Teresa Katzenberger: Turning Survival Into a Global Mission for Wellness
- Nov 19
- 4 min read
Teresa Katzenberger’s journey didn’t begin with a grand vision to change lives. It began with the fight to save her own. Her early years were marked by a brutal storm of domestic violence, addiction, eating disorders, and self-hate. For years, she lived in survival mode a place where pain felt permanent and hope seemed out of reach. But when she finally found the tools to heal her body and mind, something powerful shifted.
She realized that the blueprint she had created to reclaim her own life could unlock the same freedom for others. “Honestly, my mission came from survival and then the refusal to stay stuck in survival mode,” she says. “When I found the tools to heal my body and mind, I realized I was holding a blueprint for freedom and I couldn’t not share it. And... God stepped in!”
Teresa believes it was divine intervention that opened her eyes to her gifts and calling. What began as a personal battle to break family curses and end cycles of dysfunction became a global mission to help others live well not “someday,” but now. “Overcoming entities that were put in place to steal, kill and destroy my life has been my greatest motivator to help others conquer their inner demons and walk with them through their darkness into a bright, healthy future,” she shares.
At the heart of her mission is the Live Well Now Academy, a health and wellness organization rooted in sustainable transformation rather than temporary fixes. Teresa has spent decades in the wellness space, and she knows firsthand how the traditional “diet and exercise” approach falls short. “At Live Well Now Academy, we don’t hand people a diet plan and say, ‘good luck,’” she explains. “We hand them the tools, the truth, and the power to take their life back.”
Her signature method, the No Diet Mindset Transformation System is designed to free people from endless cycles of restriction, guilt, and frustration. “Sustainable change doesn’t come from counting calories or killing yourself in the gym,” she says. “It comes from healing what’s happening on the inside. Real transformation begins in the mind.”
Instead of quick fixes, Teresa and her team focus on understanding the body, hormones, habits, and mindset. They strip away confusion and replace it with education, accountability, and empowerment. Teresa doesn’t want clients to follow a program.
She wants them to own a lifestyle that gives them freedom, strength, and confidence from the inside out. “We don’t chase perfection,” she says. “We build progress that lasts.”
Teresa’s personal transformation wasn’t an overnight success. It began with brutal honesty. “Honestly? I had to get real with myself. No excuses. No pretending. No more hiding,” she recalls. “I was broken. I was alone. Physically, emotionally, spiritually. But somewhere deep down, there was still a tiny spark that refused to die. I knew God had created me for so much more. I refused to give up on me.”
The biggest shift came when she accepted that no one was coming to save her; she had to save herself. She began showing up for herself every single day, even when she didn’t want to. “I stopped chasing perfection and started choosing progress. I stopped punishing my body and started listening to it.”
Her early recovery involved 90 meetings in 90 days and then repeating it two more times. It meant teaching herself how to eat again, long before Google or social media existed. She spent hours in libraries, devouring books and magazines, determined to rebuild her life. That raw, relentless commitment to healing became the foundation for everything she teaches today.
“Rebuilding my life meant getting brutally honest, doing the inner work, forgiving myself, and learning to love the woman in the mirror again,” she says. “That’s where the real transformation began when I stopped running from my pain and started using it as my purpose.”
Teresa’s faith is the cornerstone of her approach. Her leadership roles in women’s ministry and recovery programs are deeply woven into her work as a wellness coach. “My faith and my leadership shape everything I do,” she says. “I know what it’s like to feel lost, broken, and hopeless and I also know the power of hope, faith, and a supportive community to help pull you through.”
She doesn’t just coach bodies; she coaches people's hearts and minds. Her coaching style blends compassion, accountability, and spiritual truth. She believes people matter their life, health, and future self matter. “I teach people the hard truths that equal real results,” she emphasizes.
Faith taught her that transformation is possible even when it feels impossible. Leading women through healing showed her that community, connection, and encouragement are just as critical as nutrition and movement. “My approach is all about empowering people to take ownership of their lives spiritually, mentally, and physically so they can truly live well now.”
For those feeling stuck in their healing journey, Teresa offers a message of grace and strength. “The first thing I tell people is: It’s ok to get through what you’re going through,” she says. Healing isn’t about pretending everything’s fine or rushing through pain. It’s about showing up for yourself even when it’s uncomfortable.
“The first step toward lasting transformation is allowing yourself to be where you are without judgment, while still choosing to take one small action that says, ‘I’m worth fighting for,’” she explains. That step could be moving your body, journaling, talking to someone you trust, or simply breathing through the moment.
At Live Well Now Academy, no one walks alone. Teresa stands beside each person, walking with them through their process.
“We do this thing called life; TOGETHER,” she says. She reminds every client that they don’t need to have it all figured out. They don’t need to be perfect. They just need to take that first honest step toward themselves.
“When you decide, ‘I want to want to change and finally receive healing, wholeness, and freedom,’ that’s when everything shifts,” Teresa says. “You are so much more than you think you are. And you are worth fighting for.”
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