We recently connected with Jennifer A. Telford and have shared our conversation below.

Jennifer A., thanks for taking the time to share your stories with 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?

Reflecting on my 24-year journey from massage therapist to life empowerment and wellness coach, it’s the transformative narratives that have affirmed my career choice. I recall a client who underwent a double mastectomy, struggling with body image and self-worth post-surgery. Through our sessions, I guided her in self-care practices and engaging conversations. One day, she walked in radiating confidence, surprising us both. Witnessing her shift from self-loathing to self-love was profound. By shifting her perspective and discovering new sources of joy, she embraced her life with newfound positivity. It’s moments like these that celebrate the power of transformation in my work. I even created a binder of thank-you cards and have collected testimonials of the celebrations of my clients over the years. Knowing that the work I do and the space I have created has made an impact on the lives of women gives me great joy and gratitude.

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

In my early 20s, I embarked on a journey that would shape my entire career trajectory. Living off the grid in Southern Oregon, I encountered a transformative period of my life. This period of self-discovery and healing propelled me into a path of service and empowerment. My own personal breast health imbalance prompted me to delve deeper into holistic modalities and develop a therapeutic oil for lymphatic breast self-care massage, thus teaching a holistic approach to breast health to laypersons and health professionals. All of this led to becoming credentialed in Massage Therapy in 2000, and eventually becoming a Vodder trained Certified Manual Lymph Drainage Therapist. For two decades, I supported women in my practice navigating breast health concerns, breast cancer recovery, and other health challenges and continue to integrate this modality and education into my work today. This health recognition also marked the beginning of a profound self-love journey. I realized that my breast health imbalance was connected to an unhealthy relationship dynamic. I went through many more years of healing before eventually breaking the toxic relationship pattern. It was through this experience that I learned how to listen to my body, trust myself and ultimately, own my power.

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

In the realm of coaching and holistic healing, beyond training and knowledge, I believe that cultivating a strong sense of empathy and compassion is crucial for success. Clients often come seeking support during vulnerable moments in their lives, and being able to truly empathize with their experiences fosters a deeper connection and trust. Additionally, effective communication skills, such as active listening and clear communication are essential for guiding clients through their healing journey. Moreover, maintaining authenticity and integrity in my practice has built credibility and has fostered long-term relationships with my clients. Establishing rapport, maintaining a warm, friendly demeanor have also built trust and are essential for a successful service driven practice. These golden qualities have been my greatest asset, enabling me to cultivate long-term client relationships and work with women on a deep level. Finally, a commitment to ongoing personal growth and self-care has been vital as a coach, healer and teacher, allowing me to show up fully present and grounded for my clients.

Have you ever had to pivot?

In 2020, when the pandemic began, I had to terminate my rental space of 8 years. The city shut down personal care services, affecting Massage Therapists. I had to pivot in my career after being a steady Massage Therapist for 20 years. I believe all things come in their timing, as I was beginning to formulate a new vision in my heart. The vision was to have a handful of massage clients, a new certification and training as a Life and Health Coach, and the desire to help women transform healing from a whole person/whole life approach targeting their habits, beliefs, and emotional well-being. That first year at home, I completed a 6-month online Life and Health Coach training. Then, I up-leveled to a 9-month training to become a Master Transformational Coach. I committed to my own self-care and trusted what was on my heart to guide me. I won’t lie; it has been a challenging past couple of years, with my income dropping considerably. Acquiring new skills in marketing my coaching services to be more visible, especially as an introverted woman, and investing in my personal development has become a non-negotiable. I even worked with a coach who helped me grieve an old business identity and navigate the loss and changed relationships resulting from the pandemic. I continue to get support from coaches to further my personal growth and business path to this day.

Today, I am so grateful for all the changes as I have met incredible people, seen how adaptable and resilient I can be, have delved into deep soulful work on my own personal development, and acquired additional skills to lead women in their own self-discovery journey. What I love about this time of my life is that I now have something pandemic-proof as I can work mobile and virtual -in addition to In House services. I can see clients for healing sessions in one of my 2 locations locally in Los Angeles and I am able to facilitate workshops/ coaching programs virtually with women all over the world. I also have future dreams of doing mini retreats at beautiful locations. I am led by the inspiration and joy in my soul and body to create a life by design. I am so grateful for all the people who have guided me to put my gifts out there and to be able to align with clients who value and can benefit from these embodied healing and empowerment services. It is my intention to support women embracing change, navigating life challenges and transitions, in both their personal and professional lives to listen to those whispers in their body and build their intuition to trust themselves. Through fostering self- love and restorative self- nurturing practices women can create a stronger foundation for their well-being which will help guide their new path and vision, hence the name of my business Her Path Her Vision- Transformations for Women by Jennifer Andrea Coaching- A Ho’ano Wellness Subsidiary.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jenniferandreacoaching.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/herpath_hervision.coach/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifertelfordofhoano/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@HoanoWellness
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/jennifer-andrea-coaching-for-women-woodland-hills-4?osq=Jennifer+Andrea+Coaching
• Other: https://linktr.ee/jenniferandreacoaching

Image Credits
Don Hajicek