My Story ( long version)

Moving to South Korea

A few years after receiving my Bachelor of Arts in Theatre, I packed my life up and moved to South Korea. I felt an unsettling curiosity to explore the world on the road less traveled. What was intended to be a six-month adventure evolved into a seven-year life-altering journey. I immersed myself into a TESL job (teaching English as a second language). I had no experience, yet I succeeded. Teaching felt like a natural transition for me as the tools that I acquired in the realm of performing expanded my capacity to connect with my students. Becoming an unofficial counselor to one of my students served as a catalyst to delve deeper into the world of mental health.

Volunteering at an orphanage

Volunteering at an orphanage enriched my life in ways I never imagined possible. On our first visit, my friends and I taught the children how to play hide-and-seek as we communicated in giggles and broken Korean. Later in the evening, we watched the children diligently put away their toys and prepare for their nightly routines. I will never forget the moment a child silently walked over to me, plopped his pajamas on my lap, and threw his arms up so I could put on his shirt. His craving for affection completely melted my heart.

During Christmas, we planned a party at the orphanage. News spread quickly and within a week we had over 40 volunteers. We created fun activity stations and Santa Claus surprised the children with gifts donated by people from all around the city. The end result was beyond our wildest dreams. I like to imagine the children’s laughter was heard around the world that day.

Dolce vita in Europe

My transition to Europe was anything but seamless. Leaving Korea felt like I was breaking up with a longtime partner. Little by little, I took comfort in the laid-back European lifestyle. I moved into the coziest 190 sq. ft. attic apartment in a historic neighborhood where famous authors once roamed the cobblestone streets. During this chapter of my life I indulged in art, food, history, and connected with the most vibrant souls. There was Mario, a passionate Sicilian guitarist, who played “The Godfather” theme song for me at sunset on a hilltop in Rome. I met Lui, a coffee business owner in Copenhagen, who I later went with on a hilarious tower-hopping adventure throughout Florence. I fell in love with traveling solo and ended up with the most invaluable stories from my encounters with strangers along the way. These connections would forever change my life.  

Traveling and relearning

Throughout my travels in Southeast Asia, I met incredibly humble people from all walks of life. In Thailand, I met a Rastafarian who deeply shifted my perspective on happiness. As he climbed up to his home in the jungle, a small treehouse he had built attached to his coffee shop, he happily shared with me, “I live in paradise. I have everything I need!” In Cambodia, I watched the silhouettes of a fisherman’s family at dusk in their small wooden floating home. As our boat drifted away in the remaining faint glow of the sunset, I watched the kids welcome their father home. I continued gazing at them as the family gathered around a small pot of food on the floor to share a meal. These experiences filled my heart with an overwhelming feeling of gratitude and joy, and made me fall in love with the human spirit. 

Performing and the “American Dream”

With the passage of time, my passion for performing resurfaced. I performed in a play, a musical revue, became a member of a classical singing choir, and got a part-time job as a voice-over actor. I felt so fulfilled! How many people can say that they’ve been able to combine their old and new passions together? 

While my friends at home were on the path to the “American Dream,” (i.e. graduate from university, establish a career, find a partner, get married, buy a house, and start a family), I was far from it. At times, I felt estranged for choosing to live so unconventionally and yet, I knew I was on the right path–the one meant for me. 

Eventually, my experiences living abroad inspired me to delve back into school. I got accepted into the distance Mental Health Counseling graduate program at Nova Southeastern University. Before I was set to move back home to begin my internship, I decided to slowly transition back to the western world. So, I applied for a teaching job in Spain, and off I went! 

Reverse culture shock

When I returned to the States, reverse culture shock ensued. I went from gallivanting through historic neighborhoods to driving in Miami traffic. At the agency where I completed my internship, I was nicknamed “Tree girl.” I brought my own bamboo silverware to work and packed away the leftover food our clients didn’t eat for my homeless friends down the street. My seven-year love affair with Mother Earth had changed me, and I stuck out like a sore thumb. I missed mini tea ceremonies with my Korean grandmas and grandpas, and I missed forest bathing. Going from slow living to fast everything was the ultimate challenge.

Africa: My Heart

Towards the end of my internship, I was given the opportunity to go on a humanitarian trip to Swaziland, Africa with a team of students and professors from the psychology department at Nova Southeastern University. We assessed orphaned children and students and provided group therapy, art therapy, and psychoeducation.

During our first visit to a childcare center I met a woman, a real-life hero, who voluntarily looked after more than a dozen orphans with only enough resources to feed three children daily. I met preschoolers who walked miles on empty stomachs for a chance at education and a hot meal. I met students who continued going to school after being expelled for not being able to pay tuition fees because it was safer to be at school than at home. Swaziland was a life-changing experience which further affirmed my decision to work in a profession where I can be of service to others.

“Changing the World” & launching Ensōul Flow

On my graduation cap I wrote, “Wanna Change the World with Me?” It felt like the beginning of a new chapter in my life, driven by seven years of incredible life lessons. In honor of the children and students I met in Swaziland, I organized a GoFundMe campaign, “Build a Safe Home for Vulnerable Children” with the intention to build a “safe house” closer to school for children with no home or safe environment in which to return. Our goal is 7k and we’ve been fortunate to raise 1.5k so far! Click here to donate and join our cause.

I few years ago, I attended my first “World Happiness Summit.” Mo Gawdat, a keynote speaker and the author of “Solve for Happy,” asked us to write a list of everything that brought us joy and title it, “Happy List.” His message, “Happiness is the absence of unhappiness,” completely shifted my perspective on fear and inspired me to spend the rest of the year doing everything that brought me happiness. I became an essential oil educator, I got my certification in sound healing, created a line of organic sugar body scrubs, designed a self-care apparel line with the tagline “How I Zen my Crazy” to bring awareness to mental health, and launched Ensōul Flow. 

The end and the beginning

My story that led me to pursue a career in mental health is not a typical one. Rather, it is filled with experiences that cultivated within me the desire to help others. I believe we all have a gift and it is our mission to honor it and share it with the world. I am deeply grateful for being blessed with the life lessons that fostered within me a greater understanding and empathy for the collective. Who I am today is the sum of my experiences. It is in the spirit of my work, my relationships, and how I seek to serve others and make a positive contribution to the world.