ABOUT
BELIEF #1
You can transform your story.
Some stories are messier than others, but each contain behaviors, patterns, cycles, and circumstances that we can learn to identify, navigate, support, and change. It might not be easy, but it is deeply satisfying to regain or discover our agency for the first time.
BELIEF #2
Identifying and embracing who we are, authentically at our core, allows us to find peace, clarity, and joy in life.
When we grow up following the "adults-in-charge" with blind obedience, who we are, our desires, and deeper emotional needs are often disregarded. Meeting those needs and rediscovering ourselves is transformative.
BELIEF #3
Finally getting a glimpse into the experiences, situations, patterns, and cycles that buried our authentic selves feels like someone sprinkled fairy dust on the raw parts of our story.
That's real-life magic.
I'M JANEL
I'm one of those women who has lived a thousand lives.
As a survivor who spent years "trying" to heal, I know what it feels like to be stuck and alone with no answers.
It was frustrating to seek out help but not be able to find the support I actually needed.
Especially when I had no idea what problem I was trying to solve. And everyone looked at me like I was crazy when I explained. Because... What?!
I was gobsmacked to be offered the first real answer in 2012. In context. In a way I understood. And it wasn't what I expected.
I had spent more than two decades trying to "fix" myself. It turns out the most frustrating experiences never originated with me. I didn't have the awareness to understand what was happening, so I didn't know how to respond. That kept me trapped in a perpetual loop of toxic relationships: with myself, with others, with religion... education and society too.
My story has been ridiculously messy. Identifying a handful of key issues was only the beginning. I had to jump into the work of putting my life back together. That meant figuring out all the details and learning how to live again.
I've always felt the call to support others and encourage them to redeem the What?! in their lives. I knew it's what I wanted to do at seventeen, but I had no idea how to accomplish it. Or how much I needed to start with myself. Thankfully, wisdom came from chaos.
Now, I use what I learned in my story to write, edit, mentor, and coach others on how to identify the missing pieces, patterns, and cycles in their own story so they can take back their personal agency and translate their experiences into meaningful creative work.
MY STORY
Once upon a time… a big-hearted girl had a dream to heal and encourage the women of the world. The rest is a cautionary tale filled with blah, blah, blah, OMG!, Dear Jesus!, WTF!, and a lot of face palming. Yet, it’s my story and I own it.
It turns out most of the turmoil was fueled by the shame of others’ expectations for me. I tried to navigate life "normally," only to find out at 48, that I'm neurodiverse. A covert abuser capitalized on my insecurities for two decades before I caught on. If that wasn't bad enough, I found myself neck-deep in cult theology, pushed to be the "ideal Christian” wife and mother in the most toxic ways.
At the height of this insanity, I sustain a traumatic brain injury that broke me, but ended up being the catalyst for my awakening. Thankfully, I eventually found a safe haven where I was able to identify what I experienced, put the pieces together, and uncovered the real story of my life. Understanding the full scope of my story finally allowed me to heal.
My gift is making sense of the crazy in our lives with as much levity and grace as possible. That’s easy for me to do because I'm a little bit Mary Poppins, a pinch of Disney's Rapunzel, a dash of Hermione Granger, a scoop of Elizabeth Bennett, and a whole lot of Giselle a'la Enchanted. I see the glass half-full, love pineapple on my pizza, enjoy a good book, and probably want a cup of tea.
Clients call me their fairy godmother. They bring me content with the hope of gaining insight into their niche or latest project, then leave with fresh perspective, certainty for confusion, and a plan that brings calm to their life. I love watching a-ha! moments unfold before my eyes! It reminds me to hope… Because I know what it’s like to cry in the car, desperate for a miracle that never arrives.
I bring every drop of my experience to each project. Mostly though, I offer a heaping dose of clarity. For someone who hasn't experienced anything like that before, it feels magical.
GROWTH. DEVELOPMENT. EXPERIENCE.
I take personal growth and development seriously. Not only do I regularly work with a coach and therapist, I actively participate in various programs to expand my education. Being a bookworm, I always have a stack of nonfiction books by my bedside too. 📚
- I graduated in 1994 with a traditional Doctor of Naturopathy degree from small, unaccredited program. I began apprenticing with a mentor in 1990 as I pursued my studies. Upon graduation, I became a health consultant, educator, and speaker. During that time, I also created client, student, and marketing materials. I "retired" from health consulting in 1998.
- From 1998 to 2009, I co-founded, published, and was editor-in-chief for an online faith-based woman's magazine. We published around 100 authors and worked with dozens more. During that time, I was faculty at three writers' conferences. My responsibilities included 1:1 editorial critiques and participating as an expert on Q&A panels.
- I officially began coaching writers in 2018. Shortly after, I recognized that my process works for content creators as well. As my experience grew, I realized my heart is in supporting creators establishing their content rather than the process of traditional publication, so I shifted my focus.
- Although I'm under no requirement, I choose to pursue relevant continuing education. Since 2020, I've acquired over 225 Continuing Education Credits in the areas of life coaching and psychology. I also completed other accredited courses to refresh and expand my education in naturopathy, reiki, sound healing, art and music therapy, EFT and TFT tapping, mudras, and other holistic modalities.
- I'm certified in almost 20 coaching niches that include ADHD and managing executive function, along with advanced master life coaching, workshop facilitation, yoga and belly dancing. I use a unique blend of each to support my clients.
- I also have specialized training in trauma and neurodivergent awareness.
"Janel truly has many skills and tricks up her sleeve. It was her magic touch that helped me turn my ideas, mind maps, and random late-night ideas, scribbled sleepily on napkins, into a complete and organized(!) work of art! All while she made it look so effortless with a sense of grace, love, and of course, a bit of sparkle!"
J. Marie Love
"During our time together, Janel taught me how to be a better writer. I am forever indebted to her expertise. It was a blessing to find her and work with her!"
Debra Wallace
OFFICIAL BIOGRAPHY
Janel Guevara is a writer, mentor, and transformational coach who helps women reclaim their voice and rewrite the stories that shape their lives. With more than 25 years of experience as an author, educator, and editor-in-chief of her own magazine, Janel spent decades working with the power of words to inspire change.
Drawing on her background in storytelling, holistic health, and personal transformation, Janel helps women recognize the patterns that keep them stuck and translate their experiences into meaningful creative work. Her practical, compassionate approach gives feminine content creators the tools and perspective they need to transform their story. Her clients affectionately call her a real-life fairy godmother.
Janel lives in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, where moss-covered trees and waterfall trails feel like something out of a fairy tale. When she’s not writing or mentoring, she can be found hiking forest paths, playing in the river, planning Christmas in July, or enjoying life with the man she loves, five magical cats, and an army of garden gnomes.
