Today we’d like to introduce you to Janice Davidson Winger, LCSW.
Hi Janice Davidson, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
After 28 years in community mental health, I found myself at a turning point. My work had always centered on helping others heal and grow, yet I sensed a deeper calling—to create something that would help not only individuals and families, but also the leaders and organizations responsible for shaping their environments. That insight gave birth to VantageMind, a consulting and coaching firm dedicated to helping leaders and organizations build resilience from the inside out. Our mission is simple: to empower people to lead well, especially through challenge and change.
My passion for this work began long before my first credential. As a teenager, I watched my mother—an extraordinary woman who lived with bipolar disorder—struggle to find the right care. When she finally received an accurate diagnosis during a 30-day inpatient program, everything changed. She reclaimed her life, her sense of self, and her future. Witnessing that transformation shaped my understanding of how profoundly mental health care can alter a person’s story. It also ignited a lifelong drive to ensure others could find the same hope and healing.
That personal experience gives me a dual perspective: the clinical expertise of a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and the lived empathy of someone who has navigated the system from a family member’s seat. Throughout my career, I’ve seen the power of combining professional rigor with human compassion—and it’s that balance that fuels VantageMind’s work today.
In my years leading behavioral health and crisis services, I noticed an alarming trend: burnout, turnover, and disengagement were eroding the very systems meant to support wellbeing. Seventy percent of employees now say their manager has more impact on their mental health than their therapist or doctor. Yet many leaders were promoted for their technical skill, not for their ability to lead with emotional intelligence. The result is stress, attrition, and preventable suffering—both human and organizational.
VantageMind exists to change that. We partner with mission-driven organizations and executives to strengthen leadership from the inside out. We help workplaces become spaces where people feel valued, heard, and equipped to perform at their best. Because wellbeing isn’t a perk—it’s a business imperative.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I just launched, so I am still in the start-up phase. Having a mentor through the Small Business Administration has helped navigate the details and networking. I’m accustomed to having a team, so working alone can be difficult and lonely at times. I’m still working to get a customer base and a referral base.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Our work spans three main areas. Through Wellbeing Workshops, we help teams understand and apply principles of psychological safety, resilience, and communication. Sessions are interactive, evidence-informed, and designed to leave participants feeling both empowered and connected.
Through Crisis Consulting, we support behavioral health agencies and nonprofits in improving service delivery and crisis-response systems. In one department I led, high turnover and safety incidents had become the norm. Rather than applying quick fixes, I listened—shadowing staff, identifying root causes, and rebuilding systems with their input. Over time, safety incidents dropped, morale rose, and performance exceeded expectations. That experience reinforced a truth I carry forward: operational excellence and mental wellbeing go hand in hand.
Finally, through LeadWell Coaching and Supervision Circle, we help leaders and clinicians grow in clarity, confidence, and purpose. Our coaching programs are structured yet deeply personal, combining clinical insight with leadership strategy. We also provide high-quality clinical supervision for LMSWs and TLPCs, cultivating ethical excellence and reflective practice.
Every aspect of VantageMind is grounded in the belief that leadership begins within. When leaders are centered and self-aware, they create workplaces where others can flourish. And when organizations invest in mental wellbeing, they don’t just improve retention or productivity—they build cultures of trust, innovation, and compassion.
What makes VantageMind different is the integration of clinical expertise with organizational strategy. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and a longtime healthcare executive, I understand both the emotional and structural sides of transformation. Our approach is trauma-informed, insight-driven, and deeply human.
Our name—VantageMind—reflects our philosophy: when leaders gain a higher vantage point, they see more clearly where vision, values, and action align. From that place, real change happens.
Every day, I see how small shifts in awareness can ripple through an organization. A manager learns to listen with empathy. A team rebuilds trust. A company discovers that investing in wellbeing yields not only happier employees but also higher performance and innovation.
Ultimately, VantageMind is about helping people rediscover what it means to lead with heart, clarity, and courage. Because when leaders are well, organizations thrive—and so do the communities they serve.
For me, this work is personal. It’s the continuation of my mother’s story, my professional journey, and the countless lives I’ve witnessed transformed through care and courage. At VantageMind, we’re redefining what it means to lead well—helping people access their inner vantage point, where vision, values, and action align.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
I just launched, so I am still in the beginning stages. I contacted the Small Business Administration and have a mentor to help with all of the details and a networking strategy. That has been very helpful. I set up my website by myself using GoDaddy. That was my first time, and their platform made it very easy. Canva is great for marketing materials. Additionally, VistaPrint is ideal for business cards.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.vantagemind.org
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janicevantagemind
