I spent two years of my young adulthood in and out of psychiatric hospitals, sometimes voluntarily, sometimes not. During that time, I felt swallowed by depression, anxiety, and the aftermath of painful relationships that left me unsure if I’d ever feel free again. I was constantly cycling through crisis, often misunderstood, and sometimes silenced in the very systems that were supposed to help. Then I discovered Psychiatric Advanced Directives (PADs), and everything started to shift. I’ve used PADs to express my wishes, protect my rights, and bring my care team—my psychologist, naturopath, even legal support—into alignment. I’ve rewritten my PAD more times than I can count, especially after triggering experiences, because I’ve learned how powerful it is to state clearly what I need before a crisis hits. Creating a PAD has helped me not only stay safe but also stay connected to who I am, even in my hardest moments. Now, I want to help others do the same. If you’re navigating mental health challenges and want to build a plan that supports the practical imagination of frameworking for your own #ThisAbility, I’d love to walk you through what PADs are and how they can support your freedom, safety, and care.

I started self-harming at 13. For years it was my go-to for any overwhelming feeling — a secret crutch that led to many severe episodes and multiple psychiatric hospitalizations. Gradually I made small changes that made life more manageable, but urges still come up; I’ll probably always be a person who needs to manage cravings. I’m not perfect or “cured,” I’m in recovery — not a destination but ongoing work: learning gentler coping skills, unpacking why I turned to harm, and facing the grief, guilt, shame, isolation and emptiness it left behind. Over time I found deeper reasons to keep going: building a sense of self, pride in growth, and joy that outlasts the temporary relief of hurting. I’m here to listen, to explore what your journey looks like, and to support whatever steps you want to take — or simply hold space for your triggers, urges, and pain.

The pandemic disrupted more than routines - it reshaped identities , relationships and the way many of us relate to our bodies, boundaries and beliefs . For me COVID-19 wasn't just a global event; it was a personal reckoning. Isolation bought clarity, loss revealed what was unsustainable . In my own life I had to re-evaluate what safety meant, how I showed up in relationships an what parts of me were worth preserving - not just performing, especially during a time of great changes.

I grew up surrounded by emotional chaos—parents struggling with alcoholism and depression, and a childhood full of absence, confusion, and pain. I witnessed and experienced physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, and for a long time I believed that love had to hurt. Those early wounds followed me into adulthood, shaping my relationships, my decisions, and the way I saw myself. I experienced miscarriage, divorce, and unhealthy romantic partnerships that echoed the abandonment I felt as a child. For years, I felt unlovable, constantly questioning my worth. But eventually, I chose healing. Through therapy, education, holistic work, and deep personal reflection, I began to break the cycle. I’ve now built a life rooted in healthy love, both for my children and for myself. My journey wasn’t easy, but it showed me that healing is possible, even when life is still messy. If you're feeling stuck in old patterns or questioning your worth, I want to walk beside you as you begin to reclaim your story.

I know how hard it can feel when it feels like your mind is working against you 24/7. I’ve been in those dark places myself. That’s why I believe recovery isn’t about perfection but about small steps, compassion for ourselves, and knowing we don’t have to go through it alone. With me, you’ll always be met with empathy, because I understand what it feels like to struggle and to have to fight your way back. Drawing from my lived experience with depression, bipolar II, BPD, and substance use recovery, I speak to the realities of mental health with both honesty and hope. Over the past five years of sobriety, I’ve developed not only personal tools for resilience but also a deep commitment to supporting others on their paths.

There is stress, and then there is "overwhelming, I do not recognize myself, everything irritates me" stress. There came a time when I was going to therapy and learning all of the coping skills, and for some reason, I could not implement them. I finally realized that I was not safe with me and that progress was better than perfection. It took time and apologies to my loved ones and myself for me to realize that I get to choose what works for me in my times of stress, depression, and anxiety. I have enjoyed a variety of things from tapping, reiki, mindfulness, life coaching, a what works list, implementing boundaries, a nervous system reset, and much more. I would love to support you in finding out what works for you when you are triggered, tired, stressed, or feel like giving up. Together we can explore what works for YOU.

For years, I wore a mask. To the world, I was strong, unbothered, and always smiling, but underneath, I was carrying pain, shame, and loneliness. Pretending to be okay cost me years of my life and so much energy. Taking off the mask felt terrifying. What if people rejected the real me? But slowly, I found freedom in authenticity. Joy doesn’t come from being perfect; instead, it comes from being honest. Once I let my mask down, I discovered a lighter, truer version of myself. Let me help you do the same.

My career path has been anything but predictable. Whether you are starting a new role or struggling to find meaningful work - I'm Here For You - If you are navigating a career change or relocating during a career change, I have been there and have would love to support you with finding confidence and navigating this with more ease.

The pivotal point in my healing journey was when I was hospitalized with suicidal ideation at age 33, and hospitalized again after a suicide attempt at age 35. Along with clinical depression, I struggled with panic attacks and anxiety from complex PTSD as well as ongoing abuse from my toxic family system. I thought I wouldn't live past age 45 until I found support from trauma-focused talk therapy and peers at age 40. Peers understood and believed me about the abuse I survived and were living proof that a different life was possible. This was vital to my healing journey and inspired me to become a Peer Support Specialist. I have spent years in trauma-focused talk therapy, consistently talking with peers, learning coping skills and practicing good self-care. I am now in my 50s. I am happy, and my lifestyle supports good mental and physical health and I have separated myself from the abusive people of my past and have healthy relationships with friends and chosen family.

This is a safe and open space to talk about your experiences with schizoaffective disorder or schizophrenia, We can explore treatment options, self-care practices, crisis management, and the many ways these conditions can affect daily life. Whether you want to discuss positive and negative symptoms, hallucinations, delusions, mania, depression, or psychosis, you'll be met with understanding, compassion, and genuine curiosity. You don't have to navigate it alone-let's talk through it together.

I see or hear something that displeases me; there’s an immediate surge of energy in my gut. I feel like cursing or striking out. Or I feel like crying and hiding as when I was a child and anger wasn't allowed. Sometimes anger simmers unconsciously below the surface, waiting for a moment to erupt, most often at an inappropriate time bringing guilt or shame. It might translate into passive aggression, a biting comment or icy silence. Sometimes it morphs into something entirely different – anxiety or sadness or fear. Without psychoanalyzing, developing awareness of unrecognized anger can put us in control of it. Anger manifests in many ways. It often masquerades as insomnia and food disorders. Understanding how it manifests, acknowledging its presence, exploring it's origins and recognizing this consciously helps us better navigate it's various forms and respond in ways that are constructive rather than destructive. Giving help with such exploration is the work of a Warmer Expert.

Resilience, the ability to adapt and bounce back from adversity, is an essential skill in the modern world. Some people appear naturally resilient. If that's not you, the good news is you can cultivate resilience through conscious effort and intentional practices. Building resilience enables you to navigate setbacks, grow from challenges, and maintain a sense of purpose in the face of uncertainty. Growing resilience requires self-awareness, self-regulation, optimism, self-compassion and a growth mind-set to name a few. I have gone through the twists and turns that life presents: family disintegration, child-estrangement, physical challenges , job and career loss. Though it was rocky, I survived and ultimately thrived. Certain practices strengthen your ability to cope with stress and to recover from setbacks. They foster growth and adaptation. Let’s navigate your current setback(s) together. Let me be your co-pilot in discovering skills you don't yet know you have.

Life doesn’t wait for you to catch your breath, it barrels through like a freight train, throwing deadlines, people, and chaos at you all at once. I’ve been there, drowning in the noise and pressure, feeling like my brain and body were stuck on overload. Stress isn’t some polite visitor; it’s that relentless storm you can’t switch off. I’ve learned the hard way that trying to push through only burns you out faster. Managing overwhelm means slowing down enough to notice what’s really breaking you, giving yourself permission to say “no” or “not right now,” and finding fierce but gentle ways to survive the madness. No BS, no fake cheerleading, just real talk and space for your tired soul. Come, rest, weary traveller.

I’ve lived with bipolar type 1 for over 25 years and have navigated many dark and overwhelming moments in my life. Through therapy and developing coping skills, I’ve learned how to find balance, manage anxiety, and reconnect with myself. In this session, I bring that experience to support you in regulating your nervous system, grounding your energy, and reconnecting with self-love. I provide a safe, nonjudgmental space where you’ll be heard, supported, and guided through practices like mindfulness, creative exercises, and reflective tools tailored to your needs. We’ll focus on helping you feel centered and emotionally clear, even when life feels heavy or overwhelming.

Relationships can be messy. I know this not just from training, but from my own life. I’ve navigated the ups and downs of dating with my own attachment wounds, struggled through communication breakdowns, and had to learn how to honor my needs while respecting someone else’s. That’s why I understand how heavy it can feel when your heart wants one thing, but your mind is full of questions and doubts. In this session, I’ll hold space for you the way I’ve needed others to hold space for me: with no judgment, just validation, compassion, and clarity. Whether you’re dealing with relationship anxiety, mismatched attachment styles, or feeling unseen in your connection, you don’t have to carry it alone. We’ll slow down, name what’s really going on, and help you leave with more peace and perspective.

I am no stranger to stress! My background in health psychology and experience with the therapeutic process can help you achieve your goals of managing and coping with stress, in addition to regulating emotions. The mission isn't to rid our lives of stress - which is impossible - but to develop a healthy relationship with life's challenges and ourselves, and feel comfortable facing unpleasant emotions.

I know what it’s like to feel stuck in stress, sadness, or uncertainty—when everything feels too loud or too heavy, and you’re not sure how to move forward. Over time, I’ve learned that coping doesn’t mean fixing everything at once. It means finding small ways to feel a little more okay in the moment. For me, that looked like learning to name my feelings, creating routines that helped me feel safe, and figuring out what actually helped me recharge. Now, I offer space for others to explore what coping looks like for them. Whether you're dealing with anxiety, burnout, or just trying to get through the day, I’m here to help you find tools that feel doable and real.

There came a point in my healing where I knew I couldn’t just go back to who I used to be. I had outgrown that version of myself—the one who survived by numbing out, by hiding, by staying small. Recovery gave me something I never expected: the freedom to reinvent myself. For years, I had defined myself by pain, addiction, and anxiety. But beneath it all was a deeper truth: I was powerful, creative, intuitive, and worthy of an incredible life. I just had to remember who I really was—and start building a new reality from that place. Through deep inner work, forgiveness, spiritual practices, and tools like therapeutic art, nature healing, and mindset coaching, I began designing a life in flow with my values, gifts, and passions. I stopped chasing external validation and started living from alignment. It wasn’t about “fixing” myself—it was about becoming myself. Now I help others reclaim their identity and become the architect of a new life—one rooted in joy, purpose, and authenticity.

During my healing journey, there were moments when words just weren’t enough. I needed something deeper—something that could express what I couldn’t say, process what I couldn’t name, and bring beauty into the parts of me that still felt broken. That’s when creativity became my medicine. Through therapeutic art and connecting with nature, I found a way to transform pain into purpose. Singing, drawing, cooking healthy meals, writing, walking in nature—all of it became a sacred release, a return to my authentic self. I discovered that you don’t need to be an artist to heal through creativity—you just need to be willing to express yourself in new ways, even if you are an artist. These practices continue to support my emotional wellbeing, reduce anxiety, and help me stay grounded. I now guide others to reconnect with their inner child, tap into their intuitive voice, and use creativity as a bridge to deep transformation.

For a long time, I moved through life on autopilot – disconnected, going through the motions, unsure of what I was really feeling and being eager to push everything down with distractions. I used escapism as a way to ignore my big feelings, never sitting still enough to let them enter my waking thoughts. But these feelings never go away when you ignore them. They are always there just under the surface, waiting to come up at the worst possible moment in the worst possible way. Mine always erupted in anger and I lashed out at people closest to me. The noise in my head never quieted down until I took my first hike. In those 4hrs, I felt a peace that I had never felt before. My mind, body & spirit was renewed and I felt like a brand new person. Hiking quickly became my therapy as I did the work of coming back to myself and recognizing when I needed breaks instead of staying in GO-mode all the time. Along the way, I became someone that others turned to during their own periods of distress.