Arielle D’Angelo Creates a Safe, Celebratory Space for LGBTQ People

Growing up, Arielle D’Angelo was surrounded by heteronormative viewpoints which led her to live a closeted life filled with depression and anxiety. After a life-changing experience and reconnecting with herself, she made it her mission to help others do the same.

D’Angelo is a self-love coach who is passionate about helping clients speak, live, and embody their truth. She believes that everyone deserves to live a joyful life where they can live and love authentically, and with the help of powerful techniques and modalities, D’Angelo helps people experience lasting change and transformation on both a subconscious and somatic level.

After finding herself and her life’s purpose, D’Angelo created several programs and communities including WeTheRainbow, a celebratory space for LGBTQ people to connect and inspire each other, and a six-week program called Unleashed, which is a coaching program that helps queer folks peel back the layers of internalized shame and rewrite their stories around their sexuality and gender identity.

OFM caught up with D’Angelo to talk more about her work and passion for helping others.

Can you begin by telling us more about WeTheRainbow?

Basically, WeTheRainbow is my LGBTQ personal development organization that I created to help LGBTQ people all around the world to feel safer at home in their bodies, as well as feel safe and accepted by a community who truly sees and understands them. I created WeTheRainbow in 2020 during the pandemic when I realized that so many LGBTQ people were struggling at the time. With WeTheRainbow, I use that to help people on their coming out journeys to live more empowered and authentic lives.

How did you discover your passion and desire to become a self-love coach?

Honestly, to dive into it, my journey as a LGBTQ person was not an easy one. I really struggled with my sexuality, and during the coming out process, like so many other people who struggle with their sexualities, I had so much internalized shame and homophobia. I was at a place in my life where I didn’t want to be here anymore, and I realized that things needed to change. So, I went on a retreat that absolutely saved my life and taught me how to love and forgive myself.

From that point on, I realized if I can ever get to the other side of this coming out process, I am making it my mission to make this easier for everybody who comes after me. That was kind of like the big catalyst that got things moving. From there, I just never stopped doing the work, and I made it my mission to live a life that was in alignment with self-love and authenticity. I wanted to help others do the same, and I’ve been doing this since 2015 or 2016.

You felt like it was a calling for you.

Absolutely, and I always say this to people that I come into contact with who are struggling. Ultimately, I used to wish on every shooting star that I would meet a man, fall in love, not be gay, and not have to go through any of this. I realized as time went on, I started to love myself more. I was like, “Wait a minute, everything that used to be my biggest struggle was becoming my superpower.” I really believe that can be true for anybody who is struggling with their gender identity, sexuality, or whatever it is.

What do you personally gain from helping others?

It brings me to tears when I think about it. There is no job that is more rewarding than seeing people go from a place where they don’t believe they’re worthy of love or acceptance to witnessing them love, accept, and celebrate themselves for the first time. There’s nothing like it in the world, and every time I experience it, I’m like, “Oh my god, this is why I do what I do.” It’s very special.

Any tips for those who are constantly having trouble embracing self-love?

I think that we often glorify self-love, and I like to remind people that it doesn’t need to be so fancy. We can make it way easier on ourselves. So, a great place to start is to remember that this journey is challenging as it is. We don’t need to be our own worst enemies. We can be our own best friends in the process, and by doing that, we make things so much easier for ourselves. Have some self-compassion and forgiveness for where you’re at and be easy on yourself. It can be something as small as giving yourself a hug and being like, you’re not alone.

You also have a six-week coaching program called Unleashed. Can you tell us more about that, and is it a part of WeTheRainbow?

I consider everything I do to be under the WeTheRainbow umbrella, and Unleashed is my six-week signature group coaching program for LGBTQ people who are ready to release any of that internalized shame. Maybe it’s fear around their identity or they’re struggling with self-love and self-acceptance. What I do inside of that program is, I help them release those blocks and limiting beliefs so they can finally live the empowered, authentic, and liberated life they dream about living.

I do that through a series of different techniques, practices, and exercises such as neuro-linguistic programming, meditation, hypnotherapy, journaling, and also the power of community and showing them that they’re not alone and they’re essentially part of a family when they join Unleashed.

What other types of programs do you offer?

I have a bunch of different things. Unleashed is my main program, but I also do one-on-one coaching; I have a monthly program called the Activation Circle, which is brand new, and I’m starting to get into doing more B2B work where I’ll do inclusion presentations for businesses and coaches who are looking to be more inclusive towards the LGBTQ community and their work. I’m constantly trying to expand what I do.

How beneficial have these programs been to people?

If you go to my website, you can see some of the testimonials there, and people constantly reach out to me on Instagram. Obviously, I’m biased because I love this program and I created it (laughs), but truly, the proof is in the pudding. When countless people tell me that this work has absolutely changed and saved their lives, it’s so beautiful and rewarding.

Growing up closeted and surrounded by heteronormative viewpoints, you hold the coming out process very close to your heart. What are some tips you can offer when parents or families aren’t that supportive?

First and foremost, I always recommend that LGBTQ people prioritize their safety. Make sure you have a foundation of support, whether that’s a therapist, coach, mentor, friend, teacher, anybody that you can confide in. Having a plan and support in place is so important. I would also say, know that your family’s reactions have nothing to do with you and everything to do with them. It’s often just a projection.

If we are in a place where we can’t love ourselves, how can we unconditionally love others? So often, they’re just projecting their own conditioning from society, religion, possibly their parents. Realize that it has nothing to do with you. You are absolutely perfect as you are.

What are some future goals you hope to achieve with your career as a self-love coach?

I have such big dreams and such a big mission of really growing this community and expanding it. We already have thousands of people from all around the world, but I would love to make it even bigger. I would love to create a nonprofit sector of what I do since so much of the work that I do already is not for profit and is free support and resources for people around the world who are in the community.

I would also love to write a book one day; I would love to do more speaking engagements—There’s so much. A lot of dreams, but ultimately, my mission with all of this is to reach people who need to hear this message. If I had heard this 10 years ago, it would have saved my life to know that there were people out there who really understood. I’m trying to get through to those people.

Is there any advice you would give to your younger self?

I would say that she is right where she’s supposed to be and this part of her that she feels is so wrong and shameful is actually something that is worthy of being celebrated. It’s something that’s beautiful and special and is going to help so many people one day. Hang in there, believe in yourself, and know that there is so much support around you. There are people that are willing to help you, and this struggle is going to become your superpower.

Before we wrap up, is there anything else you would like to mention or plug?

I always have different things going on, so for the LGBTQ people reading this, I would love for them to know that I’m here. Unleashed is something I’m going to continue with, but please reach out if you are looking for support because I can be there to help them in several ways.

Stay up-to-date and connect with D’Angelo by following her on Instagram and TikTok @arielledeangelo, or visit her official website, arielledangelo.com.

Photos courtesy of Ash Gabes Photography