Have you ever felt anxious about going into a room of strangers that you turned around and went the other way?

Would you rather test out of a public speaking class, then face the thought of having to give speeches for an entire semester?

Was your communication nervousness ever so severe that you created scripts to make a phone call to order pizza? 

Did the thought of going up to a complete stranger ever make you queasy? 

Were you ever terrified that someone would tell a joke and everyone would laugh except you?  

Do you experience fear of being caught off guard in conversation and being stumped?  

Have you kept quiet instead of speaking up because you worried what other people would think of you? 

Did you ever go to a gathering and hope that someone would talk to you because you had no idea what to say? 

Were you certain that everyone in the room was going to notice how awkward you felt inside? 

Have you ever wished that you had a different body, a different personality, a different life? 

Did you ever want the mental chatter to just stop? 

Have you engaged in negative self-talk and beat yourself up?

Have you experienced that emptiness that feels alone and endless? 

Do you know the feeling of not knowing what you want to do with your life and feel disconnected from your purpose? 

Have you felt so low about yourself that you could not connect with yourself or spend time with yourself? 

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If you answered yes to any of these questions, you're not alone. I can answer yes to every single question at one point in my life.

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My feelings of debilitating anxiety and feelings of discomfort in my emotions and body began such a long time ago. I remember as a small child feeling incredibly self-conscious. At school, I felt awkward and out of place among my peers. In college, my friendships were few and shallow because I was always concerned about what other people thought of me. I was consumed with the thought of messing up and being judged. My thoughts and beliefs kept me isolated and alone and unable to connect deeply.

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The anxiety, loneliness, and empty feeling led me from a very young age on a quest to find answers. It began with a quest as a 13 year old to "find happiness". I saw my peers as happy and carefree and I wanted that! 

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My journey at that young age began with attending an evening support group at a church. I was mostly surrounded  by adults. We learned yoga, emotional regulation techniques, and meditation. The focus was on peace. I was grateful to find  some relief but continued to suffer.

I kept searching and my journey took me to self-help, psychology, philosophy... Yes I was the 15 year old at the bookstore in the psychology section reading and reading everything I could get my hands on. Anything that would help me find the answer to "how to be happy".

Counseling was also part of my experience and I tried everything from individual to group therapy to classes. I tried various spiritual traditions. At one point I counted....over the course of my life I had taken hundreds of classes and received thousands of hours of training in pursuit of my answer. I took one 8-week class over and over for years. I went across the world to meditation retreat after meditation retreat, spending upwards of ten days in silent meditation. For decades, I spent most of my days in pursuit. Striving for answers. Seeking. 

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Then I began to live what I was learning. To Stop Thinking about it and Truly Practice It. Then it began to click. All of it. 

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So have I found "the answer" to eternal happiness? 

Not at all. 

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BUT, I no longer feel the same anxiety I once did. 

I have made peace with that empty feeling inside. 

I feel a great deal of compassion for those parts of me that hurt. 

I have come to know myself very well. 

I honor myself as a daily practice.

I can delight in spending time with myself and connecting with myself now. 

I feel comfortable in my own skin and am so grateful to my body and connect regularly with it's wisdom instead of fighting it.

I feel solid in me. 

I know who I am and know there is no one like me. 

I face my fears as a daily practice. 

I feel deeply connected to others. 

I feel proud of who I am and this confidence shines. 

I have come to trust myself. 

I trust my inner voice. 

I know I can handle it. Whatever "it" is.

I offer compassion to myself and practice radical self-acceptance. 

I extend this compassion to others. 

I have stopped judging myself. 

I challenge false beliefs. 

I can distinguish truth from conditioning and programming that I had carried with me all my life. 

I can easily access total quietude and relief from the mental chatter. 

I love connecting with people in any way, through one on one conversation or teaching large classes. 

I know my purpose and am grateful every day for my life.

I can now say I am grateful for all of the circumstances in my life that prompted me to seek, to learn, to practice, and most importantly to share.

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I discovered that it wasn't about how much I learned or how much I practiced...

Although my journey involves a lot of both...

I discovered that it was about turning inward and discovering that the root of all my issues was internal. 

And cultivating the courage to look deeply and address the root rather than the symptom.

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And it is my honor to join you on your journey as you too, gently and at your own pace, discover your own roots.

It is my honor to walk with you and share what I have learned and to offer help if you have struggle as I struggled. I don't want you to suffer if there are things I can do to help. 

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I offer help by learning about you, understanding your struggles, and synthesizing~ my lifetime of learning and practicing~ into easy to use personalized methods just for you.

It is my heart's desire to offer the relief I can and help you find your own peace and joy. 

I truly feel we are in this together. 

I want this for you. 

If I can do it, you can do it.