Alexmi Polanco

I was born and raised in Washington Heights, a predominantly Latinx and Hispanic community in New York City. I am the daughter of two Dominican immigrant parents and the eldest of six, making me first-generation (& with hella responsibility). As a result of the "3 strikes" law, my father was deported to the Dominican Republic, and my mother was left to become a single parent and provider of 5 when I was just 12 years old.
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As a result of my parents' roles changing and my mother entering the workforce, I transitioned into matriarch and became parentified. Shortly after that, while at work, a truck hit my mother and tore her ACL, which required surgery and post-op care. I often struggled to prioritize myself and my own needs because I had the needs of my siblings and mother to look after. This inability to set boundaries with oneself and others eventually made me feel disconnected from myself on a deep spiritual level.
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It wasn't until I entered college and had my first-ever experience with therapy that I learned what trauma was and was able to witness how some of my childhood experiences had a lasting impact on me. Through therapy, and later with my father's passing that catapulted me into my spiritual journey, I began to acknowledge, understand and shed the layers that I had been wearing due to my early life experiences. As I began to heal and go within, I began to feel more in alignment with my true self. It is no wonder I am now helping others reconnect with themselves.
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I understand that my experiences were necessary to help me do what my soul came here to do: