We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Angelyn a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Angelyn , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s the best advice you ever gave to a client? How did they benefit / what was the result? (Please note this response is for education/entertainment purposes only and shouldn’t be construed as advice for the reader)

I work at the intersection of energetic and clinical healing—as a Reiki Master and sound healer who also facilitates recovery group therapy as a substance abuse counselor. My work bridges nervous system regulation with spiritual clarity, helping people access the tools they need to make empowered decisions, whether through sound or structure.

In one of my recovery counseling groups, the focus that day was building confidence by learning how to reframe intrusive or limiting thoughts. A client—just a few weeks sober—walked in visibly overwhelmed. “I feel like I’m feeling everything all at once,” he said. “And my first instinct is still to say, ‘fuck it all.’”

That became our starting point.

He mentioned that prayer was one of the few things that had been working for him—so I offered the simplest one I know: “thank you.” Not “thank you because it’s better,” or “thank you because it makes sense.” Just—thank you. A pause. A presence. A soft return.

The following week, he shared with the group: “It doesn’t change how I feel about everything right now, but I can see how it’ll change how I move forward.” That moment marked a shift—from “fuck it all” to “thank you for it all.”

To me, that’s what recovery is: not about perfect behavior, but about the tiny choices we make that shape how we meet ourselves. I don’t believe in separating the spiritual from the therapeutic. I believe healing happens when we create enough space for someone to reconnect with their own power—and sometimes, all it takes is two words.

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.

I’m Angelyn Bernardino—a healing artist, substance abuse counselor, Reiki Master Teacher, and sound bath meditation guide. I work at the intersection of energetic practices and clinical recovery, helping people regulate their nervous systems, access deeper self-awareness, and make empowered decisions. My work bridges the nervous system and the soul, the science and the surrender.

Before this chapter of my life, I worked in brand strategy and content marketing for companies like The Honest Company and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. I was helping build brands from the outside—but eventually, I realized I wanted to help people build lives from the inside out. That shift led me to begin training in energetic healing, somatic tools, and trauma-informed practices. I later returned to school to become a certified substance use disorder counselor, grounding my work in clinical care while staying rooted in spiritual integrity.

Today, I work with both individuals and groups in settings that range from addiction treatment centers to luxury wellness spaces. I facilitate group therapy, lead Reiki trainings, host sound bath meditations, and speak on panels and podcasts about recovery, safety, emotional regulation, and identity. One of the growing areas of my work is private corporate wellness—offering curated sessions designed to reduce stress, boost retention, and help teams reconnect to clarity and creativity. I’ve led experiences for companies like Rare Beauty, CAA, and Poosh, blending nervous system regulation with spiritual grounding in a way that actually lands. These aren’t cookie-cutter wellness offerings—they’re thoughtfully guided moments of reset that leave people feeling both seen and supported.

If you’re looking to elevate your next team retreat, creative offsite, or launch recovery session, I’m currently booking corporate wellness activations, as well as private Reiki and sound bath sessions for individuals and small groups.

What sets my work apart is that it doesn’t ask people to perform perfection. I meet them as they are—curious, complex, human—and help them explore what’s possible beyond survival. I’m most proud of making healing approachable and grounded, especially for people who never thought these tools were for them. I was raised to believe that things like meditation, Reiki, or inner peace were luxuries reserved for other people—people who looked different than me, lived differently than me, or had access I didn’t.

I’m here to challenge that. Whether you find me through a group therapy session, a sound bath, a corporate activation, or a conversation, I want you to know: you are welcome here, and your healing gets to look like you.

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

Other than training and knowledge, the most helpful thing in this work is the willingness to do your own healing. You can’t guide people somewhere you haven’t been willing to go yourself. Whether I’m in a clinical group or a sound bath, clients can feel when you’re regulated, when you’re present, and when you’ve done your own work.

In school, we talk about how we can only help our clients to the extent that we’re able to see and help ourselves. That has stuck with me. The deeper I’m willing to go in my own process—whether that’s grief work, inner child healing, boundaries, or regulation—the more clearly and compassionately I can show up for the people I serve.

I also think success in this field means being open-minded. You have to be willing to look beyond what you were originally taught. Western and traditional healing practices don’t have to contradict each other—they can actually complement each other in powerful ways. My “woo” side needed clinical school to help me understand the reality of mental illness and how to address it effectively. But my clinical training needed my energetic side to remind me that clients are not problems to fix—they’re people to nourish.

We should be excited and willing to learn more—because the more tools we have, the more options we can offer our clients. And ultimately, what makes someone successful in this work isn’t just their credentials—it’s their capacity for self-awareness, humility, curiosity, and genuine care.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

Yes—my entrepreneurial mindset has been deeply shaped by a mix of spiritual texts, trauma-informed frameworks, and Indigenous wisdom. I don’t separate how I run my business from how I live my life—it’s all connected.

The Game of Life and How to Play It by Florence Scovel Shinn was a major turning point for me. Her words helped me understand how belief shapes reality, and how to move through life—and business decisions—with faith over fear. That book reminded me that entrepreneurship is a spiritual practice when you let it be.

The Advanced Shadow Work Method by Courtney Ekiser gave me language for integrating the parts of myself I used to avoid in leadership—like fear, anger, or inadequacy. Learning how to relate to those parts instead of rejecting them has made me more intuitive in decision-making and more compassionate with the people I serve.

And The Wind Is My Mother by Bear Heart helped me reconnect with ancestral ways of knowing. That book shifted my pace. It reminded me that slowing down isn’t failure. It’s wisdom. And sometimes, the most impactful leadership comes from silence, humility, and listening.

Each of these works showed me that business isn’t just about strategy—it’s about alignment. I want every offering I create to be rooted in integrity, nourishment, and service—not just performance.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thehealersranch.com
• Instagram: https://Instagram.com/angelynmb
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelyn-b-4122154b/
• Twitter: https://www.threads.net/@angelynmb

Image Credits

Davis Bates, Yasmina