*Disclaimer this is a long ramble rather than a polished professional bio. Skip ahead to see my credentials and trainings on the last paragraph.

I come from a long line of psychic and empathic women on my mother’s side. I was a very sensitive and quiet kid who loved to observe others. And I had an upbringing which led to much independence from an early age as I left home at the age of  twelve. We moved to an island in the Caribbean from Miami Beach, Fl. For various reasons I went back to the mainland shortly after and realized that much of my learning was going to be the experiential kind as I truly have not traveled a straight and narrow path. I have gone through many painful lessons. I have bent in inauthentic movements before I learned to follow the knowingness inside of me.

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

I went to four colleges before finding Naropa University 25 years ago. Having grown up with an undiagnosed neurodivergent mind this school healed me in many ways.

At Naropa we sat in circles on the floor on meditation cushions and took classes titled, "What is Fear?".   We were given the opportunity to go on meditation retreats, take electives such as yoga and Ikebana, and take "Warrior Exams". I graduated with a B.A. in Contemplative Psychology in 2001 and with a real found sense of belonging to myself again. I am living proof that not all bodies, heart and minds are meant to function inside a box/dysfunctional system.

Soon after Naropa ended I bought a backpack and a one way ticket to Europe with no certain itinerary but a DEEP knowing I had to go on this solo journey.  I learned so much about my capabilities and intuition on this trip and ended up meeting my life partner.

After Europe I drove myself straight to a city where I had always wanted to live.  It was in the enchanting city of San Francisco that I started working as a freelance assistant and stylist on photo shoots. After sometime it was very obvious my system was not a good fit for that one dimensional and fast paced work.

 In 2004 my Fairy godmother took me under her wing and mentored me to becomes a professional organizer. I was working on a holistic level with people and seeing beautiful transformation taking place. It was at this place in time where I became even more certain of my gifts. I explored even deeper moments of presence, attunement and meeting people where they were and seeing where they wanted to go.

In 2007 I moved to Portland, Oregon. I opened a vintage store, Little Edie’s Five and Dime, which was a childhood dream of mine. In 2010 I had my daughter and cultivated a rich community. Still working as an organizer after a final session with a client they asked if we could continue to work together on "life stuff”. I decided to become a certified coach in 2012. Soon after I sold my shop after owning it for 4 years to make room for seeing clients in my private coaching practice.

On the side I am a clothes artist and a curator of beautiful and interesting objects. I have remodeled four spaces since moving to Portland.  I enjoy writing, reading, traveling, nature bathing, listening to talks all about human nature and spirituality as well as watching really bad reality tv.

I have seen pain and failure as some of my wisest spiritual sandpaper teachers. Allies to our spirit. I can sit with and hold discomfort, pain, humility, anxiety, and traumas as they are not something to fear as much as protectors and guides on our journey of growing deep and wide.  The thing to fear is the buffer we place in front of our own hearts that blocks true intimacy and connection from getting in or out. 

I majored in this buffering throughout the first half of my life and masked heavily in order to get through. I have such compassion for those years. Now in the second unmasked half I have been willing to listen and accept deeper truths, ones that are still shaping me into a softer human.

 Now for the credentials and continuing education that animate me and inform my counseling style. 2001 graduated with a B.A. in Contemplative Psychology from Naropa University.

2012 started a year long program to become a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC). I completed over 200 hours at the Coaching Teaching Institute in San Rafael, California.

In 2014 I went through a year long mediation training/volunteer program at Resolutions Northwest and became a founding member of the Portland Coaching Collective.

In 2020 I started mentoring with a colleague and a long time international and local trainer of Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy. I use this modality with experience and skill inside the coaching cottage if I feel it will benefit my clients. Other types of continuing education classes that I have taken part in over the years is Trauma informed Counseling, Regulation of the Nervous System and Polyvagal Theory, Hakomi (Somatic Therapy) and Attachment Theory to name my favorites.

In 2023 I was trained at Innertrek to become a facilitator in the state of Oregon to administer psilocybin in a therapeutic setting. That included 120 training hours with 40 hours of practicum experience.

I am always continuing in my education and learning for the sake of my own growth and the healing and consideration of my clients. I think it is important to make sure who you choose to work with has a healthy dose of good common sense and aspiring internal and professional codes of ethics.