The Emotional Cost of Being the Guide: When You’re Holding Space While Healing Yourself

In the world of spiritual guidance and healing, few talk about what it costs to be the one others turn to for clarity. The one who reads the cards, channels insight, holds hands through transformation—and yet, beneath the still voice and soft strength, is a human being also navigating fear, doubt, and uncertainty.

This is my lived experience.

I began walking this path in 2018, during a spiritual awakening that cracked me open and ushered in an entirely new way of being. Tarot found me. The cards, the archetypes, the knowing—I didn’t go searching for them. I picked up a deck and started reading for friends and family, and before long, strangers began finding me online during the pandemic. That’s how Imole Mindscapes was born.

At first, it was magical. It still is, on many levels. But the deeper I went, the more I began to notice a truth that many healers eventually face:

You can hold space for others and still feel completely stretched yourself.

When You’re the Anchor

People come to me for heartbreak, spiritual awakening, shadow work, clarity in decision-making, ancestral connections, and inner child healing. They trust me to be a mirror, a guide, sometimes even a lifeline when things feel dark. And I show up. I pour into them. I do my best to hold their truths with compassion and grace.

But what happens when I’m the one feeling lost? When fear creeps in quietly at night and I’m asked to encourage someone else at dawn?

That’s been one of the most emotionally challenging aspects of this work lately—encouraging others while managing my uncertainty. There are days when I question my path. Days, I wonder if I’m doing enough. Moments when I sit with my own shadow, even as I’m guiding someone through theirs.

Boundaries Were My Breakthrough

In the early days, I gave and gave. People would message me with long voice notes, needing readings, venting, crying, asking for guidance—and I’d drop everything. At the time, I didn’t realize it, but I was teaching people that my energy was available at all hours, and often for very little in return.

But as I grew, so did my understanding of self-worth.

I began setting clear boundaries—not out of coldness, but out of love. I started charging more. I realigned my prices with the depth of the service I offer. I began valuing my time as sacred. My energy is precious.

Because the truth is: if you don’t value yourself, no one else will.

And people love free energy. They’ll take and take unless you gently say, “This is my limit.” People don’t always like being held accountable. But as the healer, you have to set the tone for your own respect.

Energy Exchange is Everything

I’ve learned that I cannot pour from an empty cup. And I’ve also learned that when clients give me genuine feedback—when they say, “Remember that reading from two months ago? Every single thing you said came true. You helped me choose clarity”—that’s when I’m reminded of my worth.

Some of my long-term clients have been with me since I started in 2020. Watching their growth, their manifestations, their healing—it makes me feel like a proud mother. It reminds me that this work matters. That I matter.

But even so, there are moments when the money is delayed, or someone says “I’ve got you,” and doesn’t pay. And I feel my chest tighten. Even when I’m not broke, even when I know I’ll be fine. Because somewhere inside, I still have to sit with this feeling that some of my clients are doing better than me financially, and that makes me feel stuck. It feels unfair.

And then the questioning begins: Is my energy causing a money block?
Is there something I’m doing wrong energetically?
Am I too generous? Too patient? Too trusting?

These thoughts aren’t signs of weakness. They’re signs of being deeply human.

Stillness is the Medicine

When I feel stretched thin, I return to stillness. I turn off my phone. I stop checking messages. I sit with myself, on the floor, in nature, or on my yoga mat. Meditation becomes the portal that helps me come home to my center.

Because in this world, we are overstimulated. There’s always a screen, a notification, a pull for our attention. But peace lives in the silence. In the breath. In the quiet, remembering that I am not just a guide—I am a soul, too.

To Fellow Healers and Guides

If you’re walking this path, let me tell you this: Your work is valuable. Your energy is precious. Your time is sacred.

Don’t be afraid to set firm boundaries. Don’t be afraid to charge your worth. And don’t be afraid to pause and refill your cup.

Provide quality, yes. Be warm, yes. Show up in love, yes. But make sure you’re receiving something that affirms the work you’re doing, too. Because it’s not just about money—it’s about being seen, appreciated, and respected for the deep soul work you offer.

You are not just a service provider. You are a vessel. A mirror. A channel. A bridge.
Honor that.

If this resonates, share it. And if you’re a guide or seeker looking for clarity, I invite you to connect with me. The journey doesn’t have to be walked alone.