Tiffany Cohen Of Spirit + Soul Studio On How They Integrate Mindfulness And Spiritual Practices Into Their Work Culture
Get to know what your employees personal and professional goals are without judgment. If you want your employees to work the best for you, you need to hold space for all of their goals and dreams as well. Let them feel that you are working for them to achieve their goals as much as they are working to help you achieve yours.
As a part of our series about leaders who integrate mindfulness and spiritual practices into their work culture, I had the pleasure of interviewing Tiffany Cohen, Founder of Spirit + Soul Studio, Master Energy Healer + Transformation Guide.
Tiffany Cohen is the Founder of Spirit + Soul Studio, where she combines her expertise as a Master Energy Healer and Transformation Guide to support individuals in unlocking their true potential. Through her work, Tiffany empowers high-performing entrepreneurs to align with their purpose, heal inner wounds, and manifest their desired realities. With a deep commitment to holistic well-being, Tiffany leads clients through transformative spiritual practices that nurture both personal and professional growth.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you please share your “backstory” with us?
I grew up in a family that loved psychics and tarot cards. I received my first deck when I was 13 years old and as I grew, leaned into my intuitive development, even becoming Reiki certified at 21 years old, until I graduated from college. I began working in Corporate America and realized that reading cards and energy healing was looked down upon. I put it all aside and focused on my career, but there was always something in the back of my mind (or heart!) trying to get my attention. After about 10 years of climbing the Corporate ladder, an altercation with my boss had me spiraling into what felt like a nervous breakdown (did you know a spiritual awakening can mask as a nervous breakdown?). Through hyperventilating and crying in my office, I heard the words “how did I get here?” echoing in my mind. It stopped me in my tracks and woke me up from a slumber I felt like I was in for a long time. That day I decided to change my life and go on an entrepreneurial journey. I decided I would work on a business on the side, until I could leave and create a life that felt really good to me making an impact in the world. This journey would forever change my life. I learned so much about who I was as a person, as a business owner, and what I was meant to do in this life. My journey led me into deeper levels of personal healing, which then translated into performing healing work for others, helping people manifest a life they wanted, and ultimately, helping people transform their lives. I opened Spirit + Soul Studio in 2021 as a virtual space and within 6 months manifested a physical location. Now we operate as a hybrid platform, helping people all over the world heal and manifest their best life. I have an incredible team of people who work alongside me with this mission and I’m so grateful for it all.
What role did mindfulness or spiritual practice play in your life growing up? Do you have a funny or touching story about that?
Growing up my parents weren’t into meditation or mindfulness practices so much, but they LOVED a great psychic. I grew up scraping my coins together to try and get a reading at their psychic parties. My parents were always spiritual, though. They taught me to lean into a higher power at a very young age and both taught me that you needed nothing outside of you to connect and ask for guidance. When I finally found my way back to the spiritual world, I had started a meditation practice and began working with crystals. During COVID, I had my dad charge some crystals outside on a full moon with me. I turned on some meditation music and led him, my husband, and my two sons into a mini meditation. When we opened our eyes, my dad looked at me and said “welcome back.” I’m such a big believer that my parents were always meant to guide me into the spiritual world and be my biggest cheerleaders.
How do your mindfulness or spiritual practices affect your business and personal life today?
Mindfulness and spiritual practices are a HUGE part of my personal life and business model and how we all operate at Spirit + Soul Studio. We practice what we preach. I think there is so much emphasis placed on the mind and overthinking decisions and strategies. While strategic operations are extremely important in business, so is your intuition. I always say “the heart knows the way and your mind will lead you astray.” What I mean by this is, your heart, as the seat of your soul, knows the way to your highest and best life and next right business move. The mind is the representation of the ego, or the personality. The ego’s job is to keep you safe, which often means playing small. When we overthink or only lead by the mind, we aren’t tapping into the tool that already knows the way to ultimate growth because that type of growth is scary to the ego. It doesn’t feel safe. I’m a believer that overthinking is the heart and mind at war with one another, when all the mind needs to be told is “thank you for your opinion, but we are safe” and then listen to the heart. When I started to employ these practices into my business, it began to take off. Once the decisions are made, then the mind comes in to help develop the aligned action to get to the goal. This is why you truly need both the mind (ego) and the heart (soul) in balance with one another. The best way to listen to your heart is in meditation. A meditation practice is the secret sauce to both personal and business growth because in this modern, fast paced world filled with distractions it makes you slow down and listen to yourself. This helps you to also cultivate belief and faith.
Do you find that you are more successful or less successful because of your integration of spiritual and mindful practices? Can you share an example or story about that with us?
I am definitely way more successful because I integrate spiritual and mindfulness practices into my life and business. If I didn’t have this practice I would never have left Corporate America, which was one of the scariest things I ever did in my life. It truly goes against the grain of everything we are taught and what we are told. We are asked to crave stability. I was the main financial supporter of my family when I was building my business and working in Corporate. I opened the physical location of Spirit + Soul Studio while still working my 9–5 and it was killing me. I was exhausted and felt like I was living a double life. One day when I was driving into the office I was telling my sister, Gina, about how absolutely exhausted I was and how I didn’t know how much longer I would be able to keep going like this. What it came down to was that I was scared to take the leap, even though my meditations, my spiritual guidance, and my heart were yelling at me to JUMP and don’t look back. When I scanned my badge to open the parking garage gate, I found myself driving around the lot multiple times trying to find a spot. I heard myself saying the words “there’s no spot for me here” and I heard my sister saying “that’s right…there is no spot for you there anymore.” I knew what I had to do in that moment. I finally found a spot in a further lot, walked up to my office and immediately typed up my resignation letter. I handed it in that morning and haven’t looked back since. If I would have let my ego lead the way, I would probably still be there. Because I had faith in what my heart was saying and in the spiritual guidance I was getting, I knew it was time to take the leap and the Universe would have my back. And it certainly has had my back ever since.
What would you say is the foundational principle for one to “lead a good life”? Can you share a story that illustrates that?
I think the foundational principle for leading a good life is to remember you are the creator of your reality. Every thought, every action, every word out of your mouth is creating the reality you see. Most people have so many complaints about the world around them and then do nothing about it. You have control over the reality you see, so start creating one you like! Make the uncomfortable changes, put yourself first for once, go on the journey of getting to know yourself. This will all help you to create a life you love. You get one life in this body at this time. Don’t waste it! I used to go to this nail salon where I would make an appointment and they would never honor it. I would wait an hour while they took walk-ins and then sit in my chair and be fuming mad. What was supposed to be a relaxing experience, turned into me seething. Finally one day I sat down super angry in the chair and asked myself “how am I the problem here?”. The answer was…I keep coming back! There are so many nail salons I could go to and yet I keep coming to this one and I’m choosing to have this experience. That was the last time I went to that salon. I manifested a nail salon that honors appointments and I’ve been so happy ever since. You create your reality, so create one you love.
Can you share a story about one of the most impactful moments in your spiritual/mindful life?
One of the most impactful moments in my spiritual journey occurred while watching The Goop Lab special on Netflix! I was watching the episode involving a specific healing modality and I heard the words “you already know how to do this” in my mind. I was so drawn to this modality that I had never seen before and decided to go on a mission of finding someone that taught it. After a huge search and weeding through what resonated with me, I found Spinal Energetics by Dr. Sarah Jane. I became a certified Spinal Energetics practitioner and it came so naturally to me. I’ve helped so many people heal on incredible levels utilizing this modality along with soul coaching. The results have had transformative effects on the lives of my clients and I am so honored to be a part of their journey.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?
Wow, I honestly don’t even know where to begin. I stand on the shoulders of giants and would not be where I am today without, first and foremost, my husband, Andrew, and my sisters, Gina and Talia. They are the fan club that kept me going when I needed cheering on, the ones who always believed in me and my mission, and gave up everything to jump on board with Spirit + Soul. I will be forever grateful to them. I have also been so fortunate to have incredible mentors in my life, like my best friend, Christina, Dr. Sarah Jane, Dan Martell, Marisa Peer, and one in particular that changed my life forever, Eric Edmeades. I participated in his Speaking Academy and it was super intense and unexpectedly healing. One night when the stress was mounting, in an uncharacteristic moment for myself, I walked out of the room and began a crying breakdown on my way to the bathroom. I wanted to go home. It was pushing me so far out of my comfort zone. (Un)fortunately for me, one of his staff members saw me go into the bathroom and then Eric sent for me. As I walked into the room where Eric waited, I felt the immense pressure of giving up and having to tell someone I looked up to for so long that I wasn’t ready for this. He asked me what was going on and I was completely honest with him. I told him I didn’t feel like I was enough and that maybe I’m not cut out for this. I know I will look back at this moment as the pivotal moment that got me on the road of achieving my dreams in a big way. Eric said to me, “Tiffany, you don’t see what I see in you right now.” And then he quoted Marianne Williamson by saying “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” He left me with that and all of his faith and I went on to win the Speaking Academy competition the two days later. I will always be grateful for Eric and that moment for propelling me forward in the most incredible way.
Can you share 3 or 4 pieces of advice about how leaders can create a very “healthy and uplifting” work culture?
(1) Get to know what your employees personal and professional goals are without judgment. If you want your employees to work the best for you, you need to hold space for all of their goals and dreams as well. Let them feel that you are working for them to achieve their goals as much as they are working to help you achieve yours.
(2) Cultivate an environment where people feel heard and feel that they can take risks with their ideas. The best ideas for processes, procedures, innovations, etc. are sitting within your employees. Create a judgment-free zone for idea sharing and implement where you can.
(3) Read “Limitless” by Jim Kwik and understand the best ways to focus and get in the zone, then encourage your employees to do the same. It was a game changer for me.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
My movement would be to bring the importance of meditation, energy, and emotional intelligence to schools. I believe teaching our children young about their own innate powers to regulate their nervous system, their own inner magic, and how to work with their emotions would change the world. As adults, we can wake up to our own inner magic, work through traumas, limiting beliefs, fears, and doubts, and start to actually feel our emotions, but imagine if you did this all throughout your life. Imagine how limitless you would be! That’s what we can do for our kids.
How can people follow you and find out more about you?
Everyone can follow on Instagram @heyimtiffanymarie and @spiritandsoulstudio . To learn more about the amazing things we are doing at Spirit + Soul Studio, head over to our website www.spiritandsoulstudio.com or my website www.imtiffanymarie.com . I look forward to getting to know you and helping you manifest your best life!
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success in your great work!
