About

I teach presence, acceptance and non-judgement.

I WANT TO LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE everyone smiles more, looks you in the eye, and is in tune with the fire of love burning in their hearts… a world where ART and BEAUTY are central to our daily edification and human connection is deep, satisfying, and dependable.

WHAT I KNOW FOR SURE is we are all going to die. Our days are numbered and that makes each moment a precious gift. No one truly knows what lays ahead or behind this earthbound existence. Our task is to BE HERE NOW. Your soul came here to BE HUMAN.

I BELIEVE we are not here to escape or ascend this life. We are here to witness, delight, and enjoy the multitude of colors, textures, and phenomena always arising, within ourselves, and the world around us. I believe the deepest parts of us are calling for a revolution of the mind – a lifting of the veil that blinds us to our own freedom.

8 Things about me in no particular order…

I AM IN AN ALL-GIRL PUNK BAND. It was never a dream of mine to play in a band. However, I did dream of finding my tribe and empowering others to be themselves. What’s more punk rock than that? You can find our music here and Facebook page here.

MY INTRODUCTION TO MEDITATION started when a friend kept gently urging me to do a 21-day meditation challenge with Oprah and Deepak Chopra. I resisted for over a year because I didn’t think it counted as “real” meditation. Ha! Little did I know it would change the course of my life forever and be a guiding light for discovering my Life’s Work.

IN 2014 I GAVE A TEDxSalem TALK. For months leading up to the talk, I was riddled with anxiety at the thought of public speaking. This led to the biggest panic attack of my life. Through breathing and present-moment awareness practices, I came through it, and the subject for my TEDxTalk was born: You Are Your Greatest Ally.

MY AWAKENING HAPPENED 2005, after the birth of my first child. It happened accidentally, like pulling at a thread and inadvertently unraveling all aspect of myself, and my life. It was both the most terrifying and liberating experience of my life. It’s the whole reason I’m here with you today.

I’M A CERTIFIED MINDFULNESS MEDITATION TEACHER via Tara Brach + Jack Kornfield‘s world renowned teacher training program. This doesn’t really mean much to me in regards to having a certification. However, being a lifetime student and going deeper into this work will always be at the core of everything I do.

1.2 MILLION STUDENTS WORLDWIDE have participated in my meditation + mindfulness courses, 1:1 coaching, guided meditations, and events since 2012.

I LAUNCHED STAY WITH YOURSELF IN 2013 as a storytelling co-op. The aim was to create a safe place for people to share their stories and find out they aren’t alone in their experiences. During that time, I also organized live storytelling events called, Stories from the Dark Side. The response was overwhelmingly positive. You can listen to a selection of the stories here.

SOMETHING NOT MANY PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT ME is that I was raised by two ex-convicts. As a kid, I often went with my mom and step-dad to visit inmates at the local prisons, feed the homeless, and sometimes shelter a vagabond who showed up on our doorstep. This has played a major role in my ability to relate to humans from all walks of life. You can read My Life in Moments: A Poetic Memoir to learn more.

Find me on Insight Timer, the world’s #1 meditation app!