Hello!  I realize that speaking with a stranger is not always the easiest thing to do.  If you have a second I'd love the opportunity to introduce myself so that you can get a feel for who I am and what I do. 

 

A native New Yorker, I’ve worked with young adults from various backgrounds across the country.  I now reside in Portland, Oregon and specialize in supporting teens and young adults who are struggling with low self-esteem and facing difficulties at school.  I've studied and practiced coaching for the past 9 years and hold a high regard for co-active, science-based coaching models that are grounded in mindfulness. As a social worker and training facilitator, I am dedicated to bringing trauma-informed services into schools and organizations that serve adolescents. As a life coach, I offer academic, career, and transitional coaching as well as mindfulness-based stress reduction for teens.  

 

Adolescence can be stressful, challenging and frustrating for teens, their caretakers, and their teachers.  I offer support to both the youth and the family, and tailor my coaching sessions to support each young client’s unique needs.  For educators, I offer trainings on trauma informed practices to support them in cultivating an inclusive space where their students can thrive.

 

I strongly believe that every single person (no matter what their past experiences may be) is capable of overcoming self-defeating behavior, cultivating self-acceptance and leading a meaningful life.  Our past does not have to direct our future. Coaching is a science and it supports young adults in understanding this very concept.  While different sessions focus on different topics, coaching supports each youth in building confidence, coping with stress and gaining clarity about who they are and where they want to go in the next chapter of their lives.

 

Why I care:  As a child, I grew up with one parent in prison and the other struggling with alcohol addiction.  By the time I reached adolescence, the emotional pain had become so unbearable that I ended up turning to alcohol and drug use in order to cope with my depression.  The pain, however, did not go away and my thoughts were clouded with suicide on a regular basis.  The work that I did on myself and the help that I received during those dark moments is the reason I am here today.  I know firsthand what it's like to be the student in the classroom who is battling destructive thoughts and faced with challenges at home.  I do this work to support youth who are struggling, but to also give the adults in their lives effective tools so that they can support them as well.