Today we’d like to introduce you to Grisell Vazquez.
Hi Grisell, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Hi, I’m Grisell Vazquez, the proud owner and heart behind Güd Karma Counseling, a mind-body therapy practice based in Cooper City, Florida. I’m 42, and every part of my journey—personal and professional—has shaped the work I do today with clients who are ready to reconnect with themselves and heal from the inside out.
I was born and raised in Miami to Cuban immigrant parents, right near 37th and Flagler—aka the dog track. That neighborhood was full of grit, heart, and character. I was a creative, energetic, high-achieving kid, but I was also navigating life as an undiagnosed neurodivergent girl. I often felt different, even when I couldn’t quite put words to why. That feeling of being misunderstood planted the earliest seeds of my curiosity about psychology, emotions, and the deeper “why” behind people’s behaviors—including my own.
I started college at Miami Dade and earned my associate’s degree, but the idea of grad school back then felt far away. So, I took another unexpected turn—into commercial construction. I worked in the building department for a local municipality and later with well-known general contractors across South Florida. I ended up managing large-scale projects and even went back to school to earn my Bachelor’s in Business to match the career I had built. But even with the success, something felt off.
In 2020, just as a major project wrapped up and COVID flipped everything upside down, I made one of the boldest decisions of my life: I left the industry completely, with no backup plan. I just knew I couldn’t ignore the call anymore. I gave myself space to pause, reflect, and reset. And then I remembered why I was always so drawn to psychology in the first place.
That’s when I decided to go back to school—this time for real—for a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. That season of my life was intense. Beautiful. Grounding. Transformative. I went all in: on the learning, the healing, the growing. And when I got licensed, I opened Güd Karma Counseling, a practice built from the parts of me that always wanted to offer what I once needed.
Today, I work with teens and adults—deep feelers, cycle breakers, soul seekers—people who are tired of staying stuck in old patterns and are ready for a different way forward. I take a holistic, mind-body approach, and I often collaborate with other wellness practitioners to support the full picture of healing. My work is rooted in Brainspotting and other somatic therapies that help move emotions out of the body—not just talk about them.
Everything I do in this practice is infused with the belief that we’re not broken—we just need the right conditions to remember our wholeness. And sometimes, that starts with being seen, heard, and gently guided back to ourselves.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Not even close—it’s been anything but smooth. But honestly, I wouldn’t trade the detours and potholes for anything, because they’ve all shaped who I am and how I show up for the people I work with.
Growing up as an undiagnosed neurodivergent kid in a loud, multicultural Miami neighborhood had its own set of challenges. I was bright, creative, and full of energy—but I often felt like I didn’t quite fit the mold. Traditional school environments weren’t built for brains like mine, and eventually, I had to step away and finish high school through a homeschool program. It was the right choice for my well-being, but at the time, it left me feeling uncertain and a little lost.
Later, when I transitioned into the commercial construction industry, imposter syndrome followed me like a shadow. As a first-gen college grad and a woman in a male-dominated field, I had to work twice as hard just to be taken seriously. Building confidence in that space took grit, time, and a lot of self-trust.
Then came the biggest turning point—leaving that stable, successful career at the start of the pandemic with no backup plan. It was equal parts freeing and terrifying. I didn’t know what was next, but I knew I couldn’t keep living a life that felt disconnected from my purpose. Choosing to return to grad school and become a therapist meant starting from scratch in my 30s. It was humbling. Balancing school, personal healing, parenting, and life responsibilities stretched me in ways I never expected. There were moments I doubted myself, especially during the heavy coursework and those raw, reflective assignments that stirred up more than I anticipated.
And even now, running my own private practice isn’t without its challenges. From learning the ins and outs of business operations to building a consistent client base and holding space for others while still caring for myself—it’s a lot. But every challenge has taught me something. Each struggle has deepened my empathy and reminded me why I do this work.
These lived experiences are a big part of why clients feel safe with me. I don’t just talk about resilience—I’ve lived it. And that realness, that human-ness, is what makes this journey so meaningful.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At Güd Karma Counseling, I work with teens and adults who are ready to go deeper—people who feel emotionally stuck, burned out from people-pleasing, or disconnected from themselves after years of doing what they thought they should be doing. My practice is rooted in the belief that true healing happens when we stop just talking about our pain and start listening to what our mind and body are holding beneath the surface.
I take a holistic, mind-body approach to therapy, blending traditional practices with somatic tools like Brainspotting to help clients access and process unresolved emotional pain. If talk therapy hasn’t worked for you—or left you feeling like you were just spinning your wheels—you’re not alone. My goal is to create a space that feels safe, grounded, and deeply personal, where we can actually get somewhere together.
As a neurodivergent therapist and the first-generation daughter of Cuban immigrants, I bring a culturally aware and neuro-affirming lens to everything I do. I know what it’s like to grow up navigating multiple identities in environments that didn’t always feel like they were built for you. That lived experience shows up in my work—in how I hold space, how I connect with clients, and how I tailor the healing process to each unique person in front of me.
I’m not your typical therapist. I’m warm, a little woo, and definitely not afraid to laugh with you (or lovingly challenge you). My clients often tell me they feel seen in a way they haven’t before. That’s the heart of Güd Karma Counseling—therapy that empowers you to heal, reconnect, and remember who you were before the world told you who to be.
What I’m most proud of brand-wise is that this practice reflects me, fully and unapologetically. The name Güd Karma isn’t just catchy—it represents the ripple effect of healing. When we do the inner work, it doesn’t just change our lives—it transforms how we show up in the world, in our relationships, and in our communities.
Whether you’re a deep feeler, a cycle breaker, or someone just beginning to come home to yourself, there’s space for you at Güd Karma.
How do you think about luck?
People often say to me, “You’re so lucky—your practice has taken off so quickly!” And I get it. From the outside, it might look like everything just clicked into place. But if I’m being honest, luck is only a tiny part of the story.
What others see as luck, I see as a mix of vision, grit, and showing up for myself—even when the path wasn’t clear. Güd Karma Counseling didn’t grow out of thin air. It came from years of lived experience, personal healing, and an unwavering belief that I could build something meaningful. That belief didn’t just appear one day—it was shaped by growing up in a community where resilience wasn’t optional, and by watching my dad model what it means to take risks, set goals, and bet on yourself even when the odds feel stacked.
Leaving a stable career in commercial construction to start over in mental health wasn’t easy—it was a leap into the unknown. I didn’t have a detailed blueprint, but I had a strong sense of purpose. I knew I was being called to do work that felt aligned, soul-led, and deeply human. That meant being willing to get it wrong, pivot, learn, and keep going anyway.
So no, I don’t credit my journey to luck. I credit it to all the times I stayed the course when it would’ve been easier to quit. To the sleepless nights, the hard conversations, and the quiet moments where I reminded myself of my “why.”
To me, success isn’t just about the wins—it’s about the energy you pour in when no one’s watching. I’ve built Güd Karma with heart, intention, and a whole lot of trust in the process. And that’s what I hope others take away: that you don’t need to wait for luck to strike. You can create something powerful by honoring your story, staying true to your values, and being bold enough to start.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.gudkarmacounseling.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gudkarmacounselor/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/grisellvazquez/
Image Credits:
Grisell Vazquez
