*Disclaimer this is a long true story rather than a polished professional bio. If you would like to skip ahead to see my credentials and training head to the last paragraph.

I had an upbringing which led to much independence from an early age. I first left home at the age of  twelve as my folks moved to an island in the Caribbean where schooling was not an option for me. I quickly realized that much of my learning was going to be the experiential kind as I was not going to be traveling a straight and narrow path. I went through many painful lessons and found out that looking for love outside of myself was futile and full of hustling and bending in inauthentic movements.

 After graduating from high school I worked in old age homes, senior centers and with young adults with developmental disabilities. This real work pried open my closed and protective heart and certainly did more for me then I ever could have done for it.

I went to a few colleges before finding Naropa University which back then was The Naropa Institute, set in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Boulder, Colorado. There we sat in circles on the floor on meditation cushions and took classes titled, "What is Fear?".  We learned how to meditate and would sit before our classes and lectures. We were given the opportunity to go on meditation retreats and take electives such as yoga and Ikebana which is Japanese art of flower arranging.  We took "Warrior Exams" for our major tests.  I graduated with a B.A. in Contemplative Psychology in 2001 and with a real found sense of belonging to myself again.

Soon after Naropa bought a backpack and a one way ticket to Europe with a DEEP knowing I had to go on this solo journey.  I learned so much about my capabilities and intuition on this trip.

After I left Europe I drove straight to a city where I had always wanted to live. Traveling Europe gave me the confidence to chase other wild dreams. It was in the enchanting city of San Francisco that I started out working as a freelance assistant and stylist on photo shoots.  Over time in that industry I knew my system was out of balance and could feel that if I stayed in that place much longer I would burn out.

 In 2004 my Fairy godmother took me under her wing in a very big way and allowed me to mentor under her as she was a professional organizer in the Bay Area.  If it would not have been for Barbara I would have never of even known that professional organizing was a thing. I was finally working on a holistic level with people and seeing a tremendous amount of transformation taking place. It was at this place in time where my vocation aligned with my life calling of simply meeting people where they were and seeing where they wanted to go.

In 2007 I moved to Portland, Oregon with my then husband and now ex-husband and extrodinary father to our child. In Portland I continued to support myself as an organizer and I also opened a vintage store which was a childhood dream of mine. It was one of the most delightful things I have ever done, and as a bonus I ended up with an amazing community of friends from that shop. After owning the shop for 4.5 years I sold the business. During that time while working with an organizing client after finishing their space they asked if we could continue to working together on "life stuff”. I knew I had to do that with integrity and that I needed to go to coaching school to become certified and begin the next chapter, which I did in 2012.

On the side I like to dabble in house remodeling and am on my third house remodel since moving to Portland.  I am an artist and enjoy writing and spend my free time working on projects or taking baths.  I am a freak for decorating and creating beautiful cozy and intuitive spaces to live and be in.  

During the divorce I managed to find a home five blocks from my daughter’s other home to set us all up for a successful journey through unknown terrain. Divorcing was one of the most challenging things I have done in this life. It was/is long time periods of waves of grief that can feel relentless in size and in frequency.

In my short time on this earth I know to follow that knowing inside of me, that society actually tries to distract us from. I have seen pain and failure as some of my wisest spiritual sandpaper teachers. I do not wish any upon you but know that I can sit with discomfort, pain, humility, ego death, fear, anxiety, as they are not something to fear as much as they are guides on the journey of growing deep and wide.  The real thing to fear is the buffer we place in front of our hearts that blocks true intimacy and connection from getting in or out. I feel that I majored in this buffering throughout the first half of my life so profoundly. I have such compassion for those years. Now in the second half of my life I have been willing to listen and accept deeper truths ones that are still shaping me into a softer human. I am fortunate enough to sit with others as we practice this art of loving kindness and wholly embrace and integrate all parts.

 Now for the credentials I needed in order to get my card stamped. In order to become a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC)  I have completed over 200 hours at the Coaching Teaching Institute in San Rafael, California this was a year long program from 2012-2013.  This basically means I take what I do seriously and take continuing education and trainings with institutions and under subjects that animate me and inform my coaching style. I personally think it is important to make sure your coach is properly certified and has a healthy dose of good common sense.  I decided to go through a year long mediation training/volunteer program at Resolutions Northwest. Also In 2014 I became a founding member of the Portland Coaching Collective. We are a fabulous group of women who love what we do as well as each other. Thank you for your time in getting to know me. Currently I am in training to become a licensed facilitator in the state of Oregon to administer psilocybin in a therapeutic setting. I work with clients to integrate psychedelic experiences into their everyday lives.