my lineage

With gratitude that comes from deep in my bones, I want to honor some of the remarkable teachers and mentors that have supported me in the past fifteen years. Their work has inspired and informed mine.

I’ve had a number of people ask me, “How did you get to be so wise???” and while I often jokingly answer “lots of mistakes” the truth is, in addition to fucking things up profoundly and learning how to do differently, I’ve had an enormous amount of support and profoundly wise cadre of teachers to help me learn and grow. Their lineage is an important part of my tradition.

I’ve Studied At/With:

The Martha Beck Institute. I offer so much gratitude for my many teachers including Susan Hyatt who terrified me when I first met her, some part of my soul knowing she would rip away the toxicity and bullshit that was covering up who I really was. For Jessica Steward who helped me see and claim my inner imp while teaching me to be in my body so I could make better decisions. And for Martha herself, for being the bright light that helped me move forward on my journey and finally awaken to the existence of a deeper and happier truth for my purpose here.

While I chose not to get certified in the tools of that tradition and moved away from that community to start my own, I would be remiss without acknowledging how essential those teachings have been to my understanding (and remembering) of the world and my inner workings.  

Ashley Folsom learning Crystalline Consciousness Technique (CCT) - Ashley taught me brilliant energy work and held me in my humanness through some incredibly challenging times. Words won’t ever be enough.

David Berceli learning Tension and Trauma Release Exercise (TRE) - David helped me to see that once I started the journey of healing my trauma and connecting with my body and its needs there was no going back, which was a good thing.

Belinda Davidson and The School of the Modern Mystic - who started me working with white light and angels and honored my process working through big life decisions (including my sobriety) without judgment.

Eleanora Amendolara at The Sacred Center in Warwick, NY - for helping me to experience the sacred through CHUMPI Illumination teachings and the chumpis themselves.  

Alisabeth Shelman learning the fundamentals of Usui Reiki.

Through my old career with the US Government I took a number of classes and programs that were focused on leadership development, personal growth, program management and national security. Those teachers are largely lost to the annals of time (and my old email addresses) but I express my appreciation for the many Guides across those spaces, including Defense Acquisition University, National Defense University College of International Security Affairs, and my former employer’s Career Development program. I am a better version of myself for having gone through those experiences.

Guides Through the Narrows:

I’ve gone through a number of profound and extremely difficult transitions in my life and I have been blessed with remarkable guides during these times.

Bev Barnes - Bev helped me see clearly I am a spiritual teacher through and through and since her Seeing there has been no going back. Her insight into how a soul’s purpose shows itself has guided my understanding on multiple levels. For all that you have seen in me and taught me Seeing, I am grateful.

Susan Hyatt (again) and the members of the Clear Coaches cohort of 2015. Susan supported me as I was swinging back and forth getting up the courage to say yes to my best life by leaving a toxic relationship and for that doula-hood, words are meager in proportion to my gratitude. Susan helped me understand how unapologetic embrace of oneself was fundamental to business growth. There is no going back.

Elizabeth Locey - for helping me see intuition and channeling in a detailed way and helping me give birth to it profoundly within myself. You sparked the fire. Thank you.

Other Mentors I’ve Had Along the Way:

For Betsy Rapoport for welcoming me at her table and seeing me in my depths and treating me as a peer. I was always a word witch but you taught me to embrace my identity as a writer and a storyteller and with that I’ll never be the same. My teaching of storytelling begins with what I learned from you.

Julie Gray - for helping me honor my rhythms and realize the uniqueness that I bring to the table belongs in my whole life. My guidance to my clients in connecting with structure and what they need to create wouldn’t exist without your mentoring.

Anne Perry - for helping me to connect to my business in a deep, heartfelt way. You helped me see how intuitive information could be plucked from the ethers. This was a quiet revolution for me.

Jenny Cook at the ARC and Rebecca Quave who introduced me to the power of the Bimini blue (and wild dolphins and raw vegan food) and sound healing. I will never be the same.

Caroline Frenette, who showed me both the power of visualization and intuition when I was young enough in my journey that I thought both of those were far out and scary and perhaps not trustworthy. Your teachings on devas and the Three Principles really did wake up my inner CEO.

Ty Johnson Anderson and the members of her 2018 mastermind who are my mentors and my teachers and the softest space to land. Ty’s energy work is peerless and I continue to learn from her every day.

Melanie DewBerry, who helped me soften through the power of prayer and gave me permission to slow down to expand, to lean in to love to radiate, and to claim more of my power as an elder. I love you beyond time and space.

For the Teachers that I’ve experienced through the written or spoken word:

Paulo Coelho (whose book The Alchemist helped me to quit not one but two jobs and whose book Veronika Decides to Die helped me regain my center while on pilgrimage to India).

Mike Dooley and TUT - the Notes from the Universe held me in a real way for many, many years and your in-person event helped me see more clearly what was possible.

Landon Porter and Ash and the Gorilla Sales crew for helping me remember my way of doing what I love in the world so that I could adore my Facebook group and reignite it with my personal fire.

Jeannette Maw, Dana Wilde, James Wedmore, Christina Pratt, Tim Ferriss, AJ Harbinger, whose podcasts carried me through the darkest place in my life that I’ve navigated yet. Thank you for being. It helped me to continue here.

The teachers whose work I have encountered that have helped grow me as a person: Layla Martin, Kimberly Dawn, Gala Darling, Briana Saussy, Stella Seaspirit, Mama Gena, Amy Palko, Heather Thorkelson, Ramit Sethi, Leah Kalamakis, Anna Kunnecke, Nona Jordan, Michelle Woodward, Sarah Bamford Seidelmann, Kristen Kalp, Mystic Medusa.

I no longer recommend all of these teachers as guides because some of them are doing better than others at navigating the challenges of these times (James Wedmore, I’m looking at you) but this page is about recognizing the impact that people have had upon me and so I leave these names where they stand.

Last but very much not least:

For my friends who have offered their guidance and heartfelt counsel over the years: Lynn-ey, Angela, Anick, Laura, Rosie, Chelsea (and the entire MPK crew for holding me with loving kindness) Suzanne, Jamaal, Tiffany, my dearest Debbie. I am richer for having your wisdom and your patience in my world. (If I missed you, my apologies but you know my brain can be a sieve.)

For the Ladies of the Light (my Illuminated Loti!) who supported me in giving birth to the best version of myself. We’ve come a long way, baby.

For Kristen Ellis, who helped me make my business into what I dreamed it would be with her technical savvy and sheer ferocity in keeping me on task, the least of which you see represented through this website. You’re my girl, blue.

For my old colleagues who helped me grow so much and supported me at a time when the birthing pains were many and acute. In particular for the early training and wisdom from Ross, Colleen, and Mr. T. The mentoring and teaching of Don, Wynne, Andrew, Brian, Karl, Ken, DeBorah and Dave. The friends I made in Nebraska, Warren, Kristi, Anthony. And my biggest teacher of all, Morris. You told me there was a hell of an impact that could be made if you don’t care who gets the credit and those words held the line for me for many years. Your caring heart kept me tuned in, even when it was painful to be present. Thank you.

For my clients who teach my every day,

my family who helped me come into myself, and

my companion who reminds me who I am when I forget.

I am who I am because of the teachers who have blessed me with and trusted me with their teachings, because of the Guides who have helped me see and claim and return to my power, and because of the guidance and support I have been given through many intense narrow passages. I have a substantial amount of courage and fire inside of me that has shaped this life I lead but none of it is in isolation nor could it ever be. I work every day from my heart to honor the miracles I have been blessed with - from my bones, thank you, thank you, thank you.