To be honest, I never would have imagined I'd be here: excited about and offering trauma-informed soul care.

I used to think self-care was trivial. It was a luxury I didn’t need or deserve. I felt guilty taking time for myself in the face of so much injustice and poverty. I thought my passion for the work would carry me through. Then I burned out. 

From Burned Out to Beloved: Soul Care for Wounded Healers is a bit of my journey, but more than that it's a trauma-informed soul care guide for people of faith working in high-stress, helping professions. 

I am still on the journey--pursuing recovery as a social justice codependent workaholic.

Now, as a fellow wounded healer, I get to lead trauma-informed soulcare workshops internationally and mentor helping professionals. 

I currently work as the Director of Soul Care for Northwest Family Life, a network of therapists trained to work with survivors of domestic violence and sexual trauma. As a bilingual social worker, chaplain, and pastoral advocate, I have worked in a variety of ministry and social service settings with people affected by addiction, sexual exploitation, incarceration, and immigration.

As I’ve worked through my own barriers to self-care, I’ve come to see that taking care of myself involves deeper inner healing and recovery, as well as more integrated practices than occasional excursions to the salon. For me, this is about connection to God who not only sustains and partners with me, but also helps me to accept my brokenness and tend to my wounds. It involves knowing that I am beloved regardless of what I do. 

My husband, Kenny, and I, live in San Diego with our two young daughters in an intentional neighborhood community.