Meet Jennifer Henriquez

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

Jennifer , so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

Wow I truly LOVE this question. From a very young age I would always ask my mother “well who helps children when they are sad or need guidance”. At that time I was about 8 yrs old and thought only older people get help. School counseling and mental health wasn’t a major topic and it was only for people who “really” needed it or so I thought. Once I got to H.S my school counselor only served one purpose and that was to talk to me about my schedule. Once I was in college I wanted to change that narrative. After joining our schools volunteer team and working in the schools counseling center I decided I wanted to become a school counselor. I knew I had the gift of being empathetic, patient, and caring. Volunteering helped a lot because I was able to try out different career options and see what I liked and what fit best with me. In 2015 I graduated with my masters in school counseling. I’ve been a counselor for 9yrs now and wouldn’t trade it for the world. I always lead my day with being the person I needed when I was younger. I wanted to change the mindset around receiving counseling and the taboo it had. In 2020 I decided that something was missing in my life and that I could have more than one purpose on this earth; so I became a life coach for women. This changed my life. Coaching allowed me to be creative while serving others and helping women become the best versions of themselves. My true purpose on this earth is to help others become the best version of themselves so they can pass those lessons on to others.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

My name is Jennifer Henriquez and I am a native Latina New Yorker. I can’t start off an interview without shouting out where I”m from, it’s in my DNA. I am currently a middle school counselor and women’s life coach. From a very young age I knew I wanted to work with children but was unsure in what capacity. I volunteered in a hospital because I thought I wanted to be a nurse but quickly realized that I really loved talking to the patients, learning about their needs, and giving them that space to just talk. So I became a school counselor. I’m actually a bilingual school counselor and aid a lot with helping our Spanish speaking families in my school. Although I felt I had reached my dream job I felt as though something was missing and wanted to serve other people. I became a life coach in 2020 and opened my own business in 2023. Coaching with Grace LLC. Never in a million years did I think I’d be a business owner or that others would have confidence in me in turning their lives around for the better. Coaching has been a game changer for myself and for the people I coach. Coaching is goal based and accountability driven and I love that. It gets the job done! It makes you feel empowered, confident, and allows you to build your own little life toolbox to be the best version of yourself. I love seeing other women blossom into the human they desire to be. My next journey is to get myself out there on social media. I thought since I’m 35 that I missed my time but I’ve quickly realized that life moments are what you make it. School Counseling can be a little restricted on what you say and do so I’ve found my creativity come to life on TikTok and now YouTube.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Looking back I believe the 3 qualities that were most impactful are resilience, being empathetic, and being true to my purpose. I believe everyone should invest in counseling, volunteering, and let go of the concept of time. Counseling is always a good idea. It helps with discovering the person you were, who you want to be, and what no longer serves you. You can be a yes man to everyone but yourself. Volunteering is not only a great way to give back but a great way to learn and to make connections. You learn to appreciate the little things and the people in your life. Lastly and most importantly; you can’t run on anyone else’s timeline but your own. Others may not understand but thats not your problem. Get clear on your vision and don’t stop until you get there; no matter how long it takes.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

Whenever I feel overwhelmed I usually as myself this one question ” is this worth my energy?” I ask myself this because if it’s’ not then it goes down on the priority list and I move onto something that does. That can be with work, emotions, errands, whatever. My energy is sacred and in order for me to feel fulfilled then my energy needs to be put into places that matter.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

professional images by Claribelgphoto
IG: claribelgphoto

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