About Me

As a child I struggled with a constant feeling of overwhelm, that I was being bombarded by sensory input much greater than my sensitive being could handle. I spent a lot of time hiding in fantasy worlds or trees, then armoring myself against the onslaught of smells, sound, and unintentional boundary violations when I went into the “normal world”. Although I often felt disconnected from others because they didn’t seem to relate to my sensitivity or need for quiet peacefulness, I always felt that they had a similar vulnerability that they were keeping hidden. I knew that I longed to feel safe enough to be myself in life, to let down my armor, and I longed for that same safety for everyone else. Whenever I wasn’t reeling in my own overwhelm, I could feel the pain of people around me, and I wondered if anything could be done.

I planned to become a medical doctor, to provide comfort and healing to people who were in pain. However, a few clinic and hospital apprenticeships showed me I had wildly overrated the abilities of allopathic medicine to help people who had chronic pain or ailments. I think I thought that as a doctor I would have ANSWERS, and be able to offer relief. Instead I saw doctors that really only had guesses and pills, but had to pretend they had answers. It broke my heart to see people arriving in a vulnerable state of need, only to leave with a medication bandaid, feeling unseen and unempowered. I knew there must be a better way, but did not know what it was. I knew I could not become a doctor while feeling so powerless to truly support people. (I do believe that allopathic medicine has an essential role in healing physical illness and injury. But there are also many conditions that create pain or decreased quality of life that frequently fall outside allopathic medicine’s abilities to support well. We all need and deserve so much more support and care than allopathic medicine alone can provide.)

When I gave up on my dream of being a doctor, I also turned away from my calling to help people in pain. I think my disappointment was too great, and I still wanted to be the one with answers, to be able to fix things for people. I didn’t yet understand that supporting people on their healing journey was not about fixing them. I chose to look for a new path for myself, one where I might not have to feel the vulnerabilities of human life so acutely, or my own vulnerability. So I spent many years working with animals, which didn’t shield me from heartbreak, but did allow me to hide from people! As I grew older the need for more security arose, so I retrained and became a corporate project manager. I spent many years being super productive, super armored, and not at all myself. I knew all along that at some point I’d need to come back to my real life path, but I wasn’t sure how.

Over time, the armoring and safety-seeking led to physical and emotional exhaustion, culminating in a diagnosis of autoimmune disease, multiple chemical sensitivities, and a Lyme co-infection, alongside the challenges of perimenopause. At first I worked with doctors (both allopathic and holistic) trying to keep myself just functional enough to meet the demands of my life. But eventually I started to look beyond the current diagnoses I was trying to overcome and wonder why my body had gotten to such a point of exhaustion and despair, without me noticing until now. I began to wonder if something about how I was living my life was out of alignment with what I really needed. So I started reaching out for support, but not just for my physical body.

Over a period of several years I found resonance and real support in Biodynamic Craniosacral, in Stan Grof’s Holotropic Breathwork, and from plant medicines within intentional ceremonies and guided psychedelic therapy. All of these practices guided me to slow down, come fully into my body, and trust the wisdom that is expressed through my body in present time. I now have huge faith in the healing capabilities of our own bodies and psyches. When we get out of the way (such as when we allow our nervous systems to settle, or go into a non-ordinary state) our own inner wisdom takes over, unraveling trauma, fixed patterns, and blockages, so that we can move toward a more whole/healed state.

I have learned to settle my nervous system, being present with my embodied experience, while also connecting to the source of safety/health/wholeness that is within me and also all around us. I’m feeling balanced and resilient a lot of the time, and when I don’t, I slow down and listen to what I need to get back into balance. I’m still highly sensitive in every way, but I’ve seen significantly positive results in my level of chemical sensitivities, and my ability to lead a more expansive life. I’m also still navigating autoimmune disease and the phases of menopause, but I’m able to be with my own experience in a new way, receive support, and continue to grow.

As I gradually released layers of armoring and built inner resilience, the calling to provide care and support began to re-emerge. I could no longer ignore the call to be of service. So my journey toward balance and healing became not only about my own process of recovery but also about embracing this passion to guide others through similar struggles.

Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy provided my first insight into how to support people with chronic illness and pain in a different way. One that was not about me being the healer or one to offer a fix. But about being with people and supporting their own inner healing intelligence to come forward and guide the process.

I have now spent many years dedicated to learning the modalities that supported me to progress on my healing journey - to be more balanced, connected with myself and life, and aligned with purpose and joy. I continue to add skills, finding new ways to support and hold people in their healing. This work is magic and amazes me every single day. I can’t wait to share it with you!