I grew up in a working class family, with Deaf parents, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In 2002, I graduated from the University of Wisconsin with a bachelor’s degree in Cultural Anthropology and the Comparative Study of Religions.

Soon after, the grandmother who helped raise me was near the end of her life. She drew me close and whispered: “follow your heart, Sarah.” Carried by the wind and with my grandma’s blessing, I moved to Denver, Colorado, in 2004 and began an ever-evolving career in the marketing and communications industry, working closely with non-profit agencies, religious organizations, and local governments. Truly, “it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” I made dear life-long friends, got married, and started my own business. I was devastated by the death of my best friend, came to terms with my toxic marriage and got a divorce. I found my first therapist. I started to recognize my unhealthy patterns and learned what “codependent” means. I looked myself in the mirror and realized I did not recognize the person I had become.

When I finally relaxed my grip on the world and turned my focus outward to the natural world, I was able to hear the voice of my authentic self calling. It was weary from being ignored for so long, but it never abandoned me. It called me to change horses in midstream, to become a mental health counselor and engage in the important work of “soul-tending,” supporting my fellow human beings to find and bravely walk their own path through this world.