We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Melissa D. Barry. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Melissa below.

Melissa, appreciate you joining us today. If you had a defining moment that you feel really changed the trajectory of your career, we’d love to hear the story and details.

The defining moment in my professional career was hitting rock bottom after failing the bar exam for the third time, which triggered a major burnout, and enhanced the high-functioning depression, anxiety, and constant sense of overwhelm that were already there. It made me realize my true passion did not lie in law, despite 8 years of study and a few working in the field. Losing my job, housing, and sense of identity, all at the same time, forced me to completely rethink and rebuild my life and career.
While healing, I started offering branding and web design services, something I used to do for fun during my spare time. But I quickly learned the lesson that not all hobbies should become jobs. Doing creative work for clients felt restrictive and drained the joy from the creative process.
Not fueling my creative and self-expression needs and having a lot to say about dealing with mental wellness, especially not succumbing to our inner critic, I started Conscious Matters ® podcast as a passion project on the side, not knowing where it’ll lead me. It was a few months before the sprouting of podcasts during the pandemic when it was not common to see people having podcasts so I didn’t really know what I was doing. However, it was a real turning point for me, the more I did it, the more passion and purpose I felt pouring out of me. It started as an audio podcast and evolved into this online educational platform for empowerment through mindset & mindfulness, with podcasts, videos, blogs, challenges, as well as the 1:1, workshops, and consulting services I offer for both women empowerment and youth empowerment.
Over time, I put my branding agency on indefinite hiatus to fully focus on growing Conscious Matters ® as a safe space for anyone looking for mental and emotional wellness guidance, education, and support through empowerment mindset and mindfulness.

The wisdom I gained is to pay attention to what lights you up and gives you energy, even in your darkest times. Let your intuition guide you, take small steps forward, and don’t be afraid to adjust course as you go. Breakdowns often precede breakthroughs. Losing everything allowed me to find my true self and purpose.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My journey as an empowerment mindset coach, mindfulness educator, and podcaster began with a deeply personal struggle. For years, I found myself trapped in a cycle of self-doubt, anxiety, and high-functioning depression, which manifested as chronic mild health issues. It wasn’t until I embarked on a transformative journey of self-discovery and mindset mastery that I realized the true power we hold within ourselves to create lasting change.

What sets me apart is the unique blend I created. I mix deep therapeutic insights, empowering coaching strategies, and a compassionate, non-judgmental approach. Indeed, as I experienced the profound impact of integrating evidence-based techniques like Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), Mindfulness, Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) into my own life, I felt called to share these tools with others. This led me to become a certified practitioner in each of these modalities, pursuing extensive training and certifications in ACT, CBT, NLP at a master level, and Mindfulness Teaching.

At Conscious Matters, I offer a range of well holistic wellness resources and life-changing services dedicated to empowering driven individuals to master their mindset and transform their lives. For ambitious, high-achieving women who secretly struggle with overwhelming stress, self-doubt, and a sense of inner chaos, I provide personalized mindset and mindfulness 1:1 sessions, as well as online courses and challenges for self-empowerment. I also offer to organizations – with a focus on women wanting to better the overall well-being of their employees – growth mindset & mindfulness consulting services that range from empowerment mindset programs to mindfulness workshops: journaling, meditation, and somatic practices, among others to regulate our nervous system. Through our work together, clients learn to reprogram their negative thought patterns, cultivate inner peace and resilience, break free from their inner critic, and release stress to create a balanced, fulfilling life that supports their mental and emotional well-being.

I create a safe space for my clients to explore their thoughts and emotions while providing them with practical tools and guidance to create lasting positive change in their lives. My multidimensional expertise allows me to tailor my approach to each individual’s needs, ensuring they receive the support and guidance necessary to achieve their goals and build resilience to have the mind space to deal with life challenges in a way that they still leave them empowered at the end of the day.

My passion for empowering others extends beyond adults. I’m deeply committed to guiding the next generation towards a brighter future. That’s why I partner with organizations and youth program leaders to deliver tailored workshops, consultancy, and training programs designed to help young people embark on a journey of self-discovery, personal growth, and resilience. By equipping the youth with a growth mindset, tools, and strategies they need, we can empower them to develop a strong sense of self, overcome obstacles, and unleash their full potential.

I’m most proud of the transformative impact my work has had on the lives of my clients. Witnessing their breakthroughs, seeing them step into their own power, and watching them consciously create lives filled with purpose, peace, and fulfillment despite their everyday inner and outer challenges, deeply fuels my soul. I want everyone to know that no matter where they are on their journey, change is possible and that we all deserve to be at peace within ourselves yet feeling strong and limitless. With the right tools, support, and guidance, they can master their mindset, reclaim their inner freedom, and experience the joy and alignment they deserve.

Through Conscious Matters ®, I’m on a mission to help driven individuals break free from the invisible mental and emotional chains holding them back, empowering them to feel good, peaceful, and balanced while creating the lives they’ve always envisioned or didn’t even dare to envision. I strongly believe that one person unlocking their inner potential can be a catalyst of change in their own environment and community, creating a ripple effect of positive change in the world, one person at a time.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

A major lesson I had to unlearn was the belief that my worth and success were dependent on the external validation of conventional accomplishments: the right schools, most challenging diplomas, high-profile internships, demanding job positions, … so on and so forth, crossing the next achievement out of the list one after the other without catching a break. Repeatedly failing the bar exam shattered my identity as the high-achieving “good girl” who did everything right. I had to unlearn perfectionism, people-pleasing, and defining myself by societal expectations. As well as dropping all of the unhealthy thinking patterns and copying mechanisms attached to being a high-achiever.

The backstory is that as the daughter of brave and hardworking immigrant parents and being first generation, as well as being raised in this capitalist society, I internalized immense pressure to become a success story by becoming a lawyer – which was in the past, one of the few professions people would regard as proof of success in life. I didn’t pause to question if “law” aligned with my values and natural gifts. I kept pushing through burnout, anxiety, and emptiness until my body gave out on me.
Failing at my so-called “dream” at the time, with no plan B, despite so many years of effort, discipline, dedication, and hope put in me by others at the time, was a spiritual initiation, breaking me open to my authentic self beneath the masks and roles I had been unconsciously wearing, as well as releasing shame of feeling like a failure and disappointment. In the process of rebuilding myself, I learned to define success on my own terms, listen to my inner wisdom, embrace my sensitive nature as a strength, and measure my worth by my inner qualities and the positive impact I could create. Unlearning those old beliefs freed me up to carve my own unique path that truly liberated me from the inside out. I now have the immense gift of liberating others from their own inner limitations.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

That’s a great question because it definitely doesn’t stop at training or knowledge, many other components are in the sauce. Beyond training and knowledge, I believe the most helpful qualities for success in the field of personal development, teaching and content creation are:

1. Integrity. Walk your talk and embody the practices and principles you share. However, to me, there is nothing worse than a hypocrite when people entrust you with their mental and emotional well-being. There’s a level of responsibility, and accountability that must not be taken lightly, no matter the amount of followers or money you could gain by being disingenuous, well at least in my books. Plus, genuine teaching and coaching require deep inner work and continually up-leveling your own mindset and self-mastery. There’s no end to it but continuous inner growth. So yes, you don’t have to be perfect but make sure you apply in your own life, what you preach to others.

2. In the same vein, building genuine relationships and community. This work is about connection and trust. Focus on serving, not selling. Sticking to my integrity is immensely important to me. Indeed, in today’s age, the amount of coaches and podcasters is almost ridiculous, so there’s of course competition and a range of levels of competency that vary in these fields. I see many buying fake followers on social media to inflate the “fake” persona they built online, for example. I’m not bashing on that because I believe everyone is free to do what feels right to them. Nonetheless, in my eyes, when working in the field where the human is at the center, working with integrity, transparency, and authenticity is necessary, as in: leading by example. Partnerships and collaborations will in time, expand our positive impact not exclusively because of the number of followers we have or copying other people’s work aka someone else’s authenticity.

3. Developing authentic compassion, emotional intelligence, and strong listening skills to meet clients where they are and guide them forward and hold a safe space for them to feel seen, heard, and accepted without judgment.

4. Honing your craft of communication, whether writing, speaking, or facilitating, to translate complex concepts into engaging relatable content. Simplifying without butchering is key.

5. Committing to lifelong growth and professional development. Stay humble and open to learning. Regularly invest in courses, training, and self-care to fill your own cup.

6. Resiliently putting yourself out there with your unique message, even when doubt, fear, and imposter syndrome arise. Your story and voice matter. Believe in the value of what you have to offer. “Keep showing up for yourself and let your soul lead the way” is actually Conscious Matters ® philosophy, said at the end of every podcast video.

7. Balancing structure and flow in your business. Create clear offerings and systems but maintain flexibility to pivot and evolve. Align your business model with your lifestyle and values.

8. Take breaks. I learned it the hard way but to serve the collective the best way possible and keep on creating without facing writer’s block every second day, you need to rest and take excellent care of yourself so when you show up, you’re at your best which means you can deliver your best to others. When you’re not doing that, it’s a double loss, you’re neglecting yourself and not being fair to your audience and clients by delivering mediocre work.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.consciousmatters.co
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conscious.matters
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissadbarry/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAdRtVMGc7PmESkAbUWyVbg?sub_confirmation=1
• Other: https://medium.com/@melissa.dbarry