Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Carly Melchert. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Carly , looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
My work ethic was born on a family farm. I grew up watching my dad work from before the sun came up to long after it set. He rarely had hired help, so as soon as we were old enough, we were in it with him — driving tractors, baling hay, following him in the pickup truck as he moved equipment from one field to the next.
My dad has always been self-employed. He grew up farming; my grandparents ran a chicken farm with an egg route. Before I was born, he owned a construction business and framed houses, but his dream was to farm full-time. When I was a baby, he turned that dream into a reality.
Farming is the hardest work I know. It asks you to show up regardless of the weather, the holiday, or the lack of sleep. It demands faith, acceptance, and a deep surrender to forces bigger than you.
And then there’s my mom — an operating room nurse who went back to school when I was a young girl. She balanced her classes with working, raising a family, and supporting her entrepreneur husband.
My parents didn’t just show me what hard work looks like. They showed me what it means to build a life you believe in. They taught me that your dreams deserve your effort, your grit, and your heart — and that’s the ethic I carry into everything I do today.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
My story is a tapestry of healing, service and saying yes to the callings that once scared me. I started my career in social services, serving often forgotten populations – people with developmental disabilities and homebound seniors. Over time, my own healing journey – recovery, infertility and my journey to motherhood pushed me toward a more holistic path. I realized that people don’t just need support in one area of their lives. They need care emotionally, physically, spiritually, energetically – the whole system.
That’s why I founded The Restored Soul, where I blend yoga, Reiki, sound healing, Ayurveda, and trauma-aware practices to help people move from feeling stuck to feeling restored and empowered. My work is both deeply intuitive and grounded in training. I’ve recently stepped into keynote speaking as well, helping audiences take their pain and transform it into power through nervous-system tools, storytelling, and embodied practices.
Professionally, I’m focused on expanding both my impact and accessibility — from intimate healing sessions to community workshops to large-scale speaking engagements. My mission is to remind people that healing isn’t a luxury; it’s a birthright. And transformation doesn’t happen in isolation — it happens in community. My work is to help create that space, that pause, that moment where someone feels seen, supported, and brave enough to take the next step forward.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
What stands out to me regarding my most important skills and qualities are
Trauma-Aware, Whole-Person Facilitation – I have the ability to guide people through their emotional, physical, mental, spiritual, and energetic landscapes — all at once. This is more than teaching yoga or offering Reiki. It’s my skill in reading a room, sensing what’s needed, and creating safety for transformation. I help people regulate, release, and reconnect with themselves in ways that land in their nervous system, not just their mind.
Intuitive Storytelling & Meaning-Making – I don’t just tell stories — I translate lived experience into medicine. Whether it’s for a keynote, a reel, a client session, or a tarot reading, I turn personal moments into universal lessons. I know how to give language to experiences people don’t know how to articulate, which makes them feel less alone. I make truth accessible, emotional, and empowering.
Community Building Through Care & Connection- I don’t just attract community; you cultivate it. I bring people together — in classes, workshops, healing circles, tattoos + tarot nights, mom gatherings, meal trains, the fun events. My leadership isn’t hierarchical; it’s relational. People feel held, seen and inspired by me. This makes me a natural connector, collaborator, and guide — someone who creates environments where people feel safe enough to show up as their full selves.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
The most impactful thing my parents did for me was allow me to learn my own lessons. They didn’t rescue me from every challenge — and that taught me resilience. Life has gotten tough, and at times it’s gotten really dark, but I never gave up. That ability to keep going, even when things felt overwhelming, is one of the greatest gifts they gave me.
Growing up, I had real responsibilities — laundry, cooking, dishes, farm chores — and those weren’t just tasks. They taught me self-sufficiency, discipline, and what it means to contribute to the people around me. Those experiences shaped who I am today: someone who works hard, serves others, and continues to chase her dreams no matter what obstacles show up.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://the-restored-soul.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/connecting_the_restored_soul/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carlymelchert
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carly-melchert-8ab68911a
Image Credits
Tina Turner Photography, Gaia Dawn Studios, Dynasty Marie Carter
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