Dena Gould shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Good morning Dena, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
You really want to know what the first 90 minutes of my day look like? Most people roll their eyes when they hear this part, but it’s what works for me. On an average work day, I’m up around 5:00 A.M. The first thing I do is let the dog out, and I go outside with him to take a few minutes to earth. It’s been a total game-changer for helping me clear my energy and stay grounded, especially before seeing clients. I’ve been doing it every day for probably over three years in rain, snow, or shine. If I ever skip it, I can feel the effects.
When I come back inside, I feed and water the dog, turn on my coffee, and drink about 16 ounces of water with my vitamins. Then I do a quick workout with a workout app. I do this first thing because if I don’t, I will talk myself out of it. After that, I grab my coffee, take a shower, and do a quick cold plunge to jump-start everything. It’s nothing fancy; it is just a cold plunge tub I keep in our bathtub, but it does the job.
From there, I get ready for work, braid my youngest daughter’s hair, grab my lunch, kiss my husband goodbye, and head out the door a little after 7 AM. My other two kids have moved out and are out building their own beautiful lives now, so mornings are a little quieter these days.
By 7 A.M., I’m fully charged and mentally clear, but by around 5 P.M., I don’t have that same mental capacity. I know some people do their best work late at night, but that’s just not me. I do my best work in the quiet of the early morning, and I’ve learned to honor that instead of trying to push against it.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Dena Gould, founder of Light of Mine, where I help people clear emotional and energetic blocks so they can reconnect with their highest frequency and remember who they really are. My work blends emotional healing, energy clearing, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT/Tapping), Brain Synchronization Therapy(BST), and intuitive guidance. I hold space for people to move beyond old stories that keep them feeling stuck, anxious, or disconnected.
What makes my work unique is that I don’t do surface-level healing. I go deep into the subconscious, the nervous system, and the energetic field, because that is where lasting transformation happens. My work is not for everyone. My clients know I will hold them accountable, but always with love. I am not afraid of the hard conversations, and I genuinely care about helping people see their own inner light.
Right now, I am focused on expanding my online offerings so more people can access this kind of work from anywhere. My newest class, The Sacred Energy Reset, helps people stay centered, grounded, and clear of outside energy while reconnecting with their own power. I also co-facilitate Sacred Seasons, a one-day immersive experience that helps people align with the energy of each season through ritual, reflection, and renewal. Another offering I love is SOL Rejuvenation, a women’s retreat designed to help women rest deeply, reconnect with their truth, and awaken their light from the inside out. And most recently, I have added a Water Fasting Retreat, a sacred three-day experience that combines fasting, emotional release, sound healing, and energetic cleansing to clear the mind and body on every level. In the background, I am also developing a conscious clothing line that will encourage people to live intentionally and embody higher frequencies in everyday life. Everything I create, whether it is a class, a retreat, or a new idea in motion, is meant to help people live lighter, freer, and more connected to the truth of who they are.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
I think what breaks bonds between people more than anything is the lack of personal responsibility. So many relationships end up being about who can be the bigger victim, who has it harder, or who’s not being understood. That dynamic creates distance fast. When we take responsibility for our own happiness, our own triggers, and our own healing, something shifts. The other person is free to be authentic, without feeling blamed or controlled.
That doesn’t always mean we’ll stay in perfect alignment, but it does mean we can see the relationship more clearly. When we stop trying to fix, rescue, or prove ourselves, and instead take ownership of our own energy, we create space for truth, compassion, and genuine connection to come back in.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Was there ever a time I almost gave up? Yes, and it happened on a family hike many years ago with my two youngest kids at Devil’s Head Fire Lookout. My youngest daughter was too afraid to climb the stairs to the lookout lodge. She wanted to wait for my husband and son to climb first. When it was finally our turn, she decided she did not want to do it at all, so I decided to go up on my own.
I am afraid of heights, but I wanted to do this climb for me. About halfway up, I came to a bridge and froze. I could feel the panic rising, my breath getting shallow, and I even performed Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) in my mind to calm myself down. That is when a woman who saw me struggling came over and asked if I wanted help. I paused, took a deep breath, and said yes, which was not easy for me at all.
At that time in my life, I was really good at encouraging other people to ask for help, but I was not very good at doing it myself. That moment changed everything. It has since become my new religion, asking for and receiving help. The woman and her husband helped me feel safe crossing that bridge. I made it all the way to the top of the fire lookout, and the view was absolutely breathtaking, not just because of the scenery, but because I had faced my fear and allowed support in.
That day taught me that strength does not always mean doing it alone. There is incredible power in vulnerability, in letting others see you when you are afraid, and in allowing yourself to be supported.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. Where are smart people getting it totally wrong today?
I think a lot of smart people are getting it wrong by leading with their thoughts instead of their hearts. Intelligence is valuable, but without heart, it becomes disconnected. If more people trusted their intuition and led with compassion and presence, we would live in a much lighter world. Too many are being guided by fear and ego rather than truth and love, and that is what keeps us divided instead of connected.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
I’m absolutely doing what I was born to do, and that is to help people see their inner light. This has nothing to do with a career title or business. I have been this way for a long time. I don’t want people to ever feel the way I had been made to feel. I will who cheer others on and remind them that they belong, that they matter, and that they are loved. I’m your hype girl!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lightofmine.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denashines
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denashines/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lightofminellc
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/light-of-mine-denver
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LightofMineLLCDenver
- Other: Tiktok @denashines3
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