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

Claudia, appreciate you joining us today. We’re complete cheeseballs and so we love asking folks to share the most heartwarming moment from their career – do you have a touching moment you can share with us?

After working with teen parents for many years in the mental health field not knowing if you had made an impact in their lives I had to learn to part ways and trust they had the tools and resources to move forward on their own. Following several years I received multiple messages from them; invitations to weddings, baby showers, graduations and photos of their first apartments. It was a beautiful feeling to be asked to join in celebrating their achievements and to be a witness to what is possible to achieve when you feel seen, heard and loved.

Now this experience inspires me to continue holding space for others to be seen.

Claudia, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Botanica Melo was founded by my daughter, Nalani Hernandez-Melo and I with the intention to be of service and guide our community to restore the mind, body, and spirit through mindfulness, somatic practices, and ancestral traditions.

We combine ancestral Mexica and Meso-American practices with techniques such as mindfulness, somatic therapy, sound baths, and guided meditation.

This approach supports one’s physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual integration which can restore balance and inner peace.

Our mission is to empower our community to prioritize self-care and their mental and emotional health by guiding them through ancestral traditions & holistic practices.

Through the creation and holding of safe spaces we, in turn, cultivate stronger relationships with our innermost selves and ultimately the world around us.

We strive to remove barriers and taboos surrounding ancestral healing modalities and practices that complement treatments in reducing and managing stress, anxiety, and depression.

We work to extinguish social, cultural, and discriminatory stigmas that individuals and communities face when exploring alternative healing paths.

As a collective, we embrace ancestral healing and continue the legacy of our Abuelitas and Abuelitos across all cultures.

Our Offerings Consists of:
Energy Healing Sessions, Pláticas – Heart-to-Heart Sharing Sessions, Holistic Coaching, Cacao Circles, Guided Meditations and Sound Baths.

We invite everyon to step into sacred spaces where the ancient wisdom and ritualistic gatherings open the heart, nourishes the spirit, and promotes emotional well-being.

At Botanica Melo, we are dedicated to creating a safe and inclusive space for all participants. And we are trained to guide you through transformative experiences with care and respect.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

Our partnership isn’t one that was formed through chance encounters or networking events. Instead, it’s a bond rooted deeply in familial ties and shared passion. You see, my business partner isn’t just a colleague; she’s my daughter. Together, we are Botanica Melo, a mother-daughter duo driven by a profound connection to nature, spirit and a shared commitment to preserving ancestral traditions and knowledge.

Our partnership isn’t just about business; it’s about the seamless blending of generations, with each of us bringing our unique perspectives and experiences to the table.

So, while we may not have met in the conventional sense, our partnership is one that has been forged through a lifetime of shared experiences, mutual respect, and a deep love for the natural world. And for that, I am endlessly grateful.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

As an immigrant, you carry with you a desire to be seen, to belong, to assert, “You belong; you are here.” I had to unlearn the limiting belief that only my culture required healing and that I could solely support the Latino community. Through this journey, I have connected with individuals from diverse backgrounds, each seeking support to heal both current and transgenerational wounds. I acknowledge that we are medicine and that healing belongs to everyone.

Upon immigrating, one often loses a sense of identity and gravitates toward those who resemble them and share similar experiences. However, it was through expanding my practices and beliefs that I discovered we all undergo similar life experiences. When one heals, we all benefit. This encapsulates spirituality—to transcend colors, cultures, religions, and borders, and fully embrace our interconnectedness as one unified entity.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.botanicamelo.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/botanicamelo/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@botanicamelo

Image Credits
Nalani Hernandez-Melo