I created Space to be Heard because I know what it feels like when you can’t see a way forward.

When I was buried in the overwhelm of building yoga studios completely burnt out, exhausted and unsure how I could possibly keep going, I needed someone who understood what I was experiencing. A mentor, a support person, a sounding board, someone who could see clearly when I couldn't because they'd lived through it themselves.

I was lucky and I found that person for me. The support I received changed everything.

Space to be Heard exists because no one should have to feel alone and unsupported during challenging times. I do this work because I have the experience and the perspective to see what founders can't see when they're in the thick of it. When you're just trying to keep your head above water, it's hard to know which way is up. Sometimes you just need someone who's been where you are to simply listen.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

I consider myself down to earth, pragmatic and someone who believes that taking time to rest isn't weakness it's intelligence. I'm someone who's lived a real life and certainly not someone who followed a ‘normal’ trajectory.

When most people were leaving high school, I started a family. I worked my way through hospitality and owned a restaurant. I then found myself in the dental industry as a dental nurse and worked my way up to managing dental surgeries for 10 years. Then a strong internal desire to feel inspired by my work led me to leave my job to become a yoga teacher and Co-Founding Humming Puppy yoga studios across three continents.

Life experience speaks louder than credentials most of the time. I've made my way through a few highs and a few more lows that taught me a lot.

On the outside (I've been told) I look like I have it all together and now I would say I do, most of the time. But for years the crushing weight of doing, creating, building, growing and being someone to everyone was slowly destroying me on the inside.

It wasn't until I had the privilege of taking a full year off work that I was able to stop and listen. It wasn't easy. In many ways it was the most uncomfortable time of my life. Sitting with my thoughts with no work to distract me, no one else and nothing else to pour my time and energy into. I had to face myself. I spent months contemplating how to move forward in a sustainable way that conserved rather than depleted my energy and kept me inspired.

The work I do now is a combination of all of that: life within work, work within life, and the understanding that you cannot sustain what you don't embody.