“The most terrifying thing is to accept oneself completely.”
― Carl Jung
My life on paper looks deceptively linear.
Suburban upbringing, Ivy League education, a job on Wall Street, an MBA. And yet these data points are just that - data. And all good data scientists know that the art of storytelling is required in any quantitative analysis.
My journey with mental health began before I was born. Through many late-night discussions with many beloved family members, stories of trauma, heartache, mental disorders and depression all made themselves known. I grew proud of the resilience and boundless enthusiasm my family members displayed despite their hardships.
Still, I knew that my mental health was my responsibility, and mine alone. At the age of 16, I asked to see my first therapist. I saw the road stretched ahead of me, and I knew I needed guidance.
Over the years, I’ve worked with psychologists, psychiatrists, counsellors, and coaches, who have all given me lessons I carry with me each day. I’ve equally worked to establish a relationship with my body, and my spirit. After 20 years of ballet training, I knew the connection between the mind and body could not be ignored. I began a regular yoga practice, which subsequently opened the door to a spiritual practice that gives me both grounding and purpose.
Renowned psychologist Carl Jung also wrote, “Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.”
I’ve completed Reiki levels I&II, I read tarot cards, and I use astrology and mythology to regularly to help me make sense of our world. After all, storytelling gives us context to understand our deepest selves. I learn from each of these ancient practices just as much as I do from my coaches and therapists, and I encourage each of my clients to build their own relationships to their bodies and spirits.