It’s a surprising turn for a company dedicated to mental wellness. Reports have surfaced accusing Mandy Teefey, co-founder of Wondermind and mother to pop superstar Selena Gomez, of drug use right in the company’s office.
An article from The Cut, published on a Wednesday in early September, laid out serious claims. Anonymous employees told the publication that Teefey, who is 49, sometimes showed up to the office after having too much to drink. One person even claimed to see her snort what they believed was a "line of Ritalin."
Other former staff members recalled a strange pattern. They said nurses often visited the office. These nurses would give Teefey vitamin IV drips. These drips supposedly had liquid Benadryl mixed in. Teefey reportedly told people around her that she needed these shots to handle "allergies and the lasting effects of severe COVID and double pneumonia." Employees noticed that after these injections, Teefey would speak slowly and appear sleepy, according to the article. Adding to the concern, Teefey’s youngest daughter sometimes came to the office just to sleep there. This worried many who worked there.
Mandy Teefey shares her 12-year-old daughter, Gracie, with her husband, Brian Teefey. Her older daughter, Selena, now 33, is from her high school relationship with Ricardo Gomez.
Mandy strongly denied the Ritalin accusation to The Cut. She stated it "absolutely" never happened. She founded Wondermind, she explained, to help people dealing with mental health challenges. Teefey called it "unfortunate" that a few "disgruntled employees," wanting to harm her, would spread "lies" and twist the truth. She also found it "even more disappointing" that news outlets would spread those lies.
Despite Mandy’s denial, one former staff member claimed Selena was well aware of her mother’s issues. This person told The Cut with great confidence that Selena knew her mother wasn’t in good enough shape to run the company. Selena herself has not spoken publicly about these accusations. Us Weekly reached out for a comment on the situation.
Wondermind began in 2022. Selena and Mandy Teefey co-founded the mental health platform with Daniella Pierson. Its goal was to offer support for mental well-being across different types of media. Mandy said at the time that they hoped to be a "comprehensive hub" for all things mental health. She saw it as a new way for people to understand and engage in creative self-care. She hoped it would show everyone that change is possible. She also mentioned finding a good balance between learning, media, and self-reflection to truly inspire growth, not just act as doctors.
Selena explained her reasons for joining the effort in a May 2022 interview for a Wondermind newsletter. She spoke about admiring Princess Diana for being "honest and real." Selena wanted Wondermind to be a "real, honest, safe, comfortable place" people could trust. She hoped others would feel the same way she did about the project.
However, Wondermind hit a rough patch financially that same year. In May 2022, the company cut 60 percent of its staff. This was due to money troubles, as reported by Forbes. A company spokesperson told the news outlet at the time that they were moving into a "new chapter" for Wondermind. They confirmed that any outstanding debts had been "rectified."
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).