out about 20 chairs, and I know that had a huge influence on me finding my path into the esthetics world. Growing up in that environment, watching how much intention and effort she poured into her business, showed me what it really means to be dedicated.

And in their “free time,” they still couldn’t sit still — they loved antiquing. Eventually, that passion turned into another business. They traveled across the country collecting unique pieces and later opened an antique shop to sell them.

Their creativity, resilience, and entrepreneurial spirit have shaped so much of who I am today, both as a person and as a business owner.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering has taught me things that success never could — especially the importance of presence, resilience, and compassion. Success feels wonderful, but it doesn’t usually ask you to slow down or look within. Difficult moments do.

Suffering taught me how to sit with myself, to listen to my body, and to honor what I truly need instead of pushing through. It humbled me in the best way — it softened me. It made me more empathetic, more patient, and more attuned to the people I serve.

It also showed me that healing isn’t linear. There were times I felt lost or unsure, but moving through those moments taught me how strong I actually am, and how much beauty can come from breaking open.

Those experiences gave me a deeper understanding of why I do this work. They made me a better practitioner, a better space holder, and ultimately a more grounded version of myself. Success never demanded that kind of inner transformation — but suffering did, and I’m grateful for what it revealed.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
One of the biggest lies the beauty and wellness industry tells itself is that staying young forever is the key to happiness. There’s this constant pressure to erase every sign of aging, as if growing older isn’t a natural, sacred rite of passage.

I try to remind my clients that wrinkles are normal. Texture is normal. Change is normal. The images we see on social media and TV have created an unrealistic standard of perfection that doesn’t actually exist in real life.

The truth is, aging is a privilege. Our skin tells the story of our experiences, our expressions, our joy, and even our challenges. When we stop chasing the illusion of flawlessness and instead focus on nurturing, supporting, and honoring our skin, we create a much healthier relationship with ourselves.

I believe beauty isn’t about staying frozen in time — it’s about feeling connected, confident, and deeply at home in your body at every age

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
The first thing I would stop doing is working so hard. It almost feels vulnerable to admit that, but it’s true. I would shift my energy toward what matters most to me — my children and my family.

I would spend more time creating memories with them, being fully present, soaking in the little moments, and traveling together. Even imagining it brings up emotion, because it’s a reminder of how precious time really is. It puts everything into perspective and makes me think about how I want to live right now, not someday.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.methodsandrituals.com/
• Instagram: methodsandrituals_spa
• Other: Google: https://share.google/rBNZ8GJvW0ILZiuRn

Image Credits
Tina Swain Family Photographer
Victoria Posh Photography