Am I the right person to help you?

My Stress Resilience Origin Story

As a civil engineer, I specialized in finding unique solutions to complex problems. I loved my career but I pushed myself much too hard, ignoring the signs of burnout. After the third clinical burnout in my adult life, I was left with symptoms which made it impossible to return to the hard-driven lifestyle that was all I knew. In order to heal from burnout and find a healthier way forward, I needed to find a new approach to working with life’s pressures and my own desires and patterns. 

So, I took a deep dive into all of the relevant self-help books I could find. Unfortunately, I discovered most of the stress management and mindfulness advice I could find was oversimplified, or came from a place of entitlement, or wasn’t compatible with my neurodiversity, personal situation, or needs - in short, it wasn’t helpful. The deeper I went, the more I discovered the experience of being left behind in this struggle is distressingly common.  

Eventually I found resources written by researchers for clinicians, which contain the underpinnings of the techniques that are commodified and watered down to fit the mass market of the Wellness sphere. In order to heal, I had to adapt the seeds of these techniques to fit my own specific needs. Now I revel in helping others find personalized strategies and methods to manage stress and improve their lives. I'll work with you to understand your unique situation and develop an approach that's tailored to your needs.

My approach:  Start with where you are and make it work for you.

I bring a deep compassion for the experiences of both overstress and the ways being different from the default can leave you feeling left behind. I believe the only way to sustainably make the changes you want to see starts with embracing yourself as you are.

  • Does breath-focused meditation trigger an anxiety attack for you? I’ve got other options! 

  • Are you just not going to exercise, no matter how important you know it is? I can’t help with your cholesterol, but I know techniques to complete stubborn stress cycles without it. 

  • Do you have trauma, neurodivergence, or other weird circumstances that get in your way? I’m not a therapist, but I can work with you to meet yourself where you are in terms of your relationship to your stresses and stressors. 

  • Are you overwhelmed and have no idea where or how to start? I’ll work with you to discover your priorities, set a goal, develop your action steps, and support you on the follow-through. 

I combine decades of experience in design, troubleshooting, and project management with nerdy joy at discovering new techniques in my chosen field. I make the effort to get to know your unique situation so I can tailor my constantly expanding toolbox of techniques to your specific needs and preferences.

If any of this resonates with you, contact me to develop better ways to manage your stress and bounce back from setbacks. 

Advice for dealing with stress is so often oversimplified, or presumes a universal experience. I help you find what will work for your unique self.

Chat with me

Curious, but unsure if I’m the right person to help you? Book a free consultation to find out how I can help you, or if I have resources you might find helpful.