I am a writer, life coach & seeker of truth.
I stand for solidarity, connection & joy.
I struggle with overwhelm, exhaustion & fear.
I long for reverence, balance & peace.
I created Roots of She because it needed to exist. Because truth & tenderness are precious gems, in this noisy, chaotic world. Because everything is connected.
Because no one is alone.
That’s the soundbite version of my story.
I thought about writing a longer, more leisurely version… but instead, I’ll just tell you a few secrets. Secrets are more fun.
SECRET #1: I was an anarchist.
The year was 2003. The place was Baltimore. The Iraq War had just begun.
I had just graduated from college, and the world felt like a frenzied, unforgiving place.
So I did what any pro-active feminist would do: I joined a collective of anti-war anarchists, and co-founded a donation-based clothing & book shop, called The Free Store.
The Free Store was beautiful. The Free Store was good. But The Free Store — like any organization — had problems & frailties. Over time, I became profoundly frustrated.
I wanted connection, solidarity & joy so deeply … and I couldn’t find it. Anywhere.
Many years later, that same deep-rooted desire for connection inspired me to co-found my first online community — Kind Over Matter — and eventually my second online sanctuary, Roots of She.
The lesson?
True desires never leave us — they just find new expressions.
SECRET #2: My body is different.
I have an auto-immune disorder called Hashimoto’s disease. It sounds scary.
And it is.
It means I’m cold, tired, anxious, dizzy, and foggy — a lot of the time. It means missing work, skipping dates, and occasionally slurring my words — even when I’m stone-cold sober.
But in many ways, Hashimoto’s has been my greatest teacher.
Because my body is different, I’ve become a master at self-care — and a masterful self-care coach.
Because my body is different, I’m an expert at catching myself when I push too hard, too much, too fast, too often.
Because my body is different, I’ve create an encyclopedic collection of self-care practices that I can turn to, when I need immediate balance & healing.
Because my body is different, I watch, listen, daydream, pray, breathe, sky-gaze, laugh, sing, enjoy and revel in every moment of this messy life because it’s mine.
Because my body is different, I’ve chosen to thrive.
SECRET #3: I’ve tasted desperation.
I took my first big job because I needed $10,000 to pay off a student loan, and I needed it fast.
There was no 5-year plan, no visionary dream, no lofty ambitions. Just cash. Now. Please, and thank you.
I know what it feels like to be trapped by debt, constricted by fear, overwhelmed by inertia.
But I also know what it feels like to take steps — small steps, simple steps, sacred steps — towards creating the life, career & community that you want. (And, cough cough, ahem. That’s precisely what I help women do — as a private life coach.)
SECRET #4: I can touch my toes …
… thanks to years of Baptiste yoga. I also live in house by the sea, and have a cat named Bean the Boy Kitten. So, if you’re wondering … YES.
Dreams do come true.
SECRET #5: I saw the waterfalls.
After my dad died, I was paralyzed with anxiety. My home was the only place that felt safe — and my comfort zone was a ten-mile radius around my bedroom.
But before long, my heart started to whisper. Softly, then louder. It wanted fresh air, adventures, freedom, and wonder.
And one day, I decided to drive to the waterfalls. Nearly two hours away from home. Alone. In my car. Rumbling with fears & anxieties. Just because … I needed to see them.
I thought of turning around, a thousand times or more. I called my boyfriend. I kept on driving. I did it anyway. And the falls? They were beautiful.
So those are my secrets — except, they’re no longer secrets, but stories.
And when you’re ready — I’d love to hear your stories, too.
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With love & reverence,
