I grew up in Danville, Illinois, a small, blue-collar town in the Midwestern United States. I left immediately after high school to begin a career as a deep-sea diver. Towards the end of my 11-year career in the oilfield as a diver and deck foreman I lost many of my close friends to suicide, overdose, and other reasons. I began dealing with depression, anxiety attacks, and addiction.  I was barely holding on with the help of therapy and prescription psychoactive medications. 

Then in 2017 I was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer. This turned my whole world upside down and I quickly felt things spinning out of control. I knew I had to make a change. Between 40 rounds of chemotherapy, 28 rounds of radiation, and 7 surgeries, I took a trip to Thailand to clear my head and quickly became aware of the importance of self-care.

My doctors gave me no advice on how to take care of myself even telling me to eat ice cream to keep on weight and that sugar didn’t affect cancer.  Just take the pills and do nothing. I was empowered to take my health into my own hands. I stumbled upon breathwork and it changed everything for me. After I finished treatment, I returned back to East Asia to heal myself physically, mentally, and emotionally and find what I wanted in this life.

Over the next 3 years of traveling Asia I changed my diet-not just what I eat but becoming aware of everything that I put into my body and mind. From 10-day silent meditation centers in the jungles of Thailand, intensive yoga trainings, countless emotional workshops, to leading retreats hiking the Himalayan mountains, I found my answers, created my self-care toolkit, and began teaching the lessons I had learned.

I returned home in the fall of 2021 to share what has helped me heal and feel my best with my community.   I didn’t want my suffering to be for nothing and I believe it’s my life’s purpose to help others on their journey to health and happiness.