My Story

Like most people who end up finding meaning working in the world of wellbeing, my journey started as a personal one. Growing up I was a very imaginative kid, infinitely curious and deeply interested in the experience of being human. I have clear recollections of times in my life where it felt like the easiest, most natural thing in the world to shine exactly as the human being I was, and times when protective blankets of playing it safe, quiet, and small felt like the more comfortable choice. The contrast always stood out to me loud and clear, and I remember finding it fascinating to notice that contrast show up in the people around me as well.

What are the conditions that allow us to thrive freely and effortlessly as who we truly are, and under which circumstances do we dampen our most authentic expression? It feels like I’ve searched everywhere I could find for those answers on the journey home to myself without even realizing it at the time. I read literature, delved into the social sciences, and immersed myself in learning languages, experiencing diverse cultures, and traveling to see the world. These were lenses that, along with my personal faith, always reminded me of our belonging and interconnection in the larger fabric of things.

Then a bit over 11 years ago, I found my way into the world of movement. What started out as trying different types of classes that felt good morphed into an interest in all the ways these different forms of the movement were gateways into myself and to a more fulfilling life than I imagined possible. The more variety of movement experiences I had, the wider the range of aspects of myself seemed to emerge authentically in those ways that fascinated me as a kid.

So I began to explore and try different things, delighting in all the discoveries along the way. Then one day I ended up injuring myself to the point where even walking felt painful. It was at this point that I became consciously aware of my yearning to understand and overcome pain. While it started as a physically focused endeavor of studying anatomy and pain science, I quickly realized that the pain I was even more interested in went beyond the physical.

It was around this time that I realized I was struggling with a sense of anxiety that crept its way into my life and started getting in the way of doing and enjoying a lot of the things I loved. It was also around this time that I did my first yoga teacher training and started going to therapy. This was a period of my life that highlighted to me how harsh my inner voice had been to myself, how judgmental I was of my fears and humanity (which I thought of at the time as weakness and fragility), and that pain is an inevitable experience in life and that the more support we allow ourselves to let in the more doable and rewarding life becomes.

I learned to embrace showing up to life with my fragilities and imperfections and to lean into the discomfort that can come with growth. With the support of therapy and the safe presence of that relationship, I learned to normalize my struggles and also challenge myself to move beyond old stories and patterns that were no longer serving me.

My love for teaching grew as people blossomed right before my eyes, my old love for writing was rekindled, and I also began wandering further into the world of somatics: the way the psyche expresses itself through the body, and the way the body gives us access to holistic integrity of body-mind-spirit. To enrich that understanding I explored training in different embodied disciplines including contemporary dance, floorwork, vocal work, the aerial arts, improv and mindfulness. Alongside that, I trained in psychotherapy and hypnotherapy, with a particular focus on understanding dynamics through the lenses of trauma and relationships.

All these worlds coming together have shaped and influenced my work, but the reality is that some of my most cherished teachers are the incredibly beautiful humans I’ve had the pleasure to work with over the years. To everyone who’s ever trusted me with a part of their journey, thank you. It’s been an absolute honor to walk alongside you as you step into the purest expression of yourself.

Follow my Journey