Fifteen years ago, Marie Soleil fell in love with the healing arts.
Like many, she had grown up indoctrinated in western medicine. But, when it couldn’t help her overcome a panic disorder, she pursued more natural means of healing. “When I realized that I could heal myself,” she says, “I was hooked.”
She started working as a massage therapist and soon became a personal trainer, yoga teacher, stretchologist, Master Meditation Teacher, and group fitness instructor.
Marie couldn’t get enough, and over the years, she continued to study. She learned acupressure, aromatherapy, Biofield Sound Therapy, Cranial Sacral Therapy, Chinese Meridian Therapy, Fire Cupping Therapy, Gua Sha, Hydrotherapy, Lymphatic Drainage Technique, Myofacial Release Technique, Rei Chi, reflexology, and much more.
When she moved to Durango in 2021, she knew it was time to launch her own space, so she could fuse all of these experiences. She met with Emily Meisner at the La Plata Economic Development Alliance, and Emily introduced her to the SBDC.
“Mary Shepherd was fantastic. She showed me that launching a business wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. She helped me file for my LLC and get my business license. She’s been someone who helps me brainstorm and gives me a place to bounce ideas.”
Mind Body Soleil launched in 2021, and although she knows it will take time to build clientele, Marie has been excited to see steady growth.
As a firm believer in the power of knowledge, she works to educate every client who walks through her doors. “I feel like if people know the WHY, the HOW becomes easier. When I teach, I bring in my anatomy expertise and am looking at alignment, musculature, and kinesthetic movement.”
Marie understands that healthy habits can be created. Ultimately, we are the ones who do the healing. As a facilitator, she is just there to help.
To encourage her students, Marie recently stepped out of her own comfort zone and launched a YouTube channel. “You have to be willing to stink at something new in order to create something better,” she says.
Ultimately, Marie’s goal is to create a safe space where everyone feels welcome. “At Mind Body Soleil, we have a nonjudgmental clinical approach. I want everyone to feel seen—not judged or intimidated. Everyone who comes in is looking to work on themselves. I want to walk them through those challenges. I want them to come to a space and feel like they belong.”
Her advice to other prospective entrepreneurs? “Learn to trust yourself; the whole process is about taking advice but being discerning. You must have faith in your own abilities. Then, just do it. After all, what’s the alternative? Don’t let people discourage you!”
Follow Mind Body Soleil on Instagram and YouTube at @mindbodysoleil.
