I’ve always believed that no matter how dark life can get, light will always find a way through. The photo you see — the clouds, the light, the edge of a storm — mirrors my own journey.

My story began long before I became a coach. I was an Olympian, an athlete who learned early what discipline, mindset, and grit could do. But after the Olympics, life took an unexpected turn. In 1999, I found myself on a rollercoaster I never saw coming — a journey with bipolar disorder that tested me in ways nothing else ever could.

Through sheer will, white-knuckling struggle, and moments that felt shadowed by darkness, I fought to find balance and peace. My years in corporate America, working in the pharmaceutical industry — even promoting the very class of medications I would one day take — gave me a unique understanding of mental health from both sides of the system. That knowledge, and the lived experience that came with it, became part of what saved me. Because when you’re thrust into a mental health crisis, the system doesn’t hand you a guidebook. You have to learn to sink or swim, to find your way through confusion, fear, and sometimes the wrong doors before you find the right ones.

But I did find my way. I survived — and eventually, I thrived. I became a mental health advocate and speaker, sharing my story with thousands to remind them that seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. I’ve taught hundreds of people in Mental Health First Aid, helping others learn how to reach out and support those who are struggling.

Coaching became the next evolution of that purpose — a way to bring together everything I’ve learned: the mental toughness of an athlete, the compassion of lived experience, and the belief that resilience can be built, one choice at a time.

Today, I help others rise above shame, rediscover their confidence, and transform their pain into power. I believe that resilience isn’t just about getting through hard times — it’s about growing through them. It’s about finding the light, even when the sky is dark.