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

Alright, Anne thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.

[TW: suicidal thoughts]

A defining moment in my professional career, really was many defining moments in my life, that led me to tapping into the conscious understanding of my entire existence. It’s because I rediscovered my true joy, my inner light, and my divine purpose, that I was led to do what I do today.

Let me take you back to Fall of 2019, when I was handed a piece of paper officially certifying me as a Child Life Specialist. I didn’t have the clearest vision as to what I wanted to do growing up, but one thing that was always true was that I wanted to work with children and be in a position of service. When I learned about the field of Child Life, I thought I had found my calling. But all throughout my academic career, there was a splinter that I knew would be really difficult to remove. This splinter is my undocumented status in the country.

I was born and raised in Rome, Italy where my parents migrated from the Philippines in the 80’s. I was 12 years old when I was fully floating in the idea of the American Dream. But as I got older, the splinter became bigger and dug deeper until the pain of being undocumented was hard to ignore. Even with stellar resume, skills, and experiences, I would have never been qualified for hire due to my status.

So, Fall of 2019 was the beginning of my darkest chapters. The fear of the unknown heavily sat within and I was feeling completely helpless. Then, the pandemic hit, which made me realize how real depression was for me. But despite it all, the splinter just wasn’t deep enough to break me. What led to my spirit completely shattering into the void, was experiencing the heartbreak from my 10-year relationship ending. At this point, I truly believed that I was not worthy and not enough. At this point, I was ready to act on my suicidal ideations.

But of course, what was happening in my life at that moment, was bigger than me. I know now that I was experiencing a “tower moment.” My life was drastically shifting because what I was experiencing within and what was in my life, were no longer aligned with the life that I was about to embark on. So in the midst of researching ways to unalive myself in the most “painless and fastest way,” I reached out for help instead and something within me completely shifted. I felt lightness within and sensed a glimmer of light.

While all of this happening, I was starting to tap into Spirituality and practices of meditation, manifestation, and energetic frequencies. That’s when the practice of Reiki Healing aligned with my path and saved my life.

My defining moment in my professional career, was realizing that I have all that I need to embody exactly who I was always meant to be.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Anne Esperanzate and I hold many titles in this lifetime, but all in all, I am simply present as a source of Light, to learn about this human experience. I am a Light Worker and I channel my gifts as an Intuitive Energy Healing Practitioner. In my practice, I hold space as a Reiki Master, a Sound Healer, and Spiritual Life Coach, and a Child Life Specialist.

Through all of these gentle, non-invasive, and holistic healing modalities, my intention is to always to hold space for others to rediscover their own Divine light. No matter what our destiny is in this life, we are all met with life lessons of pain, heartbreak, fears, doubts, betrayal, anger, confusion, loneliness, sadness, hopelessness, illnesses, injustice and more. We put so much attention in solving these experiences, that when it comes to celebrating our joy, abundance, peace, love, unity, and harmony, they feel brief and we end up craving for more. Then it becomes a cycle of being stuck in the low-vibrational energy and being hungry for more good moments. When we can simply shift our perspective and experience gratitude in the blessings that we are already living in, and the lessons that helps us grow in wisdom.

When I hold space for my clients, I open an energetic container that allows them to feel safe, to feel seen, to feel heard, and to feel guided. By the time my clients leave, they have gained a sense of empowerment that was always within, but is now in the spotlight. During the one-on-one or group sessions that I hold, my clients or guests experience the following:
– shedding old-limiting beliefs about themselves
– shedding cultural, generational, or systemic beliefs that no longer aligns with their truth
– feeling a sense of heaviness being lifted off of their bodies and experiencing a lightness within
– tapping into inner child healing
– journeying through ancestral healing
– rebalancing their Chakras (energy centers)
– gaining clarity and strengthening their inner knowing
– strengthening their intuition and connection to self, to Source Energy, to ancestors, and their Spirit Team
– receiving guided messages, signs, or synchronicities
– returning to a state of grounding, gratitude, harmony, and balance in their body, mind, and soul
– reconnecting with their deepest and truest versions of themselves, their Highest Selves.

As a Light Worker whose inner child sits in my kindred spirit, I have always felt called to hold space for children. I truly believe that it is our responsibility to create an environment where children have the liberty to express their entire beings, and are given tools of mindfulness to cope and navigate through life challenges. I have collaborated with a children’s hospital in Long Beach, CA through my “Book One, Give One” program, where my clients have the opportunity to redeem points with every bookings, and donate Energy Healing services to pediatric patients and families. I envision integrating this alternative healing modality into spaces where children with medical or trauma-related needs have access to heal their mind, body, and soul.

I am most proud of the community that is organically growing. The connections I have created throughout my journey has led me to utilize my learned wisdom and gifts to support others, and vice-versa. I find myself being inspired by my clients, by other like-minded practitioners I’ve collaborated or connected with, and by the community that aligns in the same world I live in.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

The biggest lesson I had to unlearn was dimming my own light due to fear leading the way.

I didn’t realize how much fear was holding me back. The fear of not fulfilling my dream jobs, the fear of no longer having a future with a partner and family I grew up with. The fear of not finding a reason to live anymore.

Fear was blocking me from recognizing how bright my light is, and how all the things I feared were beliefs that I created in my own world. I wasn’t afraid of not fulfilling my dreams, I was afraid of not finding a purpose. I wasn’t afraid of not having a future with someone who no longer loved me, I was afraid of the pain. I wasn’t afraid of dying, I was afraid of not living.

I had to recognize the roots of my fears. I had to shift the power and attention away from the fears.

I started recognizing the blessings that were much brighter and real than the fears. There is always an opportunity out there to tap into our Divine purpose, even us undocumented folks. There is so much love to experience beyond a romantic partnership. There is always a reason to live. I started to understand that my less traveled path was designed for me to become a trailblazing leader in my community. To live my experiences, to share my stories, and to create this energetic field for humanity to connect with, in all of our struggles and in all of our glories.

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

While my intention is to hold space for others, my grounding reason is to show up for myself.

That means, that at the end of the day, what I do, what I share, what I give, and what I receive, has to align with who I am at my core and with my values. So if an event, a client, or an opportunity arises but it doesn’t align with the energy that I intend to create, I find peace in setting those boundaries.

Showing up for myself also means to honor my whole being. To honor who I once was, to honor the obstacles I had to get through, the pain I experienced, the lessons that clicked, and the journey that I am still on. When my ego arises because she is afraid to take a leap, she is exhausted from the limitations of being undocumented, she is worried about finances or relationships, or she simply needs a break — I make space for all these moments. By doing so, I am honoring my own healing journey, By doing so, I am allowing my cup to overflow, so that I have the capacity to hold space for others.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.anneesperanzate.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anne.esperanzate/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ylloranneesperanzate/

Image Credits
Krista Lax