Meet Anna ‘Sunshine’ Manring

We were lucky to catch up with Anna ‘Sunshine’ Manring recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Anna ‘Sunshine’, really appreciate you opening up about a very personal topic with the hopes that it can help someone out there who might be going through it. What can you share with us about your journey with postpartum depression and how you overcame PPD? For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.

Before I get into how I got through postpartum depression, I have to start with the backstory.

It was 2020. I was pregnant with my first child, dealing with gestational diabetes, and had just finished cosmetology school. My plan was to give birth and then take my licensing test. Life was mapped out in this neat little timeline, until it suddenly wasn’t.

Two weeks before my due date, my dad passed away from a heart attack in his sleep. My mom called me at six in the morning and the second I picked up, my whole world shifted. I remember crying from a place I didn’t even know existed, and my partner held me while I fell apart. What hits me even harder now, five years later, is that my dad had just visited a few days before. I gave him his last haircut, his last beard trim. He ate the food I made, even though he hadn’t been eating much. Now I realize he was soaking up time with me, making sure his little girl was good before he left.

Then I had my son. I ended up needing an emergency C-section after a failed induction and sixty-six hours of labor. It was intense. And on top of that, I was trying to figure out how to be a first-time mom while still grieving my own parent. It felt like a war in my mind every single day. I would be holding my baby and randomly break down in tears. Grief doesn’t wait for the right moment. It just hits.

I tried to deal with it on my own for almost three years. At some point I looked at myself and said, “Okay, we have to get through this.” So I started going on walks, spending more time outdoors, letting nature regulate what I couldn’t. I had a friend who helped me stay present and a partner who was always there with open arms.

In 2022, I had my second child. That’s when something clicked for me. After my daughter was born, I knew I had to take my healing seriously. I started talk therapy through BetterHelp and my therapist helped me unpack so much. One thing I always recommend to anyone dealing with grief is to write a letter to the person you lost as if they are still here. Say everything you didn’t get to say. It really helps release what gets stuck inside.

Eventually I realized talk therapy wasn’t hitting the deepest layers. I already had tools from going to therapy as a teen. What I needed was deeper healing. That’s when my yoga journey shifted. I enrolled in a 200-hour yoga teacher training and a 200-hour meditation teacher training. I didn’t do it to become a teacher. I did it to heal the parts of me that words couldn’t reach.

That was the turning point. Healing in layers. Allowing myself support. Coming back to my breath, my body, my spirit. That’s how I overcame PPD.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

My story has a lot of branches, but the core of everything I do is healing. I’m an artist, a wellness practitioner, a storyteller, and a businesswoman who builds experiences that help people feel more like themselves. My work lives where sound, breath, ritual, and creativity meet, and that intersection is where I feel most aligned.

Professionally, I run Soul Flow Teaches, which has become the heart of my wellness work. It’s a space I’ve built from years of personal healing, spiritual study, and real-life transformation. Inside Soul Flow Teaches, I offer sound healing, meditation, yoga-based practices, and soulful tools that help people reconnect with their inner world in a grounded, accessible way.

One of the pillars of Soul Flow Teaches is Sound Bath Under the Stars, my newest immersive wellness experience hosted in a Vegas garden. This offering came through as a full-body yes. It started as a simple idea that landed in my spirit and immediately felt aligned. I trusted it, took action, and it grew faster than I imagined. The wild part is it has already sold out three events this month within a matter of 5 days in November when I posted the events live. The first one just happened on the 8th, the second date is on the 12th and the third on is happening on the 18th. The response has shown me that people are craving grounding and community more than ever.

Each session is intentionally crafted with crystal bowls, meditation, intention setting, and intuitive guidance. The goal is to give people a moment to reset their whole system. It’s less about attending a class and more about stepping into a space where your mind, body, and spirit can take a deep breath.

Outside of events, I pour my creativity into the visual and digital side of my work. I design, write, and create content that carries the same soul-centered energy I bring into my sessions. My background in cosmetology, yoga, meditation, and social media strategy all blend into the way I build this brand. It’s multidimensional because I am.

As for what’s new, Soul Flow Teaches is in a real expansion era. Sound Bath Under the Stars is growing quickly, and I’m exploring more dates, seasonal themes, and collaborations that would elevate the experience even more. I’m also starting conversations with wellness and lifestyle brands that genuinely align with my mission, whether that’s herbal products, sensory tools, or community-centered offerings that support grounding and nervous system regulation.

Behind the scenes, I’m developing more guided rituals, meditations, and soul-care practices that people can use outside of live events. Think intentional audio journeys, grounding practices, and supportive tools that help people create healing moments in their everyday routines. I want Soul Flow Teaches to be something people can tap into wherever they are, not just during an event.

Everything I’m building right now is focused on the bigger vision: expanding Soul Flow Teaches in a way that keeps healing accessible, creative, and deeply human. I want it to feel like a deep exhale. Whether I’m hosting a sound bath, writing something meaningful, or creating a ritual experience, I want people to walk away feeling grounded, inspired, and seen.

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?

If I had to narrow it down, the three things that shaped my journey the most were resilience, self-awareness, and curiosity.

Resilience was everything. Life threw some heavy curveballs, like grief, postpartum challenges, and building a business from scratch, and resilience is what kept me moving forward even when I didn’t feel like I could. My advice here is simple: practice showing up even on the hard days. Celebrate the small wins, and don’t beat yourself up for setbacks. Every time you push through, even a little, you’re building strength you can’t see at the moment but will lean on later.

Self-awareness was the second game-changer, and for me, that really means learning to honor rest. I had to get really honest with myself about my energy, my limits, and when my body and mind needed a pause. Whether it’s sleep, slow walks, meditation, or just doing nothing, allowing yourself space to recharge is one of the most powerful tools for growth. My advice is to listen to your body and your intuition. It knows what you need long before your mind does.

Finally, curiosity has fueled everything. Curiosity kept me exploring sound healing, yoga, meditation, creative expression, and even business strategy. I followed what intrigued me and leaned into it fully, even when it didn’t fit neatly into a plan. My advice for people starting out is this: don’t be afraid to try things, fail, and explore what lights you up. The skills, knowledge, and paths you discover along the way often end up being the most transformative.

If I could give one overarching piece of advice, it’s to trust your journey. Invest in yourself, show up consistently, and be open to growth in ways you didn’t expect. The tools you need are already inside you. They just need space, attention, and practice to unfold.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

Yes, absolutely. Soul Flow Teaches is all about creating experiences that help people feel grounded, inspired, and connected, and I’m always open to collaborating with brands, wellness practitioners, creatives, and organizations that share that same intention. I’m drawn to folks who are passionate about wellness, community, and creating meaningful experiences that leave people feeling seen and supported.

Right now, I’m especially interested in collaborations that expand access to wellness in creative ways, whether that’s through immersive events, guided rituals, or digital experiences. I want to work with people who are aligned with my mission, bring their own heart and expertise to the table, and are open to co-creating something that’s bigger than what either of us could do alone.

If you’re reading this and feel called to collaborate, the best way to connect with me is through my Instagram @Soulflowteaches, website www.soulflowteaches.com or via email at [email protected]
I love exploring ideas, building intentional partnerships, and seeing where aligned energy can take us.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soulflowteaches
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/soulflowteaches
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@soulflowteaches
• Other: Spotify
  https://open.spotify.com/show/0lHHcENRbo3IQlb4fduDRS?si=xqTz8foERyWbky0lhKJHLw

Image Credits

Krisztina Bessenyei
Valerie G Berg