We recently had the chance to connect with Madonna Jervis Wise MA and LMHC and have shared our conversation below.
Madonna, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
With a multi-faceted career as an educator and community activist as well as an author of numerous books and articles I had the opportunity to teach two adult classes in the Osher Institute at the University of South Florida over the past month! The class sold out within hours of being posted on the first day and they had to open a second class.
With nearly forty engaged students coming from diverse backgrounds, we built synergy as we explored topics.
The classes occurred at one of my almas matters and took me back to the very roots of my professional career as an instructor and to topics I have researched and savored in the area of history and genealogy. While students of all ages were returning to an exciting new school year, I too had the opportunity to revel in the excitement of learning from many angles.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am Madonna Jervis Wise- a historian, educator, and professional who has served fellow educators, students, and stakeholders for nearly 40 years. I am also a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. To learn more, you can find my books and experience some of my programs at my website- MadonnaWiseBooks.com.
My research skills are legendary as I am called upon by businesses, institutions, cities, governments, and families to find the linkages and develop the genealogical paths to tell the complete and unique story.
I wrote the only history book of Dade City and Wesley Chapel, Florida and I am sought after to reveal “where the bodies are buried” and the various stages of growth!
The years as a professional counselor enhance the story and character development as empathy, compassion, and attention to nuances of the time are very important in fully understanding an event or historical figures! Many have said if Madonna researches your family, you will feel as though you have just been introduced to your ancestor!
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
Throughout my career and even personally I have been the scribe! As I have mentioned before I am a first generation college student and I grew up with hard-working parents with strong work ethics! How fortunate I was that they did not see my gender as a deterrent for goals and career!
Consequently, however I was a continuous achiever! Youth organizations such as 4-H and NJHA were great avenues, and I spent many weekends at public speaking competitions! That competitive spirit has withstood the test of time, and I continue to be a real achiever! Parallel with this competitiveness was volunteerism!
I set goals to publish articles and meet book deadlines! I do not shy from competition!
As many accomplishments have come my way- I am acclimating to a more serene level where I can do writing and research of my favorite topics for the purpose of learning and growing!
When you were sad or scared as a child, what helped?
My escape from my earliest recollection was to spend time with my incredible horses! As a child in rural Indiana, I had the fortunate experience of riding and caring for horses! When pain or suffering entered my life as it did with the near death of my father and the routine obstacles of childhood and teenage years one could find me at the barn probably talking to my horse! Back then my quarter horse named Cocoa was always willing to allow me to brush her or ride her and the therapeutic nature of that relationship was always healing and powerful! Many a sad or scared individual has enjoyed the experience of equine connections! It provides incredible connection and exercise of all aspects of mind and body.
Throughout my life I have maintained that equine connection and I have taken this to my career as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor! The connection with animals can be healing and transformative!
Today I ride a ten-year-old Paint horse with a spunky personality, and you will still find me hanging out with him every day! The connection continues to evoke courage, comfort, and real connection.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
In today’s political climate I continue to hold tight to my ethical beliefs! I worked as a teacher, counselor, and school administrator and held fast to code of ethics guidelines! As a supervisor in those fields, I also held my staff accountable! When we were dealing with the most vulnerable of populations-children there was no exception to protecting their well-being and rights! I have seen alteration of the high standard and much eroding of ethics. For example, in my field of grant and historical writing I’ve worked with really reputable publishers who wanted the sources and protected their writers! I have dealt with some very blatant “stealing” of my prose on occasion in the past few years and I have often realized this borrowing of my research was based on pure ignorance of processes in research. I have adapted somewhat, and local universities have given me the opportunities to do workshops and teach writing skills. I hold true to these basic values which I tend to think are highly Midwestern in origin! A sense of honesty and integrity with a climate of neighborliness permeates that area
It is a challenge, but I will continue to stay steadfast and try to influence and remind folks of codes of ethic!
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
I have incredible empathy and compassion for my fellow humans. My sensitivity to feelings and emotions have always been instinctive. These qualities led me to many career choices and today in leadership positions, I collaborate and reach consensus, and I’ve observed that most folks do not know how to bring about this process! I truly believe that these skills have been honed over fifty years of experience and are integrated into my personality and skill set,
The empathy and intuitiveness are sometimes interpreted as weakness and that frequently comes from folks that have not learned the process of “walking in someone else’s shoes,”
You will see in my interviews writing and even fictional that I infuse empathy imagination and an intense level of feeling,
Contact Info:
- Website: https://MadonnaWisebooks.com
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madonna-jervis-wise-ab6a3574/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MadonnaJWise
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/madonnajwise/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/76187470@N07/
Image Credits
Book cover credits are from Arcadia Publishing and History Press as Madonna is the author of Dade City, Zephyrhills, Wesley Chapel, and Trailblazing Women of Tampa Bay and A Haunted History of Pasco County
(Madonna is the author of the only history book on Dade City and Wesley Chapel)
All other photos are from Ernest Wise
