Today we’d like to introduce you to Rita Cuevas.
Rita, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
About ten years ago, I was 43, married, working full time as a teacher, and doing everything I thought I was supposed to do to be happy. On paper, my life looked good, yet I felt deeply unfulfilled. What made it even harder was the guilt. I kept thinking, Why isn’t this enough? If I had everything I was supposed to want, then what was missing?
Eventually I realized what I was searching for was actually myself. Somewhere along the way, I had lost connection with who I was before I had ever really discovered it in the first place. That realization began a long period of reflection. I journaled daily, read constantly, and tried to understand what had shaped me. Along the way I discovered the work of Caroline Myss who introduced me to the idea of personal archetypes and the concept of the “shadow,” or what Carl Jung described as the unconscious parts of ourselves. That opened the first real door to understanding my inner world.
The deeper I went into that contemplative process, the more honest and intuitive I became. I started asking real questions and listening for the answers, not just intellectually, but internally, somatically. The more I trusted that inner knowing and let go of trying to control everything, the more my life began to flow. It wasn’t easy. Much of the work was uncomfortable and heavy, but it was also incredibly liberating. I began to see challenges not as problems to avoid, but as invitations to deeper self-understanding.
Along the way I explored many different approaches to healing and personal development. I trained in shadow work, inner child work, Psych-K, archetypal consulting, Human Design, life coach training, and many other modalities—all part of my effort to better understand myself and how people change. I learned a great deal through those programs, but I also noticed something important: insight alone didn’t necessarily create real change. I could clearly see the patterns or beliefs that were holding me back, but seeing them didn’t automatically shift them. Being told to “let it go” doesn’t actually teach someone how to let it go.
That realization became a kind of curriculum for me. I began studying the how—how do we actually shift a belief, release an old pattern, and move forward in a real, embodied way? Those lessons ultimately became the cornerstone of my coaching work, which is why I call it SoulShift.
Through all of that, there was one path I resisted for a long time, and that was shamanism. It felt too sacred, too big for me to claim. So instead of pursuing it, I surrendered the idea to a greater power and said that if it was truly meant for me, it would have to find its way to me. Surely enough, about six months later, a friend called me out of the blue to tell me she had found a year-long, in-person shamanic training and felt strongly that I should join her. It met every condition I had quietly set, and I knew it was the Universe sending me a big yes. During that training, many of the intuitive abilities that had been developing expanded significantly.
Today my coaching comes from that very personal journey. I work with clients using both practical coaching tools and, for those who are open to it, shamanic energy work. Some clients prefer a more pragmatic coaching approach, while others appreciate being able to integrate both modalities. Personally, I find the combination of both modalities highly effective. But at the heart of it, the work is really about helping people recognize their patterns, reconnect with themselves, and learn to show up in their lives with greater authenticity.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I have yet to meet anyone who has had a completely smooth road, and I am no exception. If I’m being very honest, I think my biggest struggles were always with how I faced my own challenges. At some point I had to take radical responsibility for my life and ask myself some difficult questions: How am I contributing to this? What patterns am I seeing in my life and in my reactions? Am I projecting, or is there a boundary I need to put into place?
Ultimately, I discovered that many of the struggles I faced were connected to avoiding uncomfortable truths. Instead of being honest, I would swallow my words, conform, shrink, or avoid the issue altogether—and those responses only made the challenges worse. Once I saw that pattern, I was able to move forward more consciously. The challenges didn’t disappear, but they no longer upended my life in the same way. I learned a lot through that process, and many of those lessons are now part of how I help my clients recognize and break their own patterns.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
At its core, my work is about helping people recognize and shift the patterns that are keeping them stuck so they can reconnect with themselves in a more authentic way. I do that through a combination of coaching and energy work, depending on what each client needs.
While some people are familiar with energy work through modalities like Reiki, the shamanic work I practice is more interactive and process-oriented. It’s not just about receiving energy—it’s about actively working with what is ready to be seen, released, and transformed. As a Shaman, I actually interact with your higher self and your energy body, and work with Spirit for the Illumination and release of what no longer serves you.
One of the most meaningful tools I use is the Medicine Wheel, both in one-on-one work and small group programs. It’s a deeply transformative and co-creative process. Clients begin by setting a clear intention—whether that’s self-love, self-trust, or boundaries—and then we work in partnership with something greater than ourselves to support that transformation. Rather than trying to force change, we allow the process to unfold in a way that brings forward whatever is ready to be seen and healed. My role is to guide and support clients as they move through that process in a conscious and grounded way. By far, this is the one journey clients grow from the most and will often ask when they can do another one.
More than anything, what I want people to know is that this work isn’t about fixing who they are—it’s about helping them come back to themselves with greater clarity, honesty, and authenticity.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
What I love most about Tecumseh is its charm. It has this wonderful small-town feel, but at the same time it’s vibrant and full of life. The downtown is filled with unique shops, and there’s always something happening—festivals, treasure hunts, Diva Nights—events that bring people together and create a real sense of community.
People come from all over to experience that charm, and I feel incredibly grateful to have my office right in the heart of it. There’s truly no place I’d rather be.
Pricing:
- 100.00
Contact Info:
- Website: https://soulshiftcoaching.my.canva.site/rita-cuevas-shaman-teacher-coach
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560649103863
