For most of my adolescent and adult life, I was searching for the thing that would finally make me feel better.

I hated myself, my body, and I always felt unsafe. I didn’t even let myself think happiness was the goal, because I truly didn’t believe it was possible. I just wanted to feel calmer. More grounded.

More like I belonged somewhere.

I tried everything! From becoming a certified yoga instructor and EFT practitioner, to studying western herbalism, Ayurveda, and meditation.. and yes, I even tried Beachbody Coaching! I took courses in breathwork, somatic movement, nutrition, mindful eating, nervous system regulation, reiki, crystals, chakras, quantum physics, neuro-linguistics, and vagus nerve science. I dove deep into Human Design, Gene Keys and astrology. I bought all the supplements. I saw all the main-stream and alternative medical practitioners. I read more self-help books than I can count. You name it. I was always learning, always improving, always hoping the next tool would be the one that would ‘fix me’.

And while all of that helped, truly, it wasn’t until I was 36 and attended an all-women retreat in Sedona that something finally clicked.

What I needed wasn’t another strategy, skill, or supplement.
It was nature.
And it was women.

Being outside. Sitting in a circle. Sharing space with other women. Laughing, resting, listening, without fixing anything. That experience reminded me of something ancient and very simple.

I also realized that happiness wasn’t what I had imagined it to be. It wasn’t constant joy or feeling good all the time. It was something quieter. A sense that everything is going to be okay. That I am held, even on the days when nothing feels resolved. That the earth, the trees, the seasons, and the small rituals of my life will hold me. And that sometimes, it’s as simple as catching the knowing smile of another woman at the grocery store, a soft nod that says, I see you.

A reminder that none of us are really alone.

Women are literally made of magic. We co-regulate one another. We soften when we’re together. We take turns holding one another, picking up the pieces when someone else can’t, trusting that we will be held in return when we need it.

We remember who we are in each other’s presence.

That realization changed everything.

The circles, workshops, and gatherings I offer now are rooted in that knowing. They are not about becoming a better version of yourself or learning one more thing. They are about slowing down, reconnecting with your body and the natural world, and remembering that you don’t have to do life alone.

My approach is gentle, grounded, and very human. There is tea. There is often a conversation about a herb or plant that can support us, depending on the season or what we are moving through. There is space to breathe. No pressure to share. No pressure to arrive calm or put together. Just room to be exactly where you are, alongside other women who get it.

If you have spent years searching for the thing that will finally make you feel okay, and you are starting to suspect the answer might be connection, you are very welcome here.

And yes, my middle name really is Joy.