How my journey led to coaching…

Walking the path in Arches National Park, May 2025

Every journey starts with the realization that your current path is no longer the right one. For me, that moment arrived when it was suggested that I leave teaching.  Education had been my purpose and passion for two decades, following an earlier career in civil engineering. Yet, it was no longer sustainable; I was exhausted, unhealthy, and out of alignment with my core values. I lacked perspective and needed to leave that path to discover one that offered greater alignment and authenticity.

As an educator, I fostered a classroom environment that students genuinely enjoyed, both for being there and for learning. I developed a community built on mutual reliance and respect for each individual's inherent dignity. A significant part of my time was dedicated to helping students understand how their brains function and learn best. Additionally, I worked with adults, shedding light on the experiences and frustrations students faced daily impacting their ability to learn. Many of these students were neurodiverse, with identified or unidentified differences in attention, sensory needs, and/or communication styles and behaviors. Some had diagnoses like ADHD or Autism, while many others did not. Regardless, these neurodiverse students were empowered to advocate for themselves, enabling them to be authentically themselves and learn more effectively.

These years of working in classrooms, particularly with students who required higher behavior and/or emotional support, highlighted the importance of integrating neuroscience and nervous system regulation into the school environment. I observed firsthand the positive impact of my own emotional regulation and brain awareness on my students. As I became more open about my own learning and working styles, they, in turn, felt more comfortable being authentic. This vulnerability allowed their defenses to come down and ask for the help they needed in order to learn.  This experience reinforced my conviction in the value of feeling seen and appreciated, while also acknowledging the significance of neurodiversity and brain science especially when learning, growing and changing. 

The students' struggles—their sense of not belonging and/or “being different”, difficulty with emotional regulation, exhaustion from "masking," and the frustration and shame stemming from learning challenges—were deeply felt. This same pain is experienced by many neurodiverse adults and their support systems. Developing self-awareness of their authentic selves and habits, along with learning to advocate for their needs, is crucial to reducing pain and stigma.  Releasing that pain and stigma allows room for self acceptance, growth, and change.  

After I left the classroom, I set out to seek understanding — for myself, for the people around me, and for the communities I care about.  I wanted to explore questions that didn’t have easy answers: Why can some people tolerate being in spaces that leave others feeling stuck? Why does it matter if people embrace their authenticity? How can living from this place of self acceptance help bridge the gap between intention and reality and create meaningful change?

Along my journey, I discovered the transformative power of coaching. The kind of coaching that involves working with a client's innate self-knowledge to help them achieve their goals. My own coaches created "containers" that allowed me to explore what held me back and envision how I wanted to show up differently. They provided the same safe, nurturing spaces I created in my classrooms for years – environments where students could grow, take risks, and make better choices. Through active listening, unwavering support, and a non-judgmental approach that values the individual, my coaches empowered me.

Now, I am here to offer that same experience. Just as my coaches did for me, I witness and celebrate individuals as they navigate challenges, uncover their strengths, and move towards the lives they want to live.  Working especially with a neurodiverse client and/or their support system allows me to fuse my passionate belief in the power of neuroscience and nervous system regulation and coaching in a way that can ease pain and build confidence allowing for new opportunities and/or growth.

This blog is part of that journey. Here, I’ll be sharing reflections, strategies, and resources that I hope will not only encourage you but also give you practical tools for daily life. My goal is simple: to create a space where learning, growth, and support meet — and where no one has to walk their path alone.

If you’re reading this, thank you for being here at the very beginning. I’m excited to grow this space together, one story, one insight, and one step at a time.  And if this created some new insights for you, I invite you to contact me to explore if coaching is right for you, subscribe, and/or share this post.   

Finally, I ask you to reflect:  What is one small way I can seek understanding and honor my authentic self each day?