my personal background
I grew up in Berkeley, California and Clayton, Missouri before earning my bachelor’s degree in Romance Languages and Literature at Harvard University. After college, I studied and traveled in western Europe and Brazil for four years. I returned to the US to complete a master’s degree in Advanced International Studies at Johns Hopkins University in Washington, DC and earn postgraduate translation credentials at Georgetown University. I started a business translating from French, German, Portuguese and Spanish in 1996.
As a translator, I helped people express themselves across barriers of language, culture, business and relationships. Looking back at that experience, I see I was also learning about the power of what I call the hidden narrative: the underlying values, assumptions and meaning that shape so much of how we see ourselves. I learned what it feels like to be "lost in translation" as a metaphor for being disconnected from your true self. I also started to see how much words define us, and how we can harness the power of new narratives to shape our lives.
my path to coaching
After years as a linguist, I had become very unhappy at work, and it was taking its toll on me physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Losing my confidence, second-guessing myself and struggling to stay on course, I see now that I was caught in my own hidden narrative, driven by the twin demons of perfectionism and never feeling “good enough.” I knew I was stuck so I decided to see where coaching would take me. I had no idea what was ahead.
Coaching gave me both the courage to move forward and the confidence to act in alignment with my values. Knowing that I had an advocate in my corner energized and inspired me, and I started to question old ways of handling situations and to think in new ways.
My coach helped me find a new narrative for myself at work. As a lifelong learner, I realized I could transform work as a source of validation and self-sacrifice into a place of learning. I gave myself permission to explore new directions, and I stopped living in a zero-sum game that pitted my personal and family life against my professional commitments. It was exhilarating.
Before I could take charge of my life, I had to explore my emotions around work, partnership, parenting, and my personal history. I had to be honest with myself about how they were driving me and influencing my choices.
The first book my coach suggested I read was The Four Agreements/A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz. It helped me understand my own hidden narrative about what “agreements” I had unconsciously made with myself from my earliest years, and what I could do to end the repetitive performing/perfecting/ pleasing/proving routine (that’s Dr. Brene Brown’s phrase).
It was hard work, and I came to know myself better as a result. I learned to trust myself and honor my decisions. Finally, I set out on a new direction that was a much better fit and just what I needed to thrive.
my coaching credentials
In 2010, I left translation to launch a career as an executive coach after training with The Newfield Network. I am a Newfield Certified Coach (NCC) and accredited by the International Coaching Federation as a Professional Certified Coach (PCC).
In 2016, I discovered the work of Dr. David Drake at The Moment Institute. I cannot understate the power of his insights and guidance through the Narrative Coach curriculum. In part as a result of this transformational experience, I rebranded in 2018 as The Hidden Narrative LLC to embrace my lifelong belief in the power of narratives to shape and reshape our lives.
In 2020, I completed the Integrative Development Pilot Program, further deepening my work with Dr. Drake. I am now an Advisory Board member for The Moment Institute.
Alongside this work, I have also dedicated myself to learning about the impact of early trauma in shaping our trajectories, engaging with the work of Dr. Gabor Mate and Dr. Richard Schwartz to further my understanding of how to work more skillfully with my clients. I also meet regularly with an experienced coach and mentor for supervision and to finetune my approach and identify my blindspots.
