Embark on a journey of holistic healing with Rachel Vanhinsbergh, the dedicated force behind Happy In The Moment. With over two decades of experience in holistic therapies, Rachel is a seasoned expert, deeply committed to integrating mind, body, and spirit. As the founder of Happy In The Moment, a registered training college with The Complementary Medical Association, Rachel imparts her wisdom through Angel Energy Healing courses, drawing inspiration directly from the healing angels. Her multifaceted journey involves nurturing young minds as a mindfulness therapist in schools, crafting curriculums that instil mindfulness in children, and guiding adults through the intricate paths of mental and emotional well-being. Rachel’s approach, grounded in spiritual life coaching, mindfulness therapy, and energy healing, underscores her belief in true wellness that encompasses every facet of our being.
In this insightful interview, Rachel Vanhinsbergh shares her profound insights, inviting individuals to explore the transformative realms of emotional healing, spiritual growth, and the pursuit of their dreams.
Can you share a bit about your journey and what led you to the creation of Happy In The Moment?
I started my spiritual journey in my 20s—about 20 years ago. I took my first spiritual healing course at 23. At that time, I was dealing with depression and anxiety and sought the help of a healer. This was before spiritual healing was as mainstream as it is today. The experience was considered a bit “woo-woo,” but it made a significant positive impact on me. Encouraged by the healer, I took a spiritual healing course and became a qualified spiritual healer at 23. However, I didn’t immediately pursue it as a career.
Life took me on a different path. I embarked on a corporate career, had young children, and my interest in spirituality, psychology, and wellness remained beneath the surface. Fast forward to my 30s—after having my third and fourth child around 2012, a spiritually significant year. Postnatal depression hit me after these two children, triggering an existential crisis. Despite feeling lost and anxious, I knew I had inner resources to pull myself out.
From 30 to 33, and beyond, I underwent a profound self-discovery and reflection phase. I returned to college for counselling qualifications while diving deep into my spiritual work. I reconnected with angels, meditated, and practiced mindfulness rigorously. I overcame postnatal depression through my own efforts, blending spiritual and psychological practices.
This transformative journey led me to realize that I possessed the tools and methodology to help others facing depression, anxiety, or life challenges. Inspired to empower people with accessible tools, I wanted to show that you don’t need significant financial resources or therapists. Energy healing, reading, mindfulness—there are numerous tools available for healing and personal growth at home.
Ultimately, this became my mission and career—to inspire and empower others to understand the wealth of tools within reach. I feel fortunate to make a career out of helping people navigate their challenges and grow.
What are the key services that you offer to your clients?
My key services revolve around holistic healing, combining energy work, mindfulness, and spiritual life coaching. Under the umbrella of Happy In The Moment, I offer various services:
Energy Healing: I specialize in spiritual healing, Reiki healing, and Angelic Reiki. As an Angelic Reiki master practitioner, I provide Angel energy healing. Happy In The Moment is also a registered college training facility for teaching Angel energy healing.
Angel Services: This includes Angel card readings, Angel communication, and fostering Angelic connections.
Mindfulness and Meditation Therapy: This service has its roots in my personal journey and aims to guide individuals through mindfulness and meditation practices for holistic well-being.
Spiritual Life Coaching: I work with adults and children, addressing a range of issues such as fears, life direction, depression, and anxiety. My approach integrates psychology, mindset coaching, and energy work for a comprehensive healing experience.
Specialization in Angelic Work: My main expertise lies in angelic work, where I leverage my connection with the angels to blend metaphysical aspects with therapeutic practices.
By offering these services, I aim to provide clients with a holistic and personalized approach to address their psychological, emotional, and spiritual needs.
What are some key practices or techniques that you recommend for cultivating happiness in daily life?
Cultivating happiness in daily life involves a few key practices. The first crucial step is developing awareness of our thoughts. Recognizing the negative bias in our thought process is fundamental. This is a common hurdle for both me and my clients — overcoming this mental barrier is essential for happiness.
Once we’re aware of our thoughts, it becomes an eye-opener. Negative thoughts tend to persist throughout the day. Bringing mindful awareness to our thoughts and challenging the negative ones allows us to live in a state of abundance and happiness, fostering more joy in our lives. So, challenging our thoughts is the first key to living a happier life.
The second aspect is cultivating an abundance mindset. It might sound simple, but waking up and appreciating the basics—like being in a comfortable bed, having a warm home, and a loving family—shifts us from a mindset of lack to one of abundance. This shift is crucial as a lack mindset often hampers our happiness.
The third element involves living from the heart, which encompasses all aspects. Choosing to make decisions from the heart rather than the mind leads to more authentic and aligned choices. This heart-centered living allows our soul to guide us, leading to a more abundant, joyful, and fulfilling life. Conversely, relying solely on the mind can lead to being caught up in the anxieties and worries of everyday life. So, these three practices—challenging our thoughts, embracing an abundance mindset, and living from the heart—are key to cultivating happiness in daily life.
How can someone integrate the principles of mindfulness and being present into their busy schedules?
I am the queen of this, with four children, a bustling business and various commitments life can be hugely chaotic but there is so much you can do to bring a more mindful way of living into daily life. One approach is appreciating the little things throughout the day. Whether it’s waking up in a warm bed or doing daily tasks like washing up, taking a moment to acknowledge and appreciate what you have can foster mindfulness.
In the morning, despite time constraints, I make it a point to pull an Oracle card for the day. While I may not have time to journal on it, I tack it up on my shower screen. This way, as I go about my morning routine, my focus is on positive thoughts rather than stressors. It’s about infusing positivity into everyday moments.
Multitasking is another strategy. While showering, I might play a gratitude meditation or an inspiring podcast, maximizing the limited time available. Even mundane activities like eating can become mindful experiences by savoring each bite and appreciating the origin of the food.
Walking, waiting, or being stuck in traffic provides opportunities for mindfulness. Instead of mindlessly scrolling through social media, use that time to listen to your breath, connect with your inner self, put a hand on your heart and listen to what it is telling you. It’s about turning inward and having a conversation with yourself, tuning into your feelings, and living from a place of deeper mindfulness.
Taking brief moments for self-awareness is crucial. When you have 2 minutes whether its waiting for a child at school or sitting in traffic, check in with yourself. Are your shoulders tense? Is your jaw clenched? Just taking a moment to relax and breathe brings mindfulness into these everyday situations.
Mindfulness isn’t about grand gestures; it’s about being present in the smallest gaps of time. Listen actively when your child talks, give your dog a moment of attention, and create pockets of awareness throughout the day. Setting the intention to be present in the moment in the morning can influence your mindset throughout the day, teaching yourself to live in a state of mindfulness.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone who is just starting their journey toward happiness and mindfulness, what would it be?
If I could offer one piece of advice to someone just embarking on their journey toward happiness and mindfulness, it would be this: become aware of your thoughts. This is the foundational building block, as understanding what you think throughout the day is crucial to recognizing the programming going on within you.
When I began my journey, I carried a piece of paper with me throughout the day. Taking a few minutes to consciously observe my thoughts was eye-opening. Writing them down revealed the negativity, criticism, and draining nature of my inner dialogue. This awareness helped me realize that I am the observer of these thoughts, not the thoughts themselves. It allowed me to detach a bit, understanding that my thoughts don’t define the entirety of who I am.
So, the fundamental practice is to become aware of your thoughts. Once laid out, you can challenge them. Ask yourself, “Is that true?” For instance, am I a terrible mother because I forgot to pack a yogurt in the lunch box? Am I failing because my child hasn’t read enough this week, as the teacher pointed out? Recognizing these thoughts allows us to challenge them with compassion, bringing less judgment to our inner dialogue. That, in essence, is the one thing I’d emphasize for someone starting their journey toward happiness and mindfulness.
