Audrey Grunst

Audrey Grunst, LCSW & CEO, founded Simply Bee in February 2018 with a vision to create an impact on mental health. She is also the host of the podcast "Well, Not Perfect," where experts share their personal and professional experiences that aim to inspire and humble listeners to examine their own mindset through a therapeutic lens that only a mental health expert can offer.

Grunst has been a provider in the mental health field since 2007, most known for her therapy skills in outpatient and intensive therapeutic programs. She opened Simply Bee in 2018 after spending 10 years in residential, group homes, intensive outpatient, and partial hospital programs. Grunst has been able to connect treatment centers to community organizations and schools in order to provide the best continuation of care possible for her clients. She spends a lot of her time presenting her Growth & Resiliency Model© to school districts and corporations across the country.

Grunst graduated from Loyola University's Masters of Social Work Program in 2011 and developed programs for centers such as Lawrence Hall Youth Services, Eating Recovery Centers, and Center for Contextual Change. Most recently, Grunst was awarded The Illinois Senate Award for her leadership in the Highland Park Fourth of July Shooting in 2022 for organizing over 600 therapists in a 5-day volunteer operation. Grunst combined her clinical knowledge and leadership skills to consult on several boards for mental health and safety in the Lake County, IL, area and was recognized on the Top 50 Women Leaders of Illinois for 2023.