My Journey

Like all great gifts, my interest in Shadow discovery came from my biggest hurt, which happened when I was eight years old when my mother died of ALS and my father left us to be raised with a new family.

In my new family, I was encouraged to be grateful instead of sad, as if one emotion negated the other. This was very confusing to me as a young child because I was in deep grief, so I interpreted that to mean that my feelings were wrong.

My need to survive this new environment caused me to heavily monitor myself and adjust who I was to make the best impression so others would accept me and I would be allowed to stay.

This meant suppressing my own wants and needs to the point that I truly did not believe that I had any.

This caused a lot of friction in my life as I aged.

Even though I had many friends, I felt very alone in the world. I was a people-pleaser who was too scared to share my opinion—not that I knew I had one—and I avoided conflict at all cost. I partnered with people who were emotionally unavailable and who rarely showed up for me.

In my late 20’s I found myself apathetic.

I tried talk therapy, but got nowhere. My therapist invited me to explore what I was feeling but I had spent my entire life disconnecting from my emotions, so I didn’t understand what he was asking of me. 

Finally, my therapist suggested I try yoga and after months of consistent practice things started to shift for me in a big way. 

The combination of movement and the teacher’s invitation to pay attention to the sensations in my body helped me become more aware of myself.

Yoga connected me to the physical experience of being alive in a way that I hadn’t been able to access ever before.

I became more curious about myself and spent many years exploring different self-discovery modalities but it wasn’t until I came across Carl Jung and his theory of the inner Shadow that my personal story began to reveal itself. 

I was fascinated by the idea that there were hidden parts of me that I didn’t know were driving my thoughts, behaviors, feelings, and decisions. I unearthed aspects of myself that were interfering with my relationships, work, and my passions and as I integrated each Shadow, my harsh self-judgments began to fade away and an understanding of my needs and my ability to speak my truth emerged.

I embraced a more multifaceted and dynamic perspective of myself, in turn allowing me to see others more compassionately. 

It excites me to think of myself and YOU as ever-evolving enigmas full of endless potential and ways of Being.  

Shadows are not easy to find on your own. I’ve spent 20 years studying and teaching Shadows and from that I’ve developed a step-by-step methodology that I can teach you to use on your own to illuminate your Shadows, as needed, for the rest of your life.

I’ve dedicated my life, training, and experience to being someone who is safe and able to be in this illuminating Shadow conversation with you.

I am here when you are ready.

Formal Training

With a passion for, and a curiosity of, the human condition I acquired a degree in Psychology at San Francisco State University, where I first learned about Carl Jung and I dove into a deep (and obsessive) self-study of the inner-Shadow.

After which, I obtained a certification in Professional Integral Coaching at New Ventures West in San Francisco, where I worked with an excellent coach who helped me explore my Shadows.

Immediately following, I dove into many years of yoga training with world-renowned teachers and coaches.

Along with receiving my E-RYT-500 designation at Yoga Tree in San Francisco, I hold a certification in “Yoga Therapeutics” granted by physical therapist and teacher, Harvey Deutch. Additionally, I trained as a Level 1 & 2 Relax and Renew Restorative Yoga teacher with Judith Hansen-Lasater, studied yoga philosophy with Chrisandra Fox-Walker, and the fundamentals of teaching yoga with Sean Haleen.

I spent many years in the studio practicing with Jason Crandell, Charu Rachlis, and a variety of teachers at the Iyengar Institute in San Francisco.

I am a student of Buddhist mindfulness meditation with Big Heart City Meditation SF and attend frequent workshops at Spirit Rock Mindfulness Meditation Center in Marin. I am currently exploring a newfound curiosity for Taoism.

My classes are designed to incorporate aspects of understanding and expression from each of these studies which result in a combination of mindful movement, restoration, and inner-exploration.

 Hear My Story