This instructor has facilitated some of the most vulnerable and honest moments in our shop during her classes. Kaitlin Rodriguez teaches mindfulness workshops that help you tap into what's already inside you. Reflection and self care are incredibly important crafts. Check out upcoming classes with Kaitlin here. Or use our contact form to book a private class with her!
Q: How would you describe your personal approach or philosophy toward mindfulness and intuition?
A: My approach to mindfulness and intuition is really about slowing down and creating space to listen. I don’t view rest as a reward - it’s a necessary part of my work and my approach. When we pause and quiet outer and inner noise, it’s easier to hear our inner wisdom more clearly. This can start with moments of pause in our day-to-day, like going for a walk and taking in your environment with all your senses (a walking meditation), or some inhaling and exhaling before a meeting.
To me, that mindfulness and self-care isn’t selfish - it’s actually selfless. When we can cultivate that connection, compassion, and trust with ourselves, everyone benefits because we’re able to show up better for others too. Because we are all so interconnected, that transformation creates a powerful ripple effect and I genuinely believe that is all how we can have an impact in this world and change it for the better.
Q: In what ways has your own mindfulness journey influenced how you work with students?
A: I mean, my own mindfulness journey is how I’m in this position and working with folks in this capacity at all. I worked with a coach in 2021 and she really showed me how I can be compassionate with myself. I was super judgemental and critical of myself and others and her support changed my whole outlook and life.
Over the next few years, I navigated career shifts and a move from Los Angeles to Austin with more grace and patience than I’d ever extended to myself. In Austin and away from the environment I’d grown up in, I was able to enjoy some solitude and get very introspective, which helped me get clear on the shifts I needed to make to live in greater alignment with my authenticity and my values.
My own mindfulness journey has really underlined the importance of listening - to myself and to clients. I approach my coaching sessions with openness and curiosity about clients’ experiences. Asking open-ended questions helps me better understand what someone is moving through and how I can support them, rather than assuming.
I recognize that no two people’s paths look the same. Mindfulness reminds me to meet folks where they are, with compassion and without expectations, so that our time together begins with trust and presence.
Q: How do you blend intuition with formal mindfulness techniques in your coaching?
A: I love blending practices like meditation, breathwork, EFT tapping, and affirmations with a more intuitive approach. These techniques act as tools that can provide structure, while intuition comes through in thoughtful observation - listening to tone, pace, word choice, expressions, and subtle shifts in body language that might signal there’s something deeper to explore.
I pay close attention to the words clients use because language can carry very different meanings depending on someone’s lived experience. For example, the word “failure” might feel like fear and dread to one person, or it could simply mean an ending that opens the door to new possibilities for another. When a client is repeating a specific word in a session, it’s a signal for me to pause and invite them to reflect on what that word means to them, rather than assuming we share the same definition.
These moments of curiosity and clarity are where intuition guides my process, making the work deeply personal, supportive, and transformative.
Q: Can you share how you design and structure a typical self-reflective workshop?
A: I like to begin workshops with a grounding moment to support folks’ transition from wherever they came from (work, traffic, home, etc.) to the present space, which often invites more quiet and stillness. This grounding moment typically encompasses a short visualization or themed guided meditation. From there, I blend independent reflection (like journaling) with small-group discussions. I find these conversations important and powerful because they are intimate spaces for vulnerability, revealing shared themes, reminding us how connected our experiences really are, and giving us space to learn from each other.
Depending on the workshop theme (ie gratitude, connecting with future self, releasing under a full moon), I often incorporate a creative ritual. This could look like getting tactile and crafting affirmations, or writing down what no longer serves us and releasing by burning the pages together as a group.
Q: How do you measure progress, both for yourself and for your students?
A: I love this question. This is something I've had to work through as I transitioned into mindset coaching work and away from brand marketing. In my past career as a digital marketer, progress was measured quantitatively in benchmarks, deadlines, promotions, raises, and the size of the team I managed. Pretty rigid.
Now, progress feels much more intuitive and aligned with my values. For me, it shows up in the ways I’m able to respond differently to situations that trigger stress or self doubt - it doesn’t consume as much of my energy and I’m able to reframe my thoughts and reassure myself pretty easily. I also see it in the synchronicities that remind me I’m on the right path, like when a door closes (ie a prospect falling through) that makes space for something else, or a connection supporting me in new ways.
With clients, progress is visible in the moments when they reframe a thought, let go of an old limiting belief, or soften the way they speak to themselves. These breakthroughs are so powerful and initiate shifts that signal real change. I often picture this process like highway construction. It can feel clunky, messy, and full of annoying detours, but over time, the frustration begins to clear and what emerges is a freer way of moving through the world.
Learn more about Moonrise Mindset's work and mindfulness classes in Austin Texas.
