What my clients are saying
Real stories. Real growth.
Every woman I work with brings her own journey, challenges, and aspirations—and it's a privilege to walk beside them as they reconnect with their voice, purpose, and power. Whether it's stepping into bold leadership, navigating a business or career transition, or rediscovering personal wellness and clarity, these testimonials reflect the deep, transformative work we do together. Below, you’ll find words directly from my clients—divided into the areas where we’ve partnered to create lasting change.
Business & Leadership Coaching
Maria C. - Corporate leader
"I realized I needed an external point of view when I found myself feeling stuck, confused, and without a clear horizon…”“I didn’t know how to escape the situation or how to face the challenges in a way that would allow me to learn and grow…”“Vanesa didn’t give me direct solutions. Instead, she provided me with the tools to reflect, step back, and
see myself from a different perspective...”“Today, I feel more prepared to speak up when I believe it’s necessary.
I trust my own judgment and perspective…”
Coach Vanesa's Note: When Maria came to me, she was navigating a challenging dynamic with a senior leader who consistently undermined her and her team. She felt cornered, dismissed, and deeply shaken after a meeting where her voice was silenced. With another high-stakes meeting just five weeks away, she didn’t want to walk in feeling small again. Over four sessions, Maria found her voice. She learned to shift her mindset, communicate with grounded authority, and stand in her leadership — not through force, but through clarity. After that meeting, another leader in the room said: “We should all learn from Maria — the way she handled that difficult conversation with calm and authority was incredible.” This is the kind of transformation coaching makes possible — not by changing who you are, but by helping you lead more powerfully as yourself.
Elizabeth - Corporate leader
I'm incredibly grateful for the leadership coaching I received from Vanesa. She helped me bridge the gap between what I knew and how I brought that knowledge to life in my work. Through her guidance, I rebuilt my confidence and reconnected with my self-belief. More than just advancing in my role, I’ve experienced real career growth—developing as a leader, deepening my impact, and expanding my perspective. Vanesa’s support has been truly transformative.
Coach Vanesa's Note: Elizabeth came to me with incredible experience and insight, but like so many high-achieving women, she had begun to question the value she brought to the table. Together, we worked on reconnecting her with her inner authority—clarifying her leadership voice, strengthening her presence, and translating her knowledge into powerful, confident action.
We explored the subtle habits that can quietly diminish a woman’s authority, things she hadn’t even realized were holding her back. At the time, she was in a role that offered no path forward, and she had lost confidence, not just in her career, but in herself. Hope felt distant.
Watching her rise, not just in her role, but in her impact, confidence, and sense of possibility, has been one of the most rewarding parts of this work. Her transformation is proof that growth isn't just about titles. It's about reclaiming your power and believing in what’s possible again.
Wellness & Life Clarity Coaching
Raquel Viegas
"Before working with Vanesa Castillo, I struggled with my weight, my approach to exercise, and my inability to say no to food. It felt like I had no control, and it was frustrating.Through our coaching sessions, I discovered that I actually could manage my emotions, even in ways I never thought about, that was a huge breakthrough for me.What I loved most about working with Vanesa was how truly heard and supported I felt. She helped me find real solutions to stay on track and reach my goals.If someone is unsure about coaching, I’d tell them that we all have something we want to improve in our life. Working with a coach like Vanesa helps you gain clarity, move forward faster, and stay focused on what really matters"
Coach Vanesa's Note:
When Raquel started, she felt like her relationship with food and exercise was out of her control. Rather than focusing on diet plans or routines, we explored how to
reclaim agency. Raquel’s breakthrough came not in doing more — but in understanding herself better.
Marina B.
Hi Vanesa!Thank you for providing a safe space to be able to work on my limiting beliefs, to challenge myself to dig deep to get the results I am after and helping me understand myself on a deeper level. It has allowed me to open doors I would have been too scared of opening before. Thank you for your patience and understanding! I look forward to our next session!
Coach Vanesa's Note:
When Marina began coaching, she was struggling to stay consistent with her physical health goals. The usual focus on body image wasn’t motivating her — it didn’t feel meaningful enough to spark real change. Together, we created a safe space to explore the deeper beliefs holding her back and reconnect with her “why.”Through our sessions, she discovered a powerful motivator: her dream of visiting her grandmother’s hometown in Italy — to walk the cobblestone streets, explore with confidence, and truly enjoy the experience. That vision became her anchor — something more powerful than image or routine. Once she connected to that deeper purpose, her mindset and momentum shifted.
Nilam Dattani
"I had a great discovery call with Vanesa Castillo. She definitely is very knowledgeable in this area. Makes you feel at ease, supportive, encouraging and relatable"
Coach Vanesa's Note:
Nilam joined a discovery call to explore whether coaching could support her in becoming more flexible — both physically and in her mindset. As someone who thrives on structure, she often found herself caught in all-or-nothing thinking, which made it hard to adapt when life didn’t go as planned. She also shared a deep desire to start putting herself first, after years of prioritizing others.In our session, we clarified her goals and identified the most important one to begin with. That single shift — giving herself permission to focus on
herneeds — opened the door to meaningful change.Two months later, after consistently showing up to our sessions and embracing more flexibility in her daily life, we had already moved on to a deeper shift — learning to prioritize herself with both confidence and self-compassion.
Video Testimonials
Leena Lim - video transcript
Hi. I remember the first time when I was dealing with Coach Vanesa, so with her guidance, shining the light on the way I prioritized things and the way I didn't make a choice or decisions in terms of to commit, of taking accountability on my health, and just by going through with her for three or four sessions, I feel like I'm more empowering, more confident in terms of what to do with my health. And I cannot highly, highly recommend her to anyone. Really, really appreciate her help. And thank you so much, Vanesa. I really grateful, and I can say that I'm more confident and I'm grateful that all this knowledge that you share and empowering me to take this step. Thank you.
Coach Vanesa's Note:
When Leena first came to coaching, her goal was to get back on track with fitness and nutrition. But as we explored her habits and routines, something deeper surfaced. She didn’t need more information — she
knew
what to do. The real challenge was consistently making herself a priority.At the time, she was juggling a new career, developing a podcast, and managing family responsibilities — leaving very little energy for herself. Through our sessions, we worked on clarifying her priorities. She began distinguishing between what was truly essential each day, and what she felt obligated to do out of habit or pressure.That mindset shift gave her permission to reclaim her time and energy — not by adding more, but by
finally choosing
herself.
Once she saw the difference between “must-do” and “nice-to-do,” she found space in her schedule — and in her mindset — to take care of herself, make healthier choices, and commit to the habits that mattered most.
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