Meet Vernita Parker

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Vernita Parker. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Vernita, we are so happy that our community is going to have a chance to learn more about you, your story and hopefully even take in some of the lessons you’ve learned along the way. Let’s start with self-care – what do you do for self-care and has it had any impact on your effectiveness?

I have a daily practice of sitting in silence for 30 minutes at the start of my day. This grounds my energy and allows me to enter my day with intentionality. I also do 30 minutes of self-reiki and a daily spiritual lesson. Movement is another integral component of my self-care. I typically do yoga three times a week and stretching twice a week. All of these practices contribute to my physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well-being, which enables me to connect with others from a place of solidity, openness and compassion.

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?

I am the founder and Principal Consultant at the VF Parker Group, LLC. The VF Parker Group provides coaching and consulting services focused on individual, organizational and community transformation. I work with clients in the federal government, private and non-profit sectors, and higher education.

My approach is collaborative and focuses on inquiry, facilitating new insights and action. I partner with my clients to explore new ways to leverage their strengths and create strategies to address areas that may affect their ability to have maximum impact within and outside of their organizations.

I am also a certified yoga instructor. In addition to teaching studio classes, I incorporate mindfulness principles into my work with my coaching and consulting clients, specifically exploring how integrating the wisdom of their heart, mind and body impacts how they show up in all areas of their lives. My philosophy is; once you deepen your connection to yourself, you increase your capacity to deepen your connection to others and the world around you.

This summer, June 21, 2025 in Washington, DC I will be partnering with friends to host a summer solstice gathering called “The Return of the Light” There will be guided meditation, yoga, breathwork and high vibrational music and dancing. Our intention is to connect to the energy of the sun and come together in community to shift the vibrational frequency of Washington, DC, the United States and the world. If you are in the DC Metro area, we would love for you to join us!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-return-of-the-light-summer-solstice-gathering-tickets-1333463438039?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

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?

Three C’s, Connection, Curiosity and Courage.
Let’s start with connection. I believe when you deepen your connection to yourself, your ability to connect to others in a deeper way also expands. Recognizing that we draw intelligence from our heads, hearts and bodies is a start. Cultivating practices that support deepening your awareness about the wisdom that comes from each of those centers of intelligence and paying attention to what arises within us (thoughts, feelings, physical sensations) at any given moment, in any situation, enhances our presence and our ability to tune into what may be arising in others. I am very intentional about integrating my knowledge as a yoga teacher with my coaching work to help my clients increase their connection to the wisdom of their head, heart and body
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Curiosity is another important quality for me. There’s a book called the Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz, that I absolutely love. One of the agreements is “Do Not Make Assumptions”. So many breakdowns, personally and professionally, could be avoided if we all approached life from a place of curiosity. What would the world be like if we took the time to ask each other more questions to enhance understanding vs. reacting to things we assume to be true? A big part of my work as an Integral Coach is to establish sacred connections with my clients and serve as a mirror to reflect back those parts of themselves, they may have gotten disconnected from. The only way I can do that is through inquiry and curiosity.

The last C is courage. Having the courage to show up authentically, even when everyone else around you may have a different perspective or position about something that is core to who you are. Having the courage to admit when you are wrong and being open to learning from the experience and having the courage to acknowledge that you don’t have all of the answers and reaching out for support when needed.

Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?

My parents have been the most helpful and inspirational in helping me overcome challenges and cultivate the qualities that have shaped me and my success. My father was diagnosed with a rare lung “disease” that impacted his ability to breathe with ease. I put the word disease in quotation marks because he never viewed it that way. To him, his condition was just another challenge presented to him to expand his way of being in his physical body. What was amazing about him was that as his physical body got weaker, his mental and spiritual capacity got bigger and bigger and bigger. It was truly a gift to witness his spiritual evolution. He transitioned out of his physical body in May of 2006, before he reached 60 years old. The major lesson I learned from him was we are so much more than our physical bodies. We are all a part of an interconnected, energetic field that surpasses anything we can even imagine. This knowing guides me as I move through this world.

My mother is the definition of LOVE. She gives from her whole heart freely, not just to me, but to anyone who happens to cross her path. She was also diagnosed with a chronic health challenge that impacts her mobility. Despite that, she is the strongest person I know. The depth of her heart and the strength of spirit inspires me daily. I aspire to bring that same level of heart-centered power to everything I do.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @onenessexper @vernita_earthwoman
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vernita-parker-35a278324/
• Other: Eventbrite

  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-return-of-the-light-summer-solstice-gathering-tickets-1333463438039?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

Image Credits

Drew Xeron
James Posey
Andreas Andreou