Empowering empaths to remember, restore, and reclaim their power.
So you can thrive in your life with purpose and intention.
Why I Do This Work
or, how it started:
As a kid, I was always teased for being “too sensitive”, crying at the smallest thing, getting emotionally attached to everything. Growing up as a firstborn daughter in an Asian immigrant household, tears were for the weak, which meant crying was not permitted (even when you got an ass-whooping – this is how I learned how to bite my tongue. Literally.).
So, I learned to stuff it down—all of my emotions—and feel nothing.*
I became this steel box.
(*In case you didn’t know, numbness is a symptom of the sympathetic nervous system response of Freeze.)
I also learned how to protect myself by people-pleasing. It was safer to take care of other people’s needs and to do what they said than it was to express my needs. This, as a child.
But, like a pressure cooker, those boxed-in emotions were inevitably going to bubble over, if not outright explode.
For me, that looked like excessive blackout drinking (bordering on alcohol abuse), obsessive workout habits, and, well, poetry. Poetry is what saved me. But that’s a story for another time.
Fast forward to my 40s: I heard the word “empath” for the very first time.
I knew I was “sensitive”. I suspected I had ESP (extra-sensory perception, which is the term they used back in the late 80s). But beyond that? I didn’t know much about myself. I just accepted that I was weird and, subconsciously, I was going to do whatever I needed to survive.
When I discovered that the word “empath” might very well describe me, my world shifted. Suddenly, I wasn’t a weirdo. I was actually part of a group of people who were designed to tap into the world’s energy in order to guide us, collectively, toward thriving.
The problem was that I didn’t know how to manage my energy. I didn’t know how to stop people from draining me. I, once again, just accepted that this is how it was. That I would always feel depleted because this was my role in the world. To be the energy keeper and conduit, the guide for others through the portals and thresholds of the human existence.
And then I discovered that I was wrong. That empaths and HSPs (highly sensitive people) can—and MUST!—manage their energy. That we are allowed to thrive in our own lives. That we can act from a place of empowerment.
What use are we to others if we are depleted? How can we be of service to others if we have an empty cup?
I’m here to tell you that it IS possible to face the fires of our time as the imperial empire falls and still stand tall. Yes, it IS possible to feel the grief and rage AND still walk away in one piece. It IS possible to bounce back quickly from vulnerability hangovers. It IS possible to stop our nervous systems from getting fried, to replenish our energy, and to take aligned action with confidence and strength. And yes, it is possible to thrive in the face of so much destruction. It’s actually imperative that we do.
So, with that said…
You’re in the right place if…
You’ve ever been called (and mocked as) “too sensitive”.
You are sick and tired of being sick and tired.
You are done with giving your power away.
You want to say goodbye to vulnerability hangovers.
You want to stop the continuous energy drain and shield yourself from energy vampires.
You know your ancestors are here to guide you, but you’re having a hard time hearing them.
You suspect that you’re magical, but you can’t remember how.
You know you were meant for more than just surviving, but instead, thriving in this life.
You understand that being in right relationship with Mother Earth is a priority.
You envision a liberated world, understanding that liberation for one means liberation for all, which includes a free Palestine.
Our values and what we stand for:
Community
We look out for each other and honor each other’s growth and evolution. We understand that everything we do as individuals benefits all. We cultivate right relationship with each other and with the planet, which includes the spirit of reciprocity. Giving and receiving are in balance.
Responsibility
We take ownership of our actions and do our best to correct missteps. We are responsible for our own growth and healing and ask for help and/or guidance when needed.
Integrity
We honor and respect each other, leading with love. We take actions that are aligned with our highest good and the highest good of all. We do our best to make amends when we make a mistake, knowing that this is all part of growth.
Service
We understand that we are part of a larger collective and have been called to act in service of our highest good as well as the highest good of all. We know that we are meant to share our gifts in order to help heal and elevate the collective.
My Training & Background:
As a firstborn daughter of Filipino immigrants, I was taught very early on that my needs came last. My most important duties were to attend to the needs, demands, and expectations of the adults in my life: my parents, my grandparents, teachers, etc. I learned how to abandon myself.
But somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew that it was wrong. That the roles were reversed. That I, the child, was the one whose needs were to be met first. This knowing stuck with me my entire life where I would do small things to take care of myself. Escaping into writing. Hiding in my closet for alone time with my stuffed animals.
I always felt that I was meant for more than the roles Western society imposed on me. I was always Seeking. So, I sought out more knowledge, more teachings, more understandings of what it is to be human. I wanted to learn how to heal and navigate this material world through concrete tools and practices.
As a result, I have received the following certifications:
Vinaysa / Hatha yoga - 200-hr YTT from Onyx Yoga
Bhakti Yoga - 300-hr advanced YTT from Supersoul Yoga
Kundalini yoga - 220-hr KRI certification from Khalsa Yoga & Healing
Trauma-informed yoga – 30-hr certification from Kula for Karma
Sound into Silence meditation certification from Denise Mihalik
Breathwork Facilitator certification from David Elliott
Life Coaching certification from Life Coach Training Institute
Not to mention that I have my advanced degree in creative writing with two decades of experience, teaching students how to tap into their emotions and create art as a way to declare that we matter.
