Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Valdez.
Hi Emily, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
My journey to creating a business and brand centered around witchcraft, spirituality, and healing has been an interesting one. I have always been intrigued, and drawn to, all things magical and different. I bought my first book of witchcraft when I was 13 or 14, and learned to read tarot at 17. However, I grew up in a very small, conservative town. And while I had done a pretty good job of trying to fit in when I was little, as I entered into my teenage years, it became more and more obvious that I was the weird kid. I really started to struggle with self-esteem and identity issues. During that time, I also started experiencing some mental health concerns. It was becoming more and more obvious, to both my parents and me, that my mood swings went a little beyond that of your typical teenage hormonal stuff. The combination of feeling like I didn’t really fit in because my interests were so different from other kids my age, and knowing something was off with my mental health, I spent most of my teen years feeling like I didn’t really belong anywhere. As I grew into adulthood, I got tired of being the weird one, and really kind of forced myself to fit into a box that I thought would help me to be “normal”. I just wanted to be like all the other girls I knew. So I spent about 15 years creating a life that I thought would allow me to finally feel like I belonged. I really believe I even managed to convince myself that that’s who I really was for a while. I became an elementary school teacher, a wife, and a mom, I also worked on my mental health with traditional therapy and medication. A couple of years ago, it all kind of came to a head.
I’d have periods where my mental health was good, but inevitably, the anxiety would creep back in, and I would end up a basket case. It was not only affecting me but my family too. And I didn’t want to live like that anymore. Of course, as these things tend to work, as soon as I made up my mind, and set the intention that I wanted a real, lasting change and healing, the Universe delivered. I was introduced to an amazing healer. She is a medium and focuses on helping women heal trauma and reclaim their sacred feminine power. And so began… or restarted… my journey into spirituality, holistic healing, and witchcraft. Throughout this healing process, I was able to rediscover my true self. It was such a monumental thing to be able to reconnect with the person I was always meant to be but never felt safe being. Through this process, I also came to discover that I am a medium and can connect with those that have passed on. It was during this time, that The Witch Project was born. It was created to provide a community for people from all walks of life and all spiritual/religious backgrounds to have a safe space to explore their beliefs regarding spirituality and witchcraft. It was very important to me to help other people that might be feeling the way I had like they just don’t belong, and it wasn’t really safe or acceptable to be their true selves, to find that sense of acceptance, love, and support. I have been incredibly lucky and had several amazing people help along the way, I feel so blessed to have this beautiful tribe that is The Witch Project. It has been incredibly exciting to watch it grow. We are working on expanding both our virtual and in-person learning experiences and opportunities, by offering online courses as well as in-person gatherings and retreats.
We are always working on expanding our reach through social media so that we can welcome people from all over the world who are looking for their tribe. And we are also working on creating a docu-series that explores modern witchcraft, as well as other forms of spirituality and alternative religions. The goal is to spread love and acceptance by educating people and allowing them to see that when everything is said and done, we all have more similarities than differences, and there is no need to judge or fear something just because it might fall a little outside what’s considered traditional.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There have definitely been some ups and downs along the way. There are probably two things that stand out most, one is very much a mental/emotional thing, and the other is more structural. The mental/emotional piece has involved having to do some healing work surrounding my self-worth and confidence in my abilities. It totally makes sense though. As a kid who experienced serious issues with self-esteem and not knowing my own value, that was a whole bunch of old trauma I’ve held onto. When we hold onto old trauma, it can block us from moving forward and finding success. I am very happy to say that I’ve made a ton of progress in that area as a result of consistent healing work. So it is definitely getting better. The other area that has been a struggle has been the whole building a business/entrepreneur aspect of it.
My profession was teaching, not business. So I have had a ton of learning to do along the way, and I am continuing to learn and grow every day. I can say, being a teacher, you do learn a ton of very useful skills that are incredibly beneficial in the business world. As teachers we are experts at creating structure, formulating effective plans and executing them, sticking to a schedule, thinking outside the box, working as part of a team, being able to take the lead when needed, and handling a huge workload pretty much all the time. I am really grateful for all of the lessons and skills I gained during my time as a teacher. I can now look back and see how important it was for me to live that part of my life and have those experiences. Without them, I don’t think I’d be able to do what I’m doing now.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
In addition to the work, I’m doing building The Witch Project community and brand, I have begun offering my own services as a medium, tarot reader, healer, and coach. It has been the most amazing thing to be able to take everything I have learned and experienced, and help others to find their own success and joy through healing. I do a lot of work helping people to identify what their energetic blocks are, why they are there, and how to work on healing and releasing them.
I also create a plan for them to help them work on manifesting the things they want in their lives as they clear out the blocks that had been holding them back. I have also had a ton of fun working with the paranormal community, using my mediumship in paranormal investigations around the country, and speaking about mediumship at paranormal events. I really am getting to live my dream, and it’s absolutely amazing!
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I think this industry is really going to take off in the coming years. So many people now simply do not resonate with traditional religious structures, but still, feel a deep desire to connect on a spiritual level in a way that feels fulfilling and uplifting. Witchcraft is such a beautiful thing because it can be individualized to fit each person in the way that feels most in alignment with their needs and desires. What many people don’t realize, is that witchcraft is a practice, not a religion. There are witches who come from all different religions, Christian witches, Jewish witches, Pagan witches, etc. Witchcraft is about using the energy around us to create positive change in our lives.
As more people are coming to understand that, and understanding that they don’t have to leave their religion to practice the craft and that it can easily act as a way to enhance the spiritual practices they already hold dear, more people are embracing learning to incorporate witchcraft into their lives. It has become wildly popular on social media. That has provided a very effective way to spread knowledge and understanding of what witchcraft truly is, as opposed to the ridiculous, outdated beliefs that witchcraft is “the devil’s work”.
Contact Info:
- Website: TheWitchProject.net
- Instagram: Instagram.com/thewitchproject_
- Facebook: facebook.com/the.witch.project.community
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw5Arp8lQNiE6n6miIyE0aw
- Other: tiktok.com/thewitchproject_
Image Credits
Eden Carter, Nita Godwin, Morgan Edwards, Ty Hudnall, Amanda Vickers, Amy Cheryl, Isabel Patron, Caesar Augustus, and Sara Stevenson
