Mandy Teefey’s recent public response to allegations about her conduct at Wondermind, the mental health company she co-founded with daughter Selena Gomez, has reignited focus not just on her leadership, but also on the deeply personal journey behind her advocacy.
On September 3, The Cut published a report citing anonymous former employees who questioned Teefey’s ability to run Wondermind. One former staffer claimed to have seen her snort what they believed to be Ritalin in the company’s West Hollywood office, a claim Teefey firmly denies.
“Absolutely not,” the 49-year-old told The Cut when asked if she had snorted the prescription stimulant. The article also noted that Wondermind, launched in 2021 by Teefey, Gomez, and Daniella Pierson, had laid off nine of its 15 employees earlier this year.
© David LivingstonIn response to the accusations, Teefey said, “I started Wondermind because I wanted to help people with mental illness. It’s unfortunate that a few disgruntled employees with an ax to grind can spread lies about me and distort the truth. Even more disappointing that the media is willing to amplify their lies.”
Notably, Teefey has been open about her ADHD diagnosis in the past. Ritalin is commonly prescribed for ADHD, and according to The Cut, she had a prescription for the medication.
Mandy Teefey’s diagnosis:
Before building a platform focused on mental wellness, Teefey faced a long road of misdiagnoses and personal health battles. She was initially diagnosed with bipolar II disorder and prescribed Lamictal, a medication that worked for years.
© Pascal Le SegretainIn 2017, while producing '13 Reasons Why with Gomez,' she began experiencing grand mal seizures and checked herself into a treatment facility. Three weeks into the 30-day program, she was told the truth, she had been misdiagnosed.
“I had to relearn everything about my brain,” she told Pop Sugar. It was actually ADHD she had been living with all along. “My parents didn't even know what ADHD was, or what bipolar was, it was either you were crazy or you were normal,” she reflected, describing the confusion and emotional toll of growing up misunderstood.
The birth of Wondermind:
The clarity brought by her new diagnosis fueled the foundation of Wondermind, a company Teefey says was built not only to help others, but also because she and Selena “need it too.”
© Hubert Vestil“We’ve learned to hear each other in a different way,” Teefey said of her daughter, who has also spoken about her own bipolar disorder and lupus diagnoses. The mother-daughter duo made a conscious effort to shape Wondermind’s identity around emotional experience rather than clinical labels.
Wondermind’s financial troubles came to light in May, when Forbes reported that employees missed a paycheck and vendors were awaiting payments. Teefey allegedly told staff she had taken out a loan against her home to keep the business afloat.
© David LivingstonA source close to the situation told People, “Selena has invested millions of dollars over the years into Wondermind… [and] immediately invested more money as she’s not involved in the day-to-day operations.”
“To invest in the future of the company, Mandy has chosen to take the lead here with a personal loan,” the source added, denying that the loan was used to pay salaries directly.
Selena and Mandy's complex relationship:
Their working relationship is grounded in a bond shaped by a unique childhood. “My mom had me when she was 16,” Gomez shared in a Variety interview. “I do feel that we grew up together… It felt very Gilmore Girls.”
Even in the early days of fame, Teefey was an ever-watchful parent. “She would never put me in a room by myself; she was very aware of things that I didn’t know,” Gomez said. “Little things that helped my sanity, if you will.”
© Michael TranTeefey also once recalled how becoming a teenage mother pushed her to turn her life around. “I was a teen mom with Selena, obviously, and was very judged by that… I’m like, ‘I’m not going to let her have the upbringing I did.’”
“I blamed my mom a lot [for the divorce] because I wanted a family so bad,” Selena told E! Entertainment. “I wanted to have my mom and dad together. I remember just being angry with my mom. I still feel really bad about that.”
She added, “Having me at sixteen had to have been a big responsibility. My mom gave up everything for me and had, like, three jobs. She supported me, sacrificed her life for me.”
© Penske MediaSelena's mom also introduced her to now-fiancé Benny Blanco over a decade ago. “Her mom set up a meeting between the two of us. This is right when I became big and she wasn’t a singer yet,” Blanco recalled during their Interview Magazine feature.
Gomez was just 16 or 17 when they first met. “We got in the studio to work on a song and we just talked,” she remembered. “I liked him before he liked me.” Blanco admitted, “I had no idea” until their second date, after which he told his mom, “This is the girl I’m going to marry.” They announced their engagement in December 2024.
