Yvonne Berenguer
Yvonne Berenguer is a wellness coach, educator, and writer based in Vacaville, California, with a long-standing career in social work and mental health education. She holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of California, Berkeley and a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work and Sociology from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. With over two decades of experience in the field, she has dedicated her professional life to advancing well-being, strengthening helping professions, and supporting both individuals and organizations through evidence-based wellness practices.
For more than 25 years, Yvonne has served as a lecturer in the Master of Social Work program at California State University, Stanislaus, where she has taught courses in social welfare policy, ethics, practice with juvenile offenders, and field education. Alongside her academic career, she co-founded Wellness Options, LLC, where she develops and facilitates mindfulness-based stress reduction programs and workplace wellness curricula. Her work integrates mindfulness, positive psychology, compassion, and gratitude, with a strong focus on improving organizational culture and reducing workplace stress through practical, research-informed tools.
In addition to her academic and coaching roles, Yvonne is a writer and poet who began publishing her creative work in recent years, including her first book. She continues to expand her writing practice while developing wellness programs that address professional grief, resilience, and long-term cultural change within organizations. As she transitions out of her academic teaching role, she remains focused on life coaching and wellness consulting, helping professionals and organizations build healthier, more sustainable approaches to work and personal well-being.
• Certified mindfulness instructor through HeartMind Education
• Certified in grief education with David Kessler's program
• Leader - Bringing Baby Home
• Leader- Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work
• Teacher Affiliate Certified
• Certified Personal Life Coach
• University of California, Berkeley- Master's
• University of Nevada-Las Vegas- Bachelor's
• Writing club/writing group
What do you attribute your success to?
I would say there's a level of perseverance and tenacity - never giving up. And being passionate about what you do is so important. You've got to love what you're doing. Otherwise, find what you do love. It's all about having that passion for something you're going to do, because that's what keeps you going and helps you make a meaningful impact.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
I'm thinking of a mentor who told me something that really stuck with me. He said, if you can dream it, if you can visualize it, it can be done - you can do it. That advice has guided me throughout my career, reminding me that visualization and belief in what's possible are powerful tools for achieving your goals.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say listen to your dreams. Be very intentional with your attention and function with a lot of intention - a very mindfulness kind of way of moving through the world. Be very intentional with your attention, focusing on what are you passionate about doing. Find what you are passionate about, because that's what will guide you and sustain you in this work.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I think the biggest challenge is sometimes recognizing that you are getting in your own way. Economically, we're living in some really interesting times. My particular approach tries to target folks in the helping profession, and it's a hard sell sometimes to look at how we can make systemic changes - to see the bigger picture and play the long game. That's a really tough road and can be very challenging. A lot of organizations are looking for quick fixes, but what we're trying to do is establish something long-term. It's really hard to persuade an organization and the leadership that you want to take your time with this so it can be embedded in your organizational culture. You've got to have leadership that commits to this change in organizational culture, a shift. In order to sustain this, you need the vision and the political will to make it happen. We know it can be done because we're starting to see it happen in one of the organizations we've been working with for a while, but it's a hard sell to make people believers that this can actually work.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I would say having a sense of authenticity and vulnerability. I think that's really important to be able to establish connections with people very genuinely. It's so important. It's all about connection, it's all about relationships. Being authentic and vulnerable allows you to build those meaningful connections that are at the heart of everything I do.