Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Susy Schieffelin. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Susy, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
There are two main ways that I feel I have overcome imposter syndrome (and that I continue to use to overcome it when it pops back up). First, the best way to overcome imposter syndrome is to do it anyway. Even if I am afraid or feel like “who am I to…” I choose courage over comfort and show up anyway. Over time, by showing up consistently for myself, my clients, my work, and my biggest vision, I have come to see that commitment is what matters most. By not giving up, success is inevitable, even if there are a thousand “failures” along the way. Everything is a learning opportunity when you choose to approach life with an open mind and a courageous heart. So, I let go of trying to do anything perfectly and just commit to showing up and doing my best no matter what.
The other thing that I feel is most important in overcoming imposter syndrome is living with integrity in the practices that I teach and share. By practicing what I preach/teach, I know firsthand that it works and I know firsthand what the process can be like. So, as a teacher and healer, I meditate every day, I play my singing bowls, I attend sound baths and receive 1:1 healing and support from other teachers and mentors, I live in alignment with the principles and values of my business, and I take note of the messages and lessons I am sharing with the world and make a point of living by them myself too. I wake up each morning and ask my higher power for guidance. I ask to be of service to the greater good, and I pray to have the courage to trust the joys and the challenges of my path. By having a consistent daily spiritual practice, I have learned that I will always have thoughts and feelings but that I am so much more than them. I can choose how I experience my own life, and I can choose what I give my energy to and what I do not. So when thoughts of fear or imposter syndrome arise, I choose not to give them energy, and I pray for the courage to trust Love and take the next step on my path.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
In my twenties, I went through a period of immense struggle and darkness that led me to a place where I felt so hopeless and lost that I almost took my own life. One morning, I woke up and heard a voice in my mind that said, “Susy, wake up and LIVE,” so I began exploring yoga, meditation, and energy healing modalities such as sound healing and reiki to find healing. As I attended sound baths, practiced kundalini yoga/meditation, and received reiki healings regularly, my life began to transform. I was able to finally get sober; I found acceptance of my hair loss and shaved my head. I lost over 40 lbs, and the light returned to my eyes. At the same time, I also began to feel a new sense of hope, possibility, and unconditional self-love. After attending a breathwork sound bath one Saturday night in Santa Monica, CA, I realized that if my own life could be so profoundly transformed through these modalities, I could learn how to share them with other people and help them find healing and hope, too. So, I began my training in sound healing and reiki while working at a corporate job, but before long, I started to feel that my job was no longer aligned with my spirit. Along the way, I started a new Instagram account @thecoppervessel to share inspirational quotes and messages, and I decided that could be the basis for my business! So, in May 2017, I left my job and took the leap into entrepreneurship. I began by hosting sound baths on the beach, which eventually led to 1:1 clients, corporate wellness, hosting retreats worldwide, and then teaching others how to build their sound healing businesses, too. It has been an incredible journey!
Today, I run a multi-seven-figure business with a team of 15 supporting my vision. Through The Copper Vessel, I offer healing experiences such as live virtual sound baths and moon ceremonies, 1:1 healing sessions, and transformational mentorships. I also work with major brands and corporations to bring wellness and healing into the workspace. I also coach and mentor other teachers and healers in growing their own spiritual businesses.
As my own healing practice has grown, my business has flourished, and I have gained widespread recognition for my teaching which has allowed me to step into my bigger purpose: teaching and mentoring other healers. In 2021, I founded The Sound Healer’s Academy, the leading Professional Crystal Alchemy Sound Healing certification training and business mentorship. I have trained and mentored hundreds of healers around the world in the art and science of sound healing as well as spiritual entrepreneurship. I am most proud of the people I have helped find the courage to trust their calling and step into a path of freedom and abundance through entrepreneurship. I feel that my impact becomes exponential when I can support others in sharing their gifts and feeling empowered, making their maximum positive impact on the world!
My focus today is sharing sound healing as widely as possible in the hopes that all people have access to tools that bring them true healing from within. I believe that we are all capable of healing and that it is a matter of returning to a life of wholeness, possibility, and unconditional love. I hope to share sound healing and meditation with as many people as possible, and I do so through my monthly sound healing membership, brand partnerships (you can even find my sound baths on all United Airlines flights!), and my professional sound healing training, The Sound Healer’s Academy. By teaching, inspiring, and empowering other healers to step into their highest purpose and build their own thriving businesses, making a positive impact on the world, I know that my own impact becomes exponential.
The Sound Healer’s Academy Level 1 Professional Certification training has a tuition of $4,444. Our next training class begins in September, and enrollment is currently open! For anyone who is interested in exploring sound healing professionally, there is no better way to learn. You can learn more and begin your application process at www.thesoundhealersacademy.com.
For anyone who wants to learn sound healing for their own personal practice but is perhaps not ready to become a professional quite yet, I also have an on-demand Introduction to Sound Healing mini course that is designed to help you get started playing instruments and bringing healing into your daily life. You can find details about both offerings at www.thesoundhealersacademy.com.
For anyone who is just getting started with meditation or sound healing and is interested in bringing sound healing into their daily life, The Copper Vessel Collective membership, my monthly membership, has a vast library of on-demand sound bath meditations and also includes VIP access to at least one live virtual sound healing event per month. You can join monthly for $44 or annually and get two months free for $444!
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?
Faith, curiosity, and surrender have been the three qualities that have played the biggest role in my success. I was not always a very spiritual person, but when I started making a daily gratitude list, things began to change. I started to see how much good was already in my life, and the more I focused on the good, the more good came. I started to look for signs supporting me and pointing me in the right direction. I began to pay attention to the moon, read spiritual books, and practice surrendering my will to the will of the Universe. The book The Surrender Experiment by Michael A Singer helped me a lot to cultivate faith. The more I practiced relying on faith in the Universe, the more my faith in the Universe grew stronger. Now, I don’t just believe in miracles—I experience them every day and have come to rely on them. If you are interested in cultivating more faith, read, pray, and meditate. Look for the miracles and love all around you!
Curiosity has led me to live my life with an endless source of creativity. I find that my perspective on life is one of openness, and I have the ability to look outside the box and view things from different perspectives. When I truly believe in something, I can always find a way to make it happen! Oftentimes, it looks different than how I initially thought it would. However, by simply approaching life with curiosity and without judgment and by remembering that nothing is innately bad or innately good (it’s just how you choose to experience it), I find that things always work out and anything is truly possible. If you are interested in cultivating curiosity, creativity, and openness, I suggest that you look for the good in people and look for the solution in any situation. Ask questions! Become other-centered and seek to understand rather than to be understood. When you feel stuck, pause and ask what is possible, focus on what you can do, even if it seems like a tiny step, and watch how infinite possibilities become available to you!
Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
My mom! My mom is the most positive, fun, enthusiastic, creative, and wise person that I know. She loves so deeply and sees the light in everyone. She saw the light in me when I was in my darkest times, struggling with addiction. I thought that my light had gone out, but she never lost faith in me. My mom has taught me so much about how to show up in this world and continues to support and love me every step of the way. She is always there for me when I need a sounding board, a shoulder to cry on, or even an ear to vent to. She holds me to my best self and doesn’t let me settle. Sometimes, it’s a balance between unconditional support and tough love, but she will always remind me never to settle and encourages me to live every day as my biggest, brightest, most powerful self. That unconditional honesty, love, and support have made all of the difference.
Contact Info:
- Website:www.thecoppervessel.com / www.thesoundhealersacademy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecoppervessel and https://www.instagram.com/thesoundhealersacademy/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susy-schieffelin-26634014/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheCopperVessel
Image Credits
Rachel Madrigal, Matrix Quevedo
