Rachel Cipriano, founder and CEO of speaking and coaching business Magnificent Resilience, was seven when she opened her first psychology book. Quickly progressing out of the elementary stages, she later asked her older cousin to check out more advanced books from the high school library. Even so young, Cipriano had an inkling that this would be her calling. "I was always intellectually curious, and I still am," she says.
Early experiences involving her family and mental challenges forced her to develop resilience at a young age. At five, Cipriano lost her younger brother unexpectedly, a tragedy that her family never quite recovered from, especially her mother. She shared a contentious relationship with her father, a veteran who faced difficulties with returning to civilian life.
Later, losing her older brother suddenly and her parents to small-cell lung cancer, Cipriano is the only surviving member of her family of origin. "I don't know how you totally resolve losing your family in such tragic ways," she says. "My only prayer is that I bring honor to them in everything that I do."
In high school, Cipriano channeled her energy into public speaking. Although she suffered from stage fright, she was confident that speaking was the path for her future. "My voice would go up an octave, and I would shake, but I just knew I had something in me and that this was my passion."
After pursuing psychology and counseling at university, Cipriano crossed paths with a public speaking coach in 2005. With their guidance, she polished her speaking skills. She then amassed experience in the mental health industry, working to counsel patients in psychiatric and addiction centers.
In 2013, Cipriano founded Magnificent Resilience, aiming to lead individuals and business leaders to success by helping them identify and overcome their personal struggles. The ethos behind Magnificent Resilience is informed by Cipriano's personal, professional, and educational knowledge. She works with those who are facing their own personal obstacles, with a soft spot for military members and their families.
Magnificent Resilience offers life coaching, helping individuals build healthy relationships, manage stress, prioritize their wellness, and navigate family issues. With a holistic approach that encompasses the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual, Cipriano hopes to guide individuals to the same resilience that she learned to build.
The company currently offers one-to-one sessions, with clients privy to virtual consultations, in-person sessions, phone calls, homework, and written material. Services are offered in 3-month packages, with a renewable option. "My goal is to get people equipped with the tools they need to make it in the world in a time frame that best fits their needs," Cipriano explains. She is currently developing the framework for group sessions, looking to others for advice to carefully craft a model that maximizes the impact of her services.
Magnificent Resilience also invites company executives to attend keynotes, seminars, hands-on workshops, and retreats that help them harness their full potential as leaders. Cipriano focuses on fostering integrity and emotional intelligence in leaders, ultimately aiming to improve productivity and creativity.
Drawing from her life's story and her knowledge, Cipriano regards human connection as the pinnacle of her work in coaching others. "As much as I love philosophy and studying, the highest level of intelligence is the heart," she explains. "If you don't have that heart-to-heart connection, there's something very real missing."
Cipriano is set to release her book, Trauma and Resilience: Seven Secrets to Becoming Stronger in the Broken Places, later this year. A product of 13 years of writing, her book aims to help others carve their own paths to resilience by highlighting the relevant tools. "I believe this book will significantly help others who struggle with their mental health because that's been my Achilles' heel."
From bouts of intense hardship to being recognized by Influential Women, Cipriano continues to show that confronting and overcoming experiences can greatly contribute to building resilience. "When you stand up to your Goliath, you can stand up to anything," she says. "That's your biggest superpower."
