How the heck did I get here??

I grew up in the center of the United States, in the Midwest, but was always more of a West Coast kind of girl. I moved to Alaska after university where I was awed by the majesty of the mountains and glaciers. I lived semi-rurally and learned a host of daunting practical skills (for example, pulling a hundred year old dead tree down with a rope and pick-up truck or artfully plowing meters deep snow with a 1970’s plow truck). I quickly realized I was not cut out for office work. I spent the second half of my twenties as a Louise Hay teacher, inspired by a workshop I attended, which reintroduced me to my inner child, revealed the link between our body and the metaphysical causes of dis-ease, and empowered me to take more accountability for myself. It was a primer for me, and nothing was the same after, as I became a facilitator of the work and continued my own process of peeling back the many layers of the onion. Still though, I had a longing to create and to work with my hands, and I became a framer, carpenter, and tile setter, building wooden frame, custom homes all year long, even in deep snow and below freezing temperatures. I gained a great deal from that time, including a confidence in my unique blend of talents.

After 17 years in Alaska, I moved to Oregon, keeping the Pacific Northwest vibe, and became a glass artist. I spent many long hours in the glass studio engaged in experimentation and creation. Time would disappear during these periods, and I knew that my soul longed to express through art. I built and opened a clothing shop, but found that building the shop satisfied me more than running the shop. The most important lesson from this time was that I was attracting people to the shop who wanted to connect on a profound level, just like me. Eventually, I faced the fact that something was missing. I felt unfulfilled and needed to follow the call of my heart.

I sold my home, my vehicle, the contents of the shop and traveled for two years in Europe, Turkey, and the Balkans. It was a challenging and exciting time in which I deepened my relationship with myself and began the continuing process of shedding old conditioning and uncovering the truth of my being. During these years, I studied with dedication and devotion all things Heart IQ™ (a heart-centered human operating system devised by Christian Pankhurst), trained as a facilitator, sat in circle for hundreds of hours, felt the power of the amplified field, discovered the interplay of my healthy feminine and my healthy masculine, and began incorporating breathing techniques, sound, and movement into my daily life. I became aware of my nervous system and my attachment wounding, among a host of other modalities and philosophies.

Eventually I settled in Portugal, and I began to explore mediums I had never worked in before. I was inspired to create a lot of trash or found art, using trash and recycled materials. It felt so satisfying to simply use whatever I already had to fulfill my expression. I also discovered that in my path of awakening, I needed to move out of my head and into my body. In my desire to be less heady and more embodied, I started to be more discerning in my use of language. Not talking for the sake of talking, allowing for more silence, and honoring the space between.

These days my work involves a lot more collaboration and connection, and this is my sweet spot, where creativity meets connection.
The most important piece of my journey recently has been the discovery of softness. So much has opened to me since I began my devotion to my own softness. The harassing voice in my head that once hijacked my peace and my relationships is being replaced with a compassionate, encouraging, nuanced voice who whispers to me of my worthiness and of love.
Today I feel the call to step out, real and raw, and share my unique flavors and gifts in ways that are fun and playful, open-hearted, connecting and inclusive.

I would be honored to meet you on your path.