during the highest peak of my life, my partner and i became extremely ill seemingly out of nowhere. it truly felt like the fall from eden; one moment we were traveling the world, and the next, we were utterly debilitated to the point of being bedridden. our worlds flipped upside down in what felt like the blink of an eye. 

after many painful months of dwelling in the unknown, i was diagnosed with chronic lyme disease, mold toxicity (CIRS), heavy metals, many chronic viruses, parasites, long haul covid, hashimoto’s, and more — all at age 21.my quality of life was 0.

i quickly found myself stuck riding the medical merry-go-round, bouncing from doctor to doctor with no success. i tried everything i could think of — from 9 different health practitioners, to an out of state clinic, to a strict reform of my diet (multiple different times), to hundreds of supplements and herbs, to countless alternative modalities, to getting my yoga teacher training, to 10 day silent meditation retreats, to healing ceremonies, to online courses on somatic healing and brain retraining, to constant prayer. my family spent hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to get me better. i was hanging on by a thread, barely able to lift my head from the pillow most days. my symptom list was endless and nothing i did seemed to help. words cannot even scratch the surface.

after 3 years, my boyfriend had almost completely healed, but i was still miserably ill, beyond exhausted, and feeling incredibly hopeless. i felt like a burden in the lives of everyone that i loved. truthfully, a big part of me wanted to die, but somehow, i trusted that G*d had a bigger plan for me. i just wanted to be able to help others with all i had endured.

all along, i had an inner knowing that going through this darkness would eventually lead me to a greater purpose. i prayed and prayed for the strength to trust in the excruciatingly long, grueling, painful process.

i still do today.

i owe everything to my boyfriend, family, and friends who continue to support me throughout my journey.

the past three years have been … purifying. many times, i wanted to give up. the relentless fires of suffering continue to burn away all illusion and attachment, and to strip back every layer of ego until all that remains standing amongst the ashes and ruin is Truth.

i wouldn’t wish anyone the pain i have faced, but i wish everyone the grace and compassion that facing it has given me.

my ongoing health battle has simultaneously been the greatest challenge and blessing. it has opened my heart and strengthened my soul in unimaginable ways, leaving me eager to serve others and positively impact the world. i know without hesitation that it is my purpose on this earth to help others alchemize their pain and suffering into wisdom and grace, hence the name: “the wounded healer.”