Creative Compass and ART LAB
True Story
I tried to get sober before I ever took my first sip of alcohol. Substance use disorder touches every branch of my family tree.
In middle school, I watched my friends struggle in ways that adults dismissed as a phase. Too many of us felt invisible and alone. We needed someone to listen deeply, without judgment.
Photo by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash
In eighth grade, I proposed a peer counseling program where kids could support other kids. By my sophomore year of high school, I partnered with our guidance counselor and a treatment center to create a support system for students returning from rehab. Thirty-six years later, the Peer Helper group is still going strong.
As a young adult, I set impossibly high expectations for myself. I worked tirelessly as a wife, mom, teacher, and daughter—the one everyone relied on to fix problems and get things done. But I had no idea what I wanted or needed. I looked to others for my self-worth.
Am I doing enough? Am I a good person? Who am I if I’m not constantly doing?
The only time I allowed myself to slow down was with a glass of wine, either with friends or alone in front of the TV. My therapist at the time said a glass of wine to unwind wasn’t a problem. I created rules around my drinking, which worked—until they didn’t. My “self-care” slowly turned into a substance use disorder.
I felt my world getting smaller and lonelier. I implemented strategies and had my “last drink” many times. I found a new therapist who partnered with me to develop healthier coping mechanisms. I went to recovery meetings, read books, and took online classes.
On October 12, 2016, I stopped drinking.
Abstaining from alcohol is a big win for me. But the real work is emotional sobriety. It’s about learning who I am beneath the expectations, trusting that I’m already whole, and loving myself unconditionally.
This happens in community—with people who listen deeply, without judgment. We discover who we are and learn to love ourselves—both when we’re a hot mess and when we’ve got it all together.
Through recovery, I stopped running from difficult emotions. I started listening. And I learned that real clarity doesn’t come from fixing, controlling, or forcing—it comes from connecting to your personal compass, again and again.
Photo by Hanna Balan on Unsplash
The Work I Do Now
I’ve built an emotional sobriety toolkit that invites in equanimity, creativity, and connection. I help others do the same through my Creative Compass Signature Program and ART LAB workshops.
I draw from my experience as a professional coach, 200-hour certified yoga teacher, and secondary teacher to provide client-centered sessions. I share with others—not because I have it all figured out, but because I found a way to navigate the messy, uncharted journey called life.
Mindfulness practices, writing, and mixed-media art shape my journey. As a lifelong learner who continues to grow, I help you tap into your own creative compass.
Together, we explore what it means to live from your center—to trust your intuition, honor your needs, and reconnect with your creative spirit.
You’ll learn to return to yourself through awareness, curiosity, and compassion.
You’ll begin to build a life that feels aligned, grounded, and connected.
Like Me, You Can
• Build an emotional sobriety toolkit
• Create from curiosity, not perfection
• Practice self-trust and self-compassion
• Embrace your wholeness—right here, right now
This is your permission to evolve—to let go of what no longer serves you and embrace what does.
I’d love for you to subscribe to Creative Compass for upcoming workshops, inspiration, and to schedule a discovery call for one-on-one coaching.