The Treatment Room – "Your It-Girl Esthetician Energy"
Host: Tessa Zolli
Guest: Erica Reilly (Intuitive Coach)
Release Date: September 19, 2025
Episode Overview
This episode dives deep into the energetic side of being an esthetician and how to embody your personal "it-girl" energy—inside and outside of the treatment room. Tessa welcomes her longtime friend, intuitive coach Erica Reilly, to discuss burnout, balancing masculine and feminine energies, creating energetic boundaries, and actionable steps for estheticians to remain grounded and magnetic in both business and life.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Career Journeys, Burnout, and Realignment
- Erica’s Pathway:
- Started in communication, moved through fashion school (FIDM), transitioned into marketing in the food industry, leading to severe burnout and anxiety.
- Her health struggles pushed her to explore wellness and energy work, ultimately landing her in intuitive and breathwork coaching.
- Quote: "A lot of times when... our purpose, it, like, we have to be pushed. It's like the universe, like, has to, like, put a lot of resistance, otherwise we'll just chill and stay." – Erica ([04:56])
- Relatable Millennial Experience:
- Both Tessa and Erica echo how common it is for millennials to pivot careers, particularly due to unsustainable standards and societal pressures (resumes, LinkedIn, corporate paths).
- Physical illness and burnout often catalyze major life changes.
- Quote: "My body rejecting all of that...just saying, like, no, you're meant for something else that's more aligned for you." – Tessa ([06:02])
2. What Is "Energy Work" in Practice?
- Erica’s Process:
- Integrates energy work, breathwork, and somatic (body-based) practices.
- Emphasizes grounding, recognizing "Chaos Queen" patterns (frantic energy, people-pleasing), and gradually incorporating subconscious and mindset techniques.
- "If they're in that kind of space, we have to ground that. I typically start with somatic work, body work..." – Erica ([08:34])
- Holistic Approach:
- It's not only about spiritual or energetic elements; working with and grounding the physical body is crucial.
- Breathwork helps settle the nervous system and allows for deeper healing and clarity.
3. Energy Exchange in the Treatment Room
- The Esthetician’s Dilemma:
- Recognizing service professionals, especially estheticians, both give and receive energy during client interactions.
- Unchecked, this can lead to depletion or carrying others’ emotional burdens.
- Quote: "It is literally an energy transfer. When your client...comes in the room, you close the door, your hands are on them." – Tessa ([10:17])
- Protecting Personal Energy:
- Simple intention-setting is powerful:
- Mantra: “What’s mine is mine, what’s yours is yours.”
- Visualizations: Stepping into a protective bubble; sending dense energy upwards or outside of oneself.
- “It really all boils down to just intention.” – Erica ([12:49])
- Overbooking and lack of rest compounds the exchange and leaves estheticians vulnerable to burnout.
- Simple intention-setting is powerful:
4. Empathy, Sensitivity, & Self-Awareness
- Harnessing Sensitivity as Strength:
- Erica describes her lifelong sensitivity and anxiety, which she now sees as her gift and calling.
- Quote: “I was always anticipating what other people were going to want or need. And that made me so good at my job in corporate, because I was always like ten steps ahead of people. But I was always on edge.” ([24:49])
5. Masculine vs. Feminine Energies
- Energetic Imbalance:
- Erica describes living "in the masculine"—goal-oriented, rigid, always “on,” leading to exhaustion.
- Her move to Tennessee and mentorship in feminine energetics allowed her to slow down, embrace rest, and noticeably shifted her health and confidence.
- Quote: "My whole life shifted so much. Like, even my face...my whole body changed from allowing myself to really relax and slow down." ([29:09])
- Practical Tips to Embrace Feminine Energy at Work:
- Start mornings with meditation or frequency music (e.g., 528 Hz).
- Arrive early to create a grounded atmosphere.
- Bookend sessions with intentional breaths, slow movements, or mini-meditations.
6. Letting Go of Control & “Cruella de Vil” Energy
- Signs & Solutions:
- Feeling desperate or tightly gripping desired outcomes (whether in dating, business, or daily life) repels what you want.
- "Get in your Uber Black energy, where you're...in the back seat, you're relaxed...you're just in full trust. And that's a good place to be because you're so present." – Erica ([35:35])
- You Can’t Mess Up What’s Meant for You:
- Trusting that what's truly meant for you can't be lost by a single action or misstep.
- Applies to client relationships, friendships, and new business ventures.
- “If something is meant for you...there’s no way that you can mess it up.” – Erica ([36:20])
7. Navigating Support, Isolation, & Finding Your People
- Losing Old Connections:
- New ambitions and rising self-confidence can shift your “energy match” and lead to friends falling away.
- It’s normal for people to “peter off” when your life transforms.
- “Supporters...have to go through that little isolation season or loneliness season...to find your confidence and strength.” – Tessa ([44:05])
- New Connections Appear:
- Erica recounts finding her new tribe after moving, reinforcing that the right people will align when you step into authenticity.
8. For Anyone Struggling: Reconnecting with Self
- Start with Silence & Awareness:
- Meditation and journaling are foundational.
- Let uncomfortable thoughts surface—notice your limiting stories so you can shift them.
- Erica’s 22-day mini-course "It Girl Summer Forever" offers actionable daily practices to (re)activate confidence and energetic alignment ([47:20]).
- “Connecting with yourself is the best place to start, because when we're able to really get quiet, that's when all the stories come up.” – Erica ([45:47])
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Burnout Catalyzing Change:
"Your body talks...it gets louder and louder until it's, like, screaming at us. And then it's like, okay, I have to actually address this thing."
– Erica ([06:41]) -
On Energetic Boundaries:
"Intention is everything...what's mine is mine, what's yours is yours."
– Erica ([13:06]) -
On Letting Go:
"Let go of the steering wheel. I always say: get in your Uber Black energy where you're...relaxed...in full trust."
– Erica ([35:34]) -
On Self-Belief:
"You have to believe it. And you have to believe, like, I'll find my tribe, I'll find my people, I'll find my clients, all of that."
– Erica ([42:44])
Timestamps for Important Segments
- Career and Burnout Journey: [02:29] – [06:35]
- Energy Work & Client Process: [07:18] – [10:06]
- Energy Exchange in the Treatment Room: [10:07] – [12:27]
- Energetic Protection Tips / Intention Setting: [12:49] – [15:57]
- Transformative Moments & Anxiety: [16:56] – [21:05], [24:48] – [26:05]
- Masculine vs. Feminine Energetics: [26:31] – [30:01]
- Infusing Feminine Energy at Work: [30:32] – [33:04]
- Cruella de Vil (Control Energy) Analogy: [33:04] – [35:06]
- Letting Go & Trusting What’s Meant For You: [36:09] – [40:27]
- Navigating Losing/Changing Friendships: [41:24] – [44:02]
- Advice for Struggling Estheticians: [45:36] – [48:27]
- Info on Erica’s Course & Contact: [48:27] – [49:31]
Final Takeaways
- Energetic self-care is as vital as technical skill for estheticians.
- Setting boundaries and creating daily grounding practices helps prevent burnout and invites abundance.
- Feminine energy and rest are not in conflict with productivity—they can amplify your impact and satisfaction.
- If you’re transitioning careers, building a business, or simply feeling energetically "off," start by reconnecting with yourself and trust the process—your clients, confidence, and community will align as you do.
Connect with Erica
Erica’s courses, activations, and her podcast (“Sparkle Baby”) can help jumpstart energetic healing and empowerment for estheticians and wellness pros. Find links and her Instagram in the episode show notes.