Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Natalya Velky. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

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

I spent the majority of my professional career in the advertising field. I worked on the client side and was basically the office punching bag / therapist. A year and a half ago I was getting laid off from my job of three years and I decided it was time to make a huge career shift. I had been unhappy in the industry for a majority of my time in the field. I always felt like I had more to offer and that my skills were never being utilized correctly. When I quit the industry, I truly had no idea what to do, but I had a slight interest in the wellness space. I decided to start exploring some trainings and that led me to working in that space full time. I learned Qigong first, an ancient Chinese practice that combines gentle movement with breath and mindfulness. I learned how to teach it to others and help people with relaxing their nervous systems. I then learned Reiki, an ancient Japanese practice of moving energy throughout the body using my hands. Then I purchased some sound bowls and learned how to do sound bath sessions for people. These modalities have been my main focus, but I’m continuously learning more and adding other skills to my roster.
I’ve mostly been working in the local wellness community around the Westside. Over the summer, I was invited to work with the LA Department of Health for a free wellness day for underserved communities. I got to share some simple Qigong moves along with tips on deep breathing and the importance of taking time for mindfulness. Being able to give back to communities that aren’t as familiar with these practices was a true highlight of the last year working in this space. It is why I even began this work in the first place and I have been able to continue to share these modalities with lots of different communities, not just the wealthy. I’ve most recently been working in a space where I do mindfulness practices and sound baths for kids and teens that are struggling with their mental health. I absolutely love working with people of all ages and being able to share this newfound knowledge. These are my defining moments that remind me why I am doing this work.

Natalya, 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?

My time spent in the advertising industry really prepared me for my new role in the healing arts. My whole life I have been the person that strangers randomly come up to and divulge deep information about themselves. In the office, I was everyone’s therapist. People would come to me to tell me about their problems, dumping some emotional baggage on me and asking me for help. I’ve always been the sounding board for friends and family. So as I quit the advertising industry and moved into the wellness space, it was a very easy transition.
I now have different types of tools at my fingertips that I can help people with. Attending a qigong class, a reiki session, or experiencing a sound bath—all of these are excellent options to help people relax deeply and move energy and stagnation out of the body. I also offer counseling during all of my sessions and in my group classes. I love bringing people together and allowing healing to happen in a community setting.
I am so proud of my journey in this space and really excited for how I will continue to grow in this space. I’ve watched myself start out and remember feeling so unsure of myself. The more I did it, the more comfortable I got and the easier it all got for me. At the end of the day, I feel so empowered that this is my life’s calling. The work I’m doing now is not work. It feels completely aligned and it’s all coming to me so naturally.
Working in the advertising industry for over 15 years was very hard on me. Physically, mentally, and emotionally. I’ve had incredibly abusive bosses and colleagues at every agency I worked at. It was always a high stress environment where we were constantly on a deadline for something and juggling multiple clients and projects at once. My time in that space took a serious toll on my health. Now that I’m working in a more gentle space, I’m able to help others in these high stress environments to regulate their nervous systems and take care of themselves.
I also wasn’t able to express myself creatively as I always felt I had to leave that up to the true creative people in the office (the designers, copywriters, creative directors, etc.). I have a very creative mind and I have great ideas. Now that I’m working for myself, I get to play around with things and I can get creative. I love to mix modalities and while some of the things I’m doing are serious, I always like to add a bit of fun into it.
I just got back from co-hosting my first wellness retreat in Italy and I got to plan fun workshops that were healing and fun at the same time. We did an art workshop where I guided people through the judgement that we often put on ourselves when we’re making art. We also did a singing and dancing workshop where we played around with using our voices and then dancing freely like when we were kids—no judgement and just pure joy fun. The rest of the retreat was also beautiful, but those were two really fun workshops where I felt I was really able to help everyone express themselves in the most wonderful way.
My offerings are so extensive and I’m continuing to unlock other parts within me that are asking to expand. I also host a sober dating event for people that are serious about dating and I like to make it feel healing while simultaneously having fun. My brand, my offerings, my skillsets, they are all continuing to widen as I keep saying yes to whats in front of me. I love learning and I also love sharing my knowledge so this is just the beginning of a very exciting new career for me.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

It’s simple but being consistent and networking. Putting myself out there and being vulnerable.
When I began, I didn’t really know where to start or how to get clients. I started teaching qigong by practicing with friends. I asked a community group that I’ve been heavily involved with if I could do a practice class with them, and they opened it up to their community. I had 9 people at my first class and it went surprisingly well and helped me build confidence in teaching in front of others. I continued practicing and asking if I could offer teaching as much as possible.
I also would attend other peoples classes and I would make it a point to talk to the facilitator after class ended. I met a few instructors that were willing to collaborate on events. I slowly started creating events with people. The more events I hosted, the more my network expanded and eventually people started reaching out to me.
I stayed very consistent and continued to push through to discomfort of having to market and brand myself.
I’ve been part of so many events and experiences over the last year and it has been wonderful. Many have been unpaid. I treat them all the same no matter what. I want people to experience what I have to offer and I know in the long run that it all ends up leading to bigger opportunities. I’ve gotten many private clients or paid offers after working events that were unpaid or were very low paying. Realizing what is worth my time and effort and also saying no to things that don’t feel aligned.
Trusting in the process and seriously trusting in myself in this space has been a key part in all of this. Adhering to some of the best practices from my business background and doing everything with integrity is also very important in running a successful brand.

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

Continuously surrounding yourself with people that you can learn from is incredibly beneficial.
This was helpful to me in my advertising career as well, but in the wellness space it’s especially prevalent. I meet all kinds of people that have been in this space for decades or even just a few months. It’s amazing how much we can learn from each other and be inspired. This can also mean learning from people you don’t really like as it can strengthen your own brand and reminds you to be more authentic. I’ve met a lot of amazing practitioners and teachers that I’ve really respected and learned from. They have all helped shape how I show up.
Staying inspired is a major part of any business and just being aware of what the latest trends are will help your business. You don’t necessarily have to follow any of the trends, but having some awareness and trying it out for yourself is helpful so you are informed.
Another thing that’s important is sticking to your reasoning of “why” you’re doing what you’re doing. Some people seem to lose sight of this and/or are only doing it for the wrong reasons and it really shows. It’s so obvious when someone doesn’t have their heart in something, no matter if it’s their own business or they are working for someone. Caring about what you are putting your energy into really makes a huge difference.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://healingwithnatalya.com
• Instagram: natalya.velky
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalyavelky/

Image Credits

Jess Linderman
Jonathan Giavanni
Jeffrey Neubauer