More About Me

I have been interested in physical wellness since I was a teenager. I was first introduced to the idea of mindfulness meditation as part of Shotokan karate training when I was a young teen. I began practicing yoga around age 15 and loved how I felt more alive and awake after yoga. In spite of being fairly active, I struggled with disordered eating and accepting my body, like many people who grew up in the 1990s did. I started to focus only on how I looked rather than how I felt, and this caused my mental and emotional health to suffer. It was not until many years later that I came to realize that my body was so much more than just the way that it looked. It could be fast, and strong, and flexible, and that is pretty damn cool.

I realized that as we tune in to how things makes us feel, we learn really quickly what is healthy for us and what is not. It might be the friend that you feel exhausted after spending time with; the sugar hangover that you get after stress-eating donuts; or the energized feeling of being completely alive that you get after spending time in nature. When you pay attention, you begin to see how everything you do is impacting you, whether positively or negatively. The journey toward true wellness begins with making more choices that make you feel good – physically, emotionally, and spiritually. There is no one size fits all path to wellness. It looks different for each of us!

For myself, I know that I feel my best when I am spending time outdoors and with animals; moving my body somehow; engaging in my spiritual practice; and doing something that positively impacts the world. I know that when I am spending too much time indoors, in front of screens; stress eating too many sweets; not engaging in my hobbies and crafts; and neglecting time with my loved ones that I begin to feel unwell. What aligns us most with our highest wellness can also change and evolve. In 2022, I decided to stop engaging with the news each morning and it has made a huge, positive difference in my emotional and mental health!

Currently, I am trained in reiki level 2 and plan to continue my training to reiki master in 2025. I also plan to train in animal reiki. Animals are my favorite “people” and I have felt a calling to begin working with them more. Eventually, I hope to train in Quantum Healing Hypnotherapy and work with people to heal past-life trauma. I have a Master in Social Work from Jackson State University and have worked as a mental health therapist, a mental health educator, and as an advocate for women’s and LGBTQ+ rights. I have post-graduate training in nutrition and practice “gentle nutrition.” I discourage my clients from engaging in drastic elimination diets, such as keto, even if one of their wellness goals is ultimately to lose weight. I believe that “all or nothing” mentality is ultimately harmful and that we find peace in balance.