One Center. Two Missions. Exponential Impact.
Our Story
UWC was born from a simple but powerful belief: those who have served our country and communities deserve access to care that truly understands their needs and supports their well-being by addressing root causes often overlooked in mainstream healthcare.
UWC was founded in 2022 by Adi Herman, a veteran of the Israeli Golani Brigade and an integrative bodywork practitioner with over 35 years of clinical experience. The foundation for UWC, however, began long before when Bruce Bisenz, a Vietnam combat veteran, received a stage-four cancer diagnosis with a six-month prognosis, he sought complementary approaches alongside his medical care. That search led him to Adi.
Over the next twenty-four years, they built a consistent therapeutic relationship focused on functional improvement, symptom management, and quality of life. During that time, Bruce lived well beyond his original prognosis.
Believing that other veterans and first responders should have access to this level of care, Bruce made a substantial philanthropic gift to establish UWC as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
From this intersection of lived experience, sustained clinical outcomes, and philanthropic commitment, Upright Wellness Center was created—to both deliver this care and teach it to others.
Bruce Bisenz - Founding Donor
A Model Built to Meet a Real Need
As the nation’s first center of its kind, UWC addresses a critical gap. Veterans, first responders, and their families often face the lasting effects of service-related injuries: chronic pain, occupational stress, and complex physical conditions, while practitioners often lack the advanced training - and collaborative clinical environment - needed to effectively treat them.
Care and Training, Together.
As both a clinical practice and a teaching facility, UWC operates on a dual mission. Licensed practitioners expand their expertise through collaborative, trauma-informed clinical training rooted in autonomic nervous system regulation. At the same time, veterans, first responders, and their families receive specialized, no-cost care delivered in a real clinical environment.
Why It Matters
This model allows care and training to happen simultaneously, improving outcomes for patients today while expanding access to this level of care for the future.
Through personalized care, we restore physical health, dignity, and stability, meeting people where they are. Because at the core of this work is a simple belief: Everyone deserves to wake up feeling good every day.
UWC
No-cost integrative care for veterans and first responders. Advanced training for those who provide it. One groundbreaking model.
Our Mission
UWC fills a critical gap by training practitioners to deliver specialized integrative care to veterans, first responders, and their families, while providing that care at no cost. UWC is building a sustainable model that helps those who have served wake up feeling good every day.
Our Vision
A world where those who've served are fully supported through integrative care, and where practitioners are trained to deliver that care with skill, depth, and purpose. One where veteran involvement fuels a cycle of excellence - shaping more capable practitioners, raising the standard of care, and leaving a lasting impact on every community they serve. One center. Two missions. Exponential impact.
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Empathy: We listen. We understand. We heal.
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Collaboration: We connect. We support. We grow together.
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Integrity: We act with honesty, transparency, and accountability.
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Expertise: We train. We specialize. We deliver excellence.
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Care: We welcome. We nurture. We restore strength.
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Service: We serve. We transform. We make wellness accessible.
Veterans
You’ve served. We understand the challenges of returning home and provide support, healing, and real solutions for your body and well-being.
First Responders
Your courage matters. We understand the toll your work takes and provide tools for stress recovery, pain management, and long-term resilience.
Families
Your loved one's service affects you too. We offer support, resources, and connection for families so you don’t have to navigate it alone.
Practitioners
You want to make a difference. Our advanced, hands-on training equips you to confidently treat complex cases and serve at the highest level.
Who We Serve
UWC is dedicated to serving a diverse community of individuals committed to whole-person well-being:
Our Team
UWC Board of Directors
Advisory Board
