This work didn't start in a classroom or training program. It started in my own body, demanding I pay attention.

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As a teenager navigating complex trauma, I experienced debilitating symptoms—severe social anxiety, chronic IBS, and relentless neck and back pain. I spent most of my energy trying to avoid situations that might trigger them.

At fourteen, I discovered yoga and philosophy, and they became my anchor. These ancient practices offered the first possibility that my pain might have purpose, and that perhaps I could transform it into something meaningful.

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Having grown up in a household marked by addiction and fighting my own patterns for years, I eventually realized something transformative: my symptoms weren't brokenness. They were adaptations—my body's way of holding early trauma, signaling when I was off course, and carrying what I couldn't yet consciously bear.

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When I understood this, everything shifted. My symptoms became teachers, showing me I could work with embodied awareness to meet the unmet needs of my younger self. They taught me self-compassion and self-forgiveness, one small piece at a time.

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This inner work became my healing path and, over three decades, evolved into my life's calling. My personal journey led to professional training in yoga therapy, somatic approaches, trauma healing, and depth psychology—but it all began with my own necessity.