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

Jacquelyn, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

My story began ten years ago; I was in the midst of postpartum depression after having my second baby. I was on hormonal birth control for fear of getting pregnant a third time, and to say I was struggling would be an understatement. I was at an all-time low. After months of feeling awful, I was underweight, exhausted, and emotionally broken. When I finally sought help, I realized I needed to change.

My first step was to get off hormonal birth control. My body needs an opportunity to find its normal cycle. Then I started eating more and began to put back on weight. However, my hormones were still out of balance. I tried many options, like going vegan, but I did not understand then that stress and over-exercising were leading me down the wrong path.

When I got injured a few times, I noticed my body had had enough, and I began to practice yoga. Yoga opened up a dialogue with my body. So I committed to 30 days of yoga which turned into a year, and it changed my life.

Learning to listen to my body was a game changer. I began to see how my choices either helped or harmed me. And slowly, I began to change my diet and exercise routine. I began to practice meditation and breath work. Gradually, I found myself, and my body began to heal. I got off the hormonal roller coaster ride and began to experience pain-free periods.

During this time, I became a certified yoga teacher and then a women’s hormonal health care practitioner to help other women find balance in their bodies.

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

I am a former Special Education teacher turned mom, yoga instructor, and women’s holistic hormonal health coach. My passion is to help women align with their bodies, cycle, and hormonal health. Using western medical research and ancient eastern practices, I teach women how to say goodbye to painful periods, mood swings, and hormonal imbalances so they can live a life full of vitality.

Our bodies are in constant dialogue with us. However, our go -go western approach to life has left us needing help understanding what our body needs. Through one-to-one coaching, I empower women with knowledge about how their menstrual cycle works, which hormones have a role to play, and where problems can arise. Then we work together to create an individualized plan of action using the four pillars of hormonal health (knowledge, diet, exercise, and stress). These pillars become the framework for a holistic health plan to bring the body back into balance.

Some say knowledge is power; I say knowledge empowers. I love seeing clients feel powerful. It is often the first time they understand how their body works. The knowledge allows them to make informed decisions about birth control, hormone replacement therapy, and supplements.

There is an old narrative that women must suffer because they are female. But it is not valid. We can all feel good in our bodies when we align our lifestyle choices around what works best for our bo

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I started my Instagram page back in May 2019. I did not have a purpose for showing up other than putting myself out into the world as a yoga teacher. My following slowly trickled, and it was often frustrating because I felt like a large following gave me weight as an instructor.

However, I have clarified my brand and niche in the last year. It was this clarity that has helped to grow my presence on social media. In the past, I spoke to someone other than my ideal client. Therefore, I was a ship lost in the sea of social media. Speaking directly to my ideal client has given me a clear direction to follow, and the followers are beginning to find me.

Have you ever had to pivot?

After graduating college, I decided to get my teaching certification. I taught Special Education at the elementary level for a handful of years, but it felt like something other than the right fit. After having my first daughter, I stepped away from teaching to stay at home. During my stay-at-home years, I continued to stay connected to the teaching world. I worked as a preschool board member and substitute. I was about to return to teaching when my family got the opportunity to move aboard.

Since I was not initially allowed to work. I decided to get my yoga teaching certification. Yoga had changed my approach to life, and I was interested in giving that gift to others upon completing my 200hour certification. I decided to start teaching public classes. This was the push I needed to leave school teaching behind for good and venture out as an entrepreneur.

The path has sometimes been unclear but building my own business is my dream. The cherry on top is that I get to do it while helping women balance their hormones through yogic practices.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jacquelynochoa.com
• Instagram: @itsjacquelynochoa
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itsjacquelynochoa/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacquelyn-ochoa-7249351b6/

Image Credits
Jené Sigl Noel Anderson-Sanchez