I am open minded and endlessly curious about WHY we (dogs included) behave or respond the way we do to any given environment or situation.

I grew up in a home that required me, at a young age, to develop a strong sense of energetic awareness. In order to establish physical and emotional safety, I learned how to read the emotional states of others - the silver lining to trauma. My Father was a severe alcoholic with suicidal tendencies, he also struggled with multiple mental health concerns and was generally not a safe person to be around. After a roller coaster of homelessness, hospitalizations, addiction centres, and a lot of reckless behaviour - he eventually, and admittedly to my relief, transitioned back to the stars in 2023.

These difficult and deeply influential childhood experiences lead me down a long, and sometimes dark, path of self-discovery and healing. It also granted me an infinite amount of empathy for others (dogs included) who experience big emotions while working on their ability to self-regulate a sensitive nervous system.

It took me a long time (…like 33 years) to recognize how anxiety was impacting my mental, physical, and relational wellness. I thought I was just a hyper-productive, tenacious go-getter. I have since learned that imbalanced coping mechanisms take many forms, some of which are celebrated as societal norms, but best not be confused as “healthy.”

My dogs, and experiences with wolves in Inner Mongolia (although brief) forced me to listen. To slow down. To tap into the rhythms of the energy world that shape our reality. To trust in the magic that is all around, all the time, that we cannot see, touch or smell.

Dogs were always and have remained my greatest refuge in the darkest of days. I am drawn to their grounded energy, capacity to forgive, to live in the moment, to shake off conflict, and to love unconditionally without judgement.

My Story