Welcome! I’m glad you are here.
About Spicy Soul Mama
The Kahlil Gibran poem “On Children” has haunted me for years. It reminds me—sometimes painfully—to let go of how I want my children, especially my son, to be. To allow them their own path.
I’ve learned that the parent-child relationship is more than daily routines and responsibilities. Recognizing this relationship is a sacred contract between us that has been a pre-birth agreement to support each other’s growth. And yet, most parents—myself included—get caught in providing, striving, and protecting, often without doing the inner work needed to truly understand themselves.
Parenting can feel like drinking from a fire hose.
I’ve been there: rushing through dinners, baths, bedtime, and wondering if I even noticed the little moments of joy. Sometimes it takes a crisis—or a life-altering moment in your child’s life—to confront your old patterns and ask: Who am I? What do I want? How can I grow without controlling my child?
For me, those questions came in waves. Many moments when my children grew up forced me to face my blind spots and awaken a fierce, loving part of myself. It became a dance: letting go and leaning in, over and over.
This space is for parents and anyone who is searching for that balance: loving our children fully, supporting their growth, and yet prioritising our own growth and healing. It’s about learning to surrender, staying curious, and finding freedom—both for them and for ourselves.
Because the freer we become from our own suffering, the freer they can be too.
About being a subscriber to Spicy Soul Mama
I publish once a week, usually on Sunday, with the occasional mid-week post. The essays reflect observations of my life on the spiritual path to purpose and soul, with a bit of spice. At times, I will bring a journalistic piece on the mental health industry, offering new ways to view approaches to recovery.
About Shelley
A former Silicon Valley recruiting leader now living in the Sonoran Desert of California, I work for the online consciousness company, The Shift Network, while I enjoy many of the adventures desert living offers. Finding new pathways for personal understanding, archetypes, mysticism, and growth is an obsession of mine. With certifications in the Enneagram, Mindfulness, and Mindfulness Mentoring, I am here to find new practical ways to help you take a time out for yourself. Put your oxygen mask on first.
Testimonials
“I am so impressed by your writing. Much of it resonates with my own view of the world. I am looking forward to hearing new ideas and new ways of seeing things.”
—Adam
“I am really enjoying this podcast as I need to focus on these topics right now….it’s helping me think and reflect. It’s professional, and it flows very nicely, and you both sound educated and purposeful.”
—Debra S.
“Shelley’s (intuitive) reading spoke to me so deeply about where I am currently and the question I offered to the universe for guidance. Her approach was gentle, loving, and highly intuitive. The guidance I received from Shelley’s reading has been reinforced a few times since. I can’t wait for the next one!” ✨
—Sarah C.
“Shelley is made to be a meditation teacher! I never grasped the context of being “One” with the Universe until I started meditation with her.”
—Nancy A.
“Taking time to meditate with Shelley helped me to ‘let go’ of some of my worries and be more accepting of reality. She is a truly gifted guide.”
—Debbie S.
Bio - A little street cred
My writing has appeared in publications like The Sun, Judith Magazine, The Memoirist, Business Insider, Mad in America, Elephant Journal, LAYoga, and SFYoga.
Insight Timer Mindfulness Recordings - meditate with me!
I have a published essay in the book anthology, Six Feet Apart in the Time of Corona (2022, Acorn Publishing).
I was awarded a Dairy Hollow writer-in-residence in 2025 at the Writers’ Colony at Dairy Hollow in Eureka Springs, AR.
Credentials: B.A. in English, certifications in the Power of Awareness, and a 2-year study/completion of Mindfulness and Mindfulness Mentoring with Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach, along with a coaching certification in the Enneagram.
Next-level offerings for the soul’s path:
Foundations of Mindfulness
A 4-part series - Tailored guidance and dharma talks for parents who may be struggling. Together, we will practice mindfulness using the tenets of Buddhist practices of exploration of the Hindrances of the mind, Metta, Insight, and other topics. Offered individually or in small groups online.
✨$97 pp for the series
1:1 Soul Guidance Sessions
Deepen your spiritual practice with these sessions. Through meditation, spiritual resources, angel and oracle readings, and compassionate, judgment-free listening, you’ll cultivate the inner peace and clarity needed to show up fully in your life and the world.
✨$150 per session or a series of 3 for $425
