From Struggle Comes Strength and the Passion to Spark Change

Each meal I ate was like spinning the roulette wheel, not knowing what it would land on. Would today’s meal result in bloating, heartburn or severe abdominal pain? The kind of bloating that makes your pants refuse to fit. The kind of heartburn that feels like your chest has a heavy ball of fire lodged in the center. The kind of pain that feels like your twisted intestines are being repeatedly stabbed by a sharp knife. Or would I be fine?

Dealing with the unpredictability of my gut was definitely something, but my periods were just as burdensome. In my twenties, after numerous colposcopies (a painful procedure where a part of your cervix is removed for laboratory testing), I underwent cervical laser surgery to remove abnormal cells. 

I suffered from irregular, painful and extremely heavy periods. They were so heavy that I often became anemic, which caused fatigue, heart palpitations, and dizziness. The fatigue was so severe that even walking up a flight of stairs was exhausting and left me struggling to catch my breath. 

So in my late thirties, I had surgery to remove the fibroids that had taken up residence in my uterus. While I knew I was ill, experiencing chronic pain and suffering with panic attacks, I continued to live a fast-paced life, fulling my responsibilities as a wife, the mother of two children and an active duty U.S. Army Medical Service Corps officer. 

As you can imagine, dealing with my health issues and the high levels of stress, I often felt overwhlemed, out of balance and exhausted. I found myself snapping at my family, even though they were supportive through a total of six surgeries and countless medical visits. 

One day, while driving home from work my abdominal pain had become so intense and exasperating, I prayed to God, asking for my pain to be taken away. I had tried what I knew to be all my options. At that moment I realized I needed to reclaim my health and rebuild my resiliency. 

My desire to heal and eliminate my chronic pain was the catalyst to start exploring complementary medicine modalities. I was able to make great improvements from several different types of holistic practitioners but, when I found Reiki, it was different. On my first Reiki treatment I felt the energy moving in my body. I felt lighter and intuitively knew that I needed to learn this technique and share its benefits with others. 

It has been a long journey! I now, thankfully, understand that healing occurs on multiple levels (Mind, Body, Emotions, and Spirit). My goal is to facilitate your self-healing and increased resiliency via energy medicine techniques, resilience education and empowerment. When we restore peace and harmony to our body, mind, spirit, or to a situation, we open a pathway so healing can occur. This harmony is what I hope to bring others, something that I wish I had so many years ago.

You can learn more about my energy work under the Energy Medicine tab. I also provide resiliency education and coaching as well which you can find under resiliency coaching and education.

Favorite Books

This is a list of books and authors that have inspired me to expand and grow.

• Limitless - Upgrade Your Brain, Learn Anything Faster, and Unlock Your Exceptional Life by Jim Kwik

• The Unbeatable Mind: Forge Resiliency and Mental Toughness to Succeed at an Elite Level by Mark Divine

• How to Do the Work by Dr Nicole LePara

• The Art of the Impossible by Steve Kotler

• How to Break the Habit of Being Yourself by Dr. Joe Dispenza

• Your Soul's Plan: Discovering the Real Meaning of the Life You Planned Before You Were Born By Robert Schwartz

• Take Control of Your Life -  How to Silence Fear and Win the Mental Game by Mel Robbin

• On Combat: The Psychology and Physiology of Deadly Conflict in War and in Peace by LTC David Grossman & Loren Christensen

• The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

• You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hays 

• Journey of Souls, Destiny of Souls, and Life Between Lives by Michael Newton 

• Soul Speak: The Language of Your Body by Julia Cannon

• Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael A. Singer 

• The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are by Brene Brown

• Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck

• The Deepest Well - Healing the Long-Term Effects of Childhood Adversity by Dr. Nadine Burke Harris

• It Didn’t Start with You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End the Cycle by Mark Wolynn

• The Energy Bus: 10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy By Jon Gordon

• The Traveler's Gift by Andy Andrews

The Significance Behind the Logo

Resilience & Connection
A tree has roots that grow deep into the soil, grounding it’s connection to the earth and to other trees to receive community support. When we are feeling grounded and connected in our bodies, this allows us to be more stable and resilient. A tree's leaves and branches extend into the sky, accepting the warming energy from the sun that it transforms into nourishment, allowing it to grow and thrive. Tree leaves and branches remind us of importance of reaching out and then accepting the light and love from our community into our life.

The Cycle of Life
Additionally, a tree reminds us that life is a cycle and the only constant is change. In the fall, trees lose their leaves and enter a death-like hibernation for a few months. But come spring, the tree sprouts tiny buds, bursts forth with dramatic blooms and leaves to be born again. In this way, a tree is a symbol of a fresh start on life, positive energy, a bright future and the knowledge that you can transform, heal and change.