I grew up in a large family in Chicago, Illinois. At the age of nine, I wrote my first short story, Master of Masters. It was about a transient who knew people were making judgments based on his outer appearance. They didn’t know him nor give him a chance. I vowed to make a positive difference in our world by helping people create a life with possibilities.
When I was 15, I discovered yoga by answering a two-line classified ad. My best friend and I spent the summer learning yoga philosophy, sutras and asana poses at the home of an Indian professor from the University of Chicago. After that, yoga accompanied me everywhere. Today I’m a certified 200 RYT and well-versed in a variety of disciplines. I’m particularly passionate about using the power of your breath and Yoga Nidra for deep change and relaxation physically, mentally, and spiritually. I’m nearing my 500-RYT certification.
I’ve had a long successful career in international development. I worked with — and learned from — the wisdom of indigenous communities in Asia, Africa, and South America. They lived close to the land – and close to each other. They had a natural rhythm to their lives and with their environment. Their health was endangered by things outside their known world – like parasites, invisible to the eye and unknown to them – or a lack of access or knowledge. Back in the U.S., I helped philanthropists align their values and interests with their desire to contribute to positive change in our world. I was grateful for the opportunity to help both groups of people create possibilities.
In 2013, I began to transition my career from international development to individual work with transformative change. I trained as a professional life coach, learning coaching fundamentals combined with a diverse range of healing modalities in the areas of mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual wellness to make positive changes in all areas of life. I expanded my training to include neuroscience, mindfulness, cognitive behavioral approaches, yoga psychology, mind-body tools, and action-oriented communications. At first, I kept my job in international development and coached clients around the world in the evenings. I loved helping my clients remove blocks to create a life they loved.
But a lifestyle cancer diagnosis became my biggest educator. I thought I was doing all the “right” things – the right efforts, right livelihood, right actions, even the right mindfulness. I meditated, worked out, practiced yoga, ate whole foods yet evidently all of this hadn’t made me as invincible as I thought. Overcoming cancer changed me. It gave me the courage to re-examine my life, work on my mind and make deep inner changes that radiated outwards in harmony with how I wanted to live the rest of my life.
Now I’m passionate about helping you ignite your internal power to live a balanced, holistic and purposeful life in rhythm with your unique constitution and definition of success. As your coach, I’ll guide you to mindfully identify blocks, overcome limiting unconscious beliefs, compassionately resolve difficult emotions, and get untangled, increasing more joy at home and work. You’ll learn how master small changes and cultivate practices for life-changing results on your overall well-being and vitality. You’ll discover how to mobilize inner resources to nourish the body, mind, and spirit. Together, we’ll develop an effective, goal-oriented strategy to achieve lasting change for what’s important to you.
Let me help you find more balance, joy, and purpose in life.
