My life was transformed 10 years ago when I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disease. It gave me a new way of seeing the world as I partially lost sight in my right eye and challenged the way I related to the ‘different’ me. The fear of loss of personal identity and career aspirations was emotionally debilitating, and I was overwhelmed by the physically disabling symptoms of MS which are numerous, unpredictable, mostly invisible, and uniquely personal.
Grief accompanies an autoimmune disease diagnosis, a process that is distinct for each and every one of us. I embarked on a journey of self-discovery, never losing sight of the strong belief that no matter what, “I'll be ok”. My resiliency and passion to thrive in the face of adversity and discrimination gifted me with the awareness that creative art expression was my therapeutic tool. It gave me the freedom to proudly celebrate the vulnerability of my authentic self, to confidently redefine my life’s purpose, and to listen attentively to my intuitive wisdom.
I was driven to share the healing potential of creativity, to be a nurturing support and liberating inspiration for people living with an autoimmune disease and their communities. Hence, my identity as a trilingual multi-disciplinary artist was channelled into becoming a qualified counselling psychologist, specialising in Expressive Arts Therapy, Interpersonal Neurobiology, NLP, and Mindfulness.
From a strength-based integrative approach, I am committed to building sensitive, compassionate, therapeutic relationships with my clients, advocating for their mental health needs. In applying psychotherapeutic embodied techniques, I help my clients empower the ease of their dis-ease by learning to manage stress effectively, take control of decision-making, and experience a renewed sense of self. These are strengthened by an informed understanding of how the intricate connection between mind, body and soul has the healing potential for personal growth and positive change.