We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Priscilla María Gutiérrez. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Priscilla María below.

Priscilla María, appreciate you joining us today. Do you think your parents have had a meaningful impact on you and your journey?

Last Christmas my family and I broke bread with some friends. Sharing a Christmas dinner with loved ones is not uncommon. What is worth mentioning is that my parents continued to welcome our friend, let’s call him José, and his wife after José shared about his criminal past. I won’t get into specifics, but suffice it to say José lived a very dangerous and horrifying life in Latin America.

Instead of judging José or cutting ties with him, my parents remain friends with José and hold him in high regard.

This is one of many examples of my parents’ compassion and generosity. My father is an attorney and gives pro bono legal advice to those in need as well as financial assistance to those pursuing education. My mother has gone out of her way countless times to help others access resources, secure employment, and receive necessities.

My parents taught us to not only provide support but also accept support. They were not too proud to accept community and government assistance when we were children. I vividly remember being “adopted” as a family when we lived in San Mateo, California. Kind strangers would come to our small apartment and deliver free groceries and toys.

Not allowing pride or ego to stop me from seeking advice or help has opened doors to mentorship opportunities, therapeutic treatment, and invaluable friendships.

Priscilla María, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I founded my wellness business, Cycle Breakers Club, this year. I provide trauma-informed life coaching services to clients. As a certified life coach, I partner with clients to achieve the goals they set. The coaching process involves mentorship and education about nervous system regulation.

I specialize in breaking cycles of generational trauma, such as setting boundaries and living authentically. I teach my clients that none of us are born empty-handed. Each of us inherits generational traumas and gifts.

For instance, I inherited my parents’ resilience and my grandfathers’ alcohol abuse.

I teach my clients that regardless of their inheritance they have the agency to disinherit generational trauma and claim their ancestral gifts.

Becoming a cycle breaker is no easy task. This is where I step in as a coach. I help my clients take an inventory of what cycles they are breaking or repeating and create the life they want.

I emphasize that none of my clients are broken or damaged. Quite the opposite, each client is whole and already possesses the resources within themselves to achieve their goals.

What sets my practice apart is that I encourage others to heal out loud and challenge tradition. Depending on your upbringing, going against the status quo could feel impossible.

I am most proud of clients’ feedback describing how working together has changed their lives. For example, one client said that working with me kept her from “losing her sh*t” during a chaotic time. Since working together, she has lept outside her comfort zone and checked off goals that once seemed improbable.

As a speaker, I began public speaking three years ago. Some of my experience includes being a certified speaker for NAMI, speaking at the UN75 Global Peace Intergenerational Dialogue, and being interviewed on Cheddar TV. Additionally, I host weekly conversations with cycle breakers on Cycle Breakers Club Live.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Law school is a notoriously difficult experience from the complex material to the packed schedule.

My Juris Doctor degree is a testament to my resilience. Not because I balanced the LSAT with caring for my comatose brother in the hospital, started law school months after completing rehab, or juggled an eating disorder with academic demands. A lack of boundaries and low self-esteem more accurately describe these events.

Me walking away from a legal career I knew wasn’t for me despite the work I did to attend law school on a merit-based scholarship demonstrates my resilience.

I knew since I was a child that I would attend a top college and graduate school. I worked throughout my adolescence to ensure I did.

My parents instilled the value of education into us as kids. We knew that my refugee father was able to make it out of living in a Los Angeles garage because of his education. We understood that education allowed two youths displaced from Latin America to provide a better life for themselves and their children. We grew up in the suburbs due to my parents’ education and sacrifice.

Nonetheless, I decided to not follow in my father’s steps and become a licensed attorney. I did not take the bar and I moved on. I moved on from a legal career, from a toxic relationship, and from the state of California.

I graduated from law school in 2017 and by 2018 I was in the state of Michigan starting over. I went from living with someone I was in love with to moving in with my family in Michigan.

I rejected the future I had envisioned with my partner. Like a legal career, I knew the toxic relationship I felt trapped in was not for me. It took every ounce of courage in me to leave that person and the security of a legal career. But, I did it.

I put in countless hours of work to build myself back up, define my career path, heal from trauma, and stand in my truth unapologetically. Today I am reaping the fruits of my struggle. My entrepreneurship and joy are my medals of honor.

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

Confidence is key to succeeding as a life coach and public speaker. Without a confident mindset, you might question your purpose or influence.

Confidence comes from consistent action over time. Personally, that looks like networking, stepping out of my comfort zone, and seeking mentorship.

Additionally, I recite affirmations, such as “insecurity is a choice and I choose to feel confident about my abilities” and “my voice matters and will empower others.”

Limiting beliefs can only limit your influence if you let them. I refuse to let my self-doubt be the reason a Latina child does not see a representation of herself or someone remains silent about their traumas.

I have learned to separate my self-image from others’ expectations and perceptions.

Consider that America is home to over two million Latina-owned businesses which is an increase of over 87% since 2007.

At the same time, Latinas experience the widest wage gap of any major racial or ethnic group. We lose an average of more than $1.1 million during our careers to the pay gap.

Both of these statistics inspire me to assert myself as a business owner and to be compensated in full for the value I provide others.

We must believe as entrepreneurs that we hold the power over our time, energy, and expertise.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.priscillamaria.com
• Instagram: @cyclebreakercoach
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cyclebreakercoach/