Meet Jennifer Gutierrez

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jennifer Gutierrez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jennifer, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
Mujer: The Experience is the intersection of mental health and movement; two forces that have guided my journey and shaped the way I show up in this world. My introduction to dance came early, before I had the words to name what I was feeling. Dance gave me structure, expression, and discipline—but it also introduced me to the quiet pressures that many women carry: the pressure to perform, to perfect, to conform. I learned to move before I learned to listen. I was praised for how well I could embody someone else’s choreography, but rarely was I encouraged to ask: How does this feel in my body? What does my body need right now?

From an outside view one might view a dancer as confident in their ability to move and touch their body, their ability to take up space unapologetically. However, in my experience I don’t believe anyone ever taught me how to invite touching my body into my life; to ask “is this okay?” Dance and performing through choreography could sometimes be an act of mimicry as opposed to intimacy and uniformity certainly did not create space for exploration or experience. Looking back at my life I can’t say that as a dancer I ever stopped and asked my body permission to touch – My body was seen as a tool, a vessel for movement, but rarely as the home of emotion, memory, and an experience that it truly is.

It wasn’t until I stepped deeper into the world of mental health—earning my master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and working closely with clients—that I began to truly understand the deeper relationship we hold with our bodies. Through my work with clients I found a recurring theme: What is the relationship we have with our body? And when I zoomed out even further, I saw the larger forces at play—patriarchy, culture, institutions—all shaping how women think, feel, and move through the world.

And that’s what gave birth to Mujer.

Mujer is more than a movement practice. It’s a reclamation. It’s a sanctuary. A space where women are invited to come home to themselves. To listen. To feel. To rewrite the stories they’ve inherited about what it means to be a woman. It is a space where women are invited to experience themselves—not as objects, not as performers—but as whole beings.

This is about reconnecting with your essence. Mujer is your invitation to remember that your body is not just something that moves. It’s something that speaks as it holds wisdom and as it holds you. It is a guided journey that honors the wisdom of the body and the resilience of the mind—a space to remember, re-author, and rise.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
It’s hard to define what I do within a single realm—because I live at the intersection of many.

As a therapist, part of me is an employee—but I’m also holistic, a co-editor of stories, a listener, a challenger, and a safe space. As the founder of Mujer the Experience, I’m an entrepreneur, a facilitator, a curator. As a dancer, I’m a creative, an athlete and an artist. Each role informs the next; they don’t exist in isolation, but rather in harmony—each one feeding into the most authentic version of who I am.

Getting to where I am today was certainly not easy. There were countless rejections, tears spilled, experiences with anxiety and depression, body image difficulties and more. But there was also redirection, alignment with what I value, expression and authenticity – along with 3 years of therapy. As I reflect, I’ve realized that life’s challenges became a little lighter to carry when I began to remember what I’m truly aligned with—and when I practiced standing fully in my power as a woman.

The ability to say no.
To use my voice.
To walk away from what no longer serves me.
To ask for help without shame.

Balancing school while being a professional dancer forced me to reevaluate what really matters—to ask myself how I want to live, and what kind of life I want to curate. One that honors my values. One that feels true.

My favorite lesson came from a book titled “The Time Keeper”, it reads: “Man alone measures time. Man alone chimes the hour. And, because of this, man alone suffers a paralyzing fear that no other creature endures. A fear of time running out.”
As a child, I constantly watched the clock. I remember asking my parents what happens when we die. That fear—of time running out, of not living a meaningful life—became the backdrop to much of my anxiety. But I’ve come to believe that we are the authors of our stories. And in rewriting the narrative around time, I’ve found more presence and patience.
Because if we stop racing against the clock—if we abandon the pressure of time running out—how much more open do we become? How much more willing are we to begin again, to go slow, to say yes to something new?

If there is one thing I hope readers take away from this short blurb into my life, my hope is that they remember they hold the pen to the paper. You are the author of your story – what words will you write? who will play the supporting roles? what is the character arch? How did you write about your past and how do you hope to write your future? And sometimes, authorship means surrendering the illusion of control and learning to co-write with life—with all its beauty, grief, messiness, and mystery. The world already pushes a narrative onto us… what do you want to write?

As I look ahead, I’m deeply excited to continue creating spaces where women can explore their relationship with their minds and bodies—and remember the power that was always theirs. Spaces where healing isn’t linear, where softness and strength can coexist. Where women are invited to unravel, to question, to reconnect.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
To be honest, there is nothing I love more than taking a book to the beach and sun bathing for hours. BUT if I had a friend visiting there are a few favorite spots that live rent free in my mind.

Lately, I’ve been loving the wellness community vibes in Miami — there’s so much going on! From yoga in the park and cold plunge events to run clubs and silent book clubs, it all feels like my ideal day.

If I had a friend visiting the city, we’d kick things off with croquetas from Isla Canarias (because obviously), or maybe stick to true Miami culture and grab a Pub Sub. After that, we’d skate or bike down the boardwalk and find a spot on the beach to relax and soak it all in. For dinner, Battubelin is a must — they’ve got the most incredible, authentic Italian pasta. We’d wrap up the night dancing to live salsa at Ball & Chain.

(chefs kiss)

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I am profoundly grateful for all the women I’ve had the honor of crossing paths with. As a dancer, I’ve been fortunate to travel the world, connecting with incredible women from all walks of life. As a therapist, I’ve been entrusted with stories that transcend time and space. As a friend, I’ve witnessed the strength, resilience, and vulnerability that shape each of the women in my life, and their courage has inspired me in ways words can’t fully capture. With every encounter, a seed was planted. I can’t say my story is entirely my own creation—rather, my story is a reflection of the many beautiful souls I’ve had the privilege to meet. Thank you to the women who continue to step into their power and challenge the dominant discourse of being a woman.

I deeply thank my parents and family for all of their support. Thank you, Mom and Dad, for never putting limits on my dreams, my voice, or my potential. Your unwavering belief in me gave me the courage to believe in myself. I am who I am because you never held me back.

Website: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/jennifer-gutierrez-weston-fl/1222642

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mujertheexperience

Other: https://www.instagram.com/jensterzz