About Owner Kayla

Hello everyone! I am Kayla Gajdascz, owner and co-founder of Mental Houseplants™, a company dedicated to promoting the connection between indoor plants and mental wellness. As a person with ADHD and other mental diagnoses, I understand the challenges of maintaining good mental health and the difficulties that come with navigating through one’s mental health journey. Caring for plants helped me find new confidence in myself that helped me discover the positive impact plants can have on one's mental health and well-being.

My plant journey begins with just two plants, a Cat Palm and a Boston Fern, then eventually a Monstera Deliciosa named Ophelia. Ophelia overcame many plant related obstacles and soon became a symbol of resilience and strength to me. This encouragement found in Ophelia quickly started my addiction to expand to now over 80 houseplants. I was and still am amazed by how caretaking for these living beings increased my well-being, helped me practice mindfulness, increased my confidence in my own abilities, and so much more. This is why I am passionate about sharing my story and the benefits of indoor plants with others.

Another reason I am passionate about sharing mental wellness is because of my own mental health journey. As a survivor of childhood trauma and navigating life without my diagnoses until I was 25, I struggled for a long time with my mental health. It took a toll on many factors of my life including relationships with friends and family, my ability to excel in undergraduate school, and affected the way I saw myself. I was 25 years old when I decided I was tired of living in my own head and found the encouragement to seek therapy. Through the support of my now husband and a few of my closest family and friends, I was able to heal and grow into the person I am today. I was able to understand my diagnoses and learn how to overcome the challenges that come with. I aspire to inspire others and prove that with determination and self-care, anyone can overcome life's challenges and achieve their goals.

Through creating Mental Houseplants with my husband, Nolan Gajdascz, we hope to encourage others, provide support, build community, and share tips to help you succeed caring for plants and how to improve overall wellness and mental health with the power of plants!

On our Instagram Page, I have a more in depth description of how plants transformed me! Check it out by clicking the button below!

Check It Out ->

About Co-Founder Nolan

After facing traumatic experiences in my youth, I struggled with feelings of uncertainty and self-doubt. But at 19, I made the life-changing decision to seek therapy and work on my personal growth, which led me to discover the power of mindfulness. Through therapy and perseverance, I was able to achieve goals that once seemed impossible.

I pursued my passion for fitness and became a personal trainer, and later went back to school with the encouragement of my wife and best friend, Kayla. With dedication and hard work, I graduated with a Bachelor's of Science in Information Technology, achieving a 3.81 GPA.

Along the way, Kayla introduced me to the amazing benefits of owning and caring for indoor plants. This sparked my interest in researching their potential to improve mental health and wellbeing. Together, we created Mental Houseplants, a company dedicated to making an impact in the lives of those who care about their own, and others, mental health.

Organizational Update

Effective January 2024, we are proud to share that Mental Houseplants has transitioned to being solely owned by our co-founder, Kayla, marking a pivotal moment in our journey.
Kayla, whose leadership and vision have been instrumental in shaping the direction of Mental Houseplants, will now steer the organization into its next chapter. Her dedication to our mission and her innovative approach will undoubtedly continue to inspire and drive Mental Houseplants forward.
Nolan, co-founder, has made the decision to step down from his ownership role to embark on a new adventure. Nolan’s contributions to Mental Houseplants have been immeasurable, laying a strong foundation upon which we continue to build. His passion, expertise, and vision have been pivotal in our success. Nolan will not be stepping away entirely; he will remain an integral part of our community, providing technical support and lending his expertise behind the scenes. Additionally, he will continue to attend community events, including farmers markets and charity events.
Thank you all for your ongoing support and commitment to our mission. We are excited to embark on this new chapter together and to see where this journey takes us.