My journey to coaching started in earnest many years ago. I was late-diagnosed with ADHD at age 25, after several misdiagnoses or outright symptom dismissals from healthcare providers. When I finally encountered a therapist who really listened, she assessed me and it created a profound shift in my life. I felt intense grief looking back at my struggles as a child and teen. It was difficult to have a new understanding and lens to view the pressure and criticisms from others and also from me, toward myself, for so many years. I knew many of the narratives I had absorbed were harmful, but I didn’t quite know what to do with it yet or how to heal. There was also something incredibly relieving about having this newfound understanding of myself, an enormous weight had been lifted and I felt for the first time that maybe the problem wasn’t actually me. It gave me hope that things could be different moving forward.

At first, I dove into any reading and research I could find, but at that time in the early 2000s there was still very little available about the differences in traits and the impact on girls, let alone grown women, with ADHD. I felt lonely in my discovery about myself. I cycled through feeling empowered in my new knowledge and then full of shame, that now that I had this knowledge, some challenges and choices I was making did not magically change.

During this time of feeling burned out and in the wake of failed jobs, relationships, and my own small business I ended up at an evening yoga class that a friend invited me to. The gentle movement of my body, anchoring in my breath, and taking time for intentional rest connected me to myself in a way that I wasn’t able to access before. Though I did not directly connect it right away, these mindfulness practices were soothing some of the more difficult-to-manage traits of ADHD. I kept returning to the mat and building my toolkit and years later completed yoga teacher training and several classes in mindfulness techniques that I now utilize as an individual, parent to AuDHD children, and coach.

Like many folks with ADHD I have struggled and been diagnosed with comorbid conditions such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, and was finally diagnosed with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) at age 40. I am forever grateful for the community of doctors, therapists, coaches, and friends who have helped me reach a point of flourishing in my life that I did not think was possible for a very long time. Having such a loving support system helped me to heal, shift my mindset around what might be possible for me, and inspired my desire to be a part of the support system for others.

Through the Individualized Studies program at Goddard College, I focused on wellness through the lens of narrative transformation. I personally believe that stories can be both an obstacle that keeps us stuck in overwhelm, shame, and many other blocks to true well-being and they can also trigger creativity and change, help us see in a new way, call us to action, and provide us an opportunity for remarkable growth and transformation. In addition to my studies there, I completed the Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) and volunteered as a Crisis Responder on a Suicide Prevention Hotline, work that was profoundly transformative for me and is still dear to my heart. After having my first child, I completed a year-long yoga teacher training, taking my own decade of practice to the next level. Under Jennifer Mason this study included instruction in wellness leadership, mindfulness practices, energy medicine, breath work, and Ayurvedic principles.

After working for a time in patient services as an advocate for reproductive rights and health care, I then transitioned to a health coaching position at a leading health app, where I enjoyed coaching hundreds of people over several years and being a Community Wellness Advocate for my workplace team. Having the opportunity to coach and support such a diverse range of people through a wide variety of hardships, obstacles, and major life transitions, not only made me a better person and contributed to my own growth, but also made it very clear that this is the work I feel most passionate about and want to continue doing for years to come!

I began my own coaching practice more generally and have really honed in on coaching individuals who have ADHD or other neurodiversities or those who are supporting children or partners who are neurodiverse (usually it’s a combination of the two). It motivates and inspires me daily to hold space for others as they explore their values and goals, where their strengths and challenges lie, begin boldly advocating for themselves and their children, create supportive structures and organization, and incorporate mindfulness techniques that help with impulsivity and emotional dysregulation.

To deepen my own coaching knowledge and skills over the past few years, I have successfully completed the required coursework for the National Board of Health and Wellness Coaches and I’m a Board Certified Health Coach (NBC-HWC), a graduate of the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, Level 2 Reiki Practitioner through Devanadi Yoga, member of Focused ADHD Group Coaching, and I seek out learning opportunities, research and resources continually so I can provide the best evidence-based information and support possible as we work together towards your goals.

I’m so grateful you’re here and I look forward to working together!