For the past few years I have been on a path of finding purpose and balance. From moving cities, relocating for jobs and returning to college. While my experience has been anything but linear the path helped me to find more clarity and experiences that brought me to a deeper knowing of myself. If you want support while you are exploring purpose - I Am Here For You -

Sometimes it’s hard to find the right words—or any words at all—for what you’re feeling. Expression doesn’t always have to look like talking; it can be writing, drawing, moving your body, or even creating small rituals that help you release what’s inside. I know how freeing it can feel to discover a new outlet, one that feels natural and true to you. Over time, I’ve learned that expression isn’t about being “good” at something—it’s about giving yourself permission to be real, messy, and honest. Now, I offer space for others who want to explore different ways of expressing themselves, whether that’s through creativity, conversation, or simply finding language for feelings that have been hard to name.

My parents would tell me I needed to be a doctor, or a lawyer or something of high profile in order to be valid and successful. Along these same lines, having been parentified as a child, I lost myself in expectations & demands that were placed onto me. Much later in life, after I had expressed my joy and hope for pursuing 'me', my father admitted that he never wanted that for me, but instead to simply 'fall in line and be like everyone else'. To say this was a shock to my spirit would be an understatement; but I never looked back - I simply knew what was within me was far greater than what was yet born into the world. Although it hasn't been easy, I am so happy to have committed to forging my own path and rediscovering my own personal essence; I've witnessed quite the miraculous along my path, and it is in having progressed through my own lived experiences that I will confidently profess: So Can You, my friend!

I began volunteering at the age of 33. I learned it's never too late to start volunteering. It's a great time to start at any age or phase of life. I've mentored many college students seeking opportunities to volunteer to add to their college transcripts and job resumes. However, I found my passion for volunteering after college as a student in a Grief Recovery six weeks' course to cope with my father's death. On the last day of class, my teacher asked if I'd be interested in volunteering as a teacher myself. It was an answered prayer, as I had already been contemplating this same decision. But, two weeks after my class ended, my mother died. I remember calling the Chaplin into my mother's hospital room to pray over her before she passed. I also asked him for guidance on whether to withdraw or still volunteer. His answer was simple and profound. "By simply being there, your presence itself could help someone else." I've never looked back since then. Volunteering has made life better!

My expertise comes from more than just training—it was forged by navigating a difficult path. I grew up in a traditional, homophobic Latin American household marked by poverty and domestic violence. As a queer person in that environment, I learned firsthand how to survive trauma, carve out my own identity, and fight for a better future on my own terms. That journey is why I’m so committed to this work. My lived experience informs how I help others through their own complex life transitions. It’s why I became a Behavior Interventionist for the autism community and completed 80 hours of Peer Support training—to turn my understanding into practical, effective support. I meet you with the profound empathy that only comes from having walked a similar road, ready to help you find your own path forward.

I was taught that being of service was the key to being a good person. By 8, I already believed that my worth came from self-sacrifice. “Since your mom says you can only invite 3 girls, I’ll stay home,” I’d say. In my teens, overextending myself felt like a superpower. The idea of considering my own needs brought shame. As an adult, with a growing circle—husband, child, coworkers, friends—I kept giving, even as my time shrank. I believed I had to earn love through effort. But eventually, I burned out. I felt resentful and invisible. The truth? I didn’t know how to set boundaries. That realization changed everything. I dove into learning, therapy, and observing those who honored their own needs and others’.Recently, I even gave a professional talk on healthy boundaries. If you struggle to set limits without guilt, I see you. I’ve been there. Let’s work together to create a plan that honors YOU, too.