My Story

I am a curious explorer of the universe! I have always wondered, what is the true nature of reality? For most of my life, I have used the lens of Western science in search of answers to this question. I studied engineering and physics in college and went on to study space propulsion in graduate school. At a certain point, the pursuit of academic success swallowed up my entire life and identity. I had lost touch with my childlike curiosity and joy for exploring our fascinating universe. Two years before I graduated with my PhD, I burned out. My passion and vitality disintegrated, and I developed debilitating anxiety. My mind, the source of my intellectual strengths and academic success, had become my tormentor. Fear-based intrusive thoughts rendered me incapable of functioning in my daily life and created a self-reinforcing cycle of anxiety. Getting professional help was an essential first step in healing.

The road to reclaiming my health has been long, challenging, and, fortunately, full of learning opportunities. Mental illness thrusted me into unknown territory: my inner world of thoughts and feelings. I came face to face with the perfectionism and conditional self-worth that drove me to overwork and neglect my wellbeing. Studying and practicing yoga revealed how my thoughts and beliefs influenced my behavior and altered my perception of reality. Through the practice of mindfulness, from the Buddhist traditions, I learned that I could create a healthier relationship to my thinking mind and access greater calm, clarity, compassion, and connection. While not a panacea for mental health, I have found yoga, mindfulness, and compassion practices to be immeasurably valuable for cultivating inner transformation. I was so inspired by these practices that I completed a 200-hour yoga teacher training program and an 85-hour prenatal yoga teacher training program. I have taught yoga at Otter Creek Yoga in Middlebury, VT and at Dartmouth College. I have also taught Koru Mindfulness at Middlebury College.

A critical piece of my healing process has been receiving coaching. I have periodically sought out the support of health & life coaches over the years. I kept finding myself getting stuck - feeling paralyzed with overwhelm, lost in the fog of uncertainty, or weighed down by self-limiting beliefs. I needed a coach to help me move my life forwards. My coaches have helped me connect with my inner wholeness (something that everyone has!) so that I can take positive actions in alignment with my values and goals, even in the presence of unhelpful mental chatter and emotional reactivity. I realized that I wanted to learn how to be my own coach and to help others, which is why I completed a health & life coaching certification with Health Yoga Life LLC. I currently lead group coaching sessions for Wellfulli, a company focused on emotional wellness.

Certifications

Trainings