It’s kinda nice to know a bit about the person behind a website, so here goes :)

I’ll start with the fun stuff (including my worst documented haircut) – my favorite people in the world are my kids. We laugh and have a lot of fun together!  We’re grateful to live just a stone’s throw from Lake Michigan so we can easily hop on our bikes to watch a sunset or jump in the waves. We enjoy making puzzles, playing board games, and watching movies.  I’m passionate about a lot in my life, but being a good role model for my kids and helping them feel confident to put their true self into the world is at the top of my list.  Here’s an old photo from a trip to our state park for ice cream and a sunset!

I had a lot of healing to do – One of the most important parts of my healing journey was reacquainting myself to ME. That might sound strange, but I don’t believe we need to recreate ourselves, we only need to remove the years of ‘stuff’ that stops us from being truly happy and confident. That stuff comes from all around us – our society and its beliefs, our family, our teachers and friends… and the limiting thoughts that plague too many women. It was a long road for me, but I’ll always be glad I did the work to heal my past and really love myself.

Here’s the haircut (please do not do this to your children ;) ) – this photo of me is circa 1976. I was eight and full of spunk and confidence – even though I sported a Dorothy Hamill haircut that really didn’t complement my head!  Most little girls lose this vivacious, confident part of themselves around this age because it’s when they begin to want to please everyone around them… even if doing so makes them unhappy.
(I keep this photo nearby because it helps me keep in mind the real me.  (however, the hair, thank goodness, has improved!)

I’ve had many blessings in my life – some of them will probably surprise you… at least the fact that I consider them ‘blessings’.

Some typical blessings are: my amazing children who steal a piece of my heart every day, my wonderful family, fabulous friends, a healthy body, the opportunity to have traveled a bit in the world, my education and career which give me the opportunity to make a positive difference in the world, and a sweet, peaceful little home by the lake surrounded by trees.

Some not-so-typical blessings that have shaped me in countless ways are: my struggle with alcoholism and addiction, my second child passing away shortly after his birth, experiencing rape as a teenager, divorce, financial struggles, and a lifelong struggle with a belief that I was not good enough. These experiences were painful, but they were also purposeful. I’ve learned a lot through all this pain and my struggles. In the end, the most important things I’ve learned are to love myself and to trust God, the Universe, and life.

Although my personal life has provide a lot of education in healing, here’s a bit about my professional life – I’ve always worked in the human services field.  My career began as a teacher of severely emotionally impaired middle school students and then of your typical fifth grade kid.  I worked hard to get a Master’s degree in counselor education and psychology which allowed me to become a counselor for children.  When I decided to work with adults, I returned to school to become a certified life coach.  And that led me to creating something I am incredibly passionate about… helping people heal emotional pain.