My relationship to this work

At times, I have struggled to tell a cohesive story of my professional trajectory. I know, and have always known, that everything builds on each other, and each interest and vocation has contributed to my capacity to show up in the ways that I do and with the impact that I have. What are those interests and vocations? Creative writing, especially poetry, nonprofit administration, trauma-studies, yoga, hospitality (restaurants in general, but especially coffee shops), education, counseling, somatics, and organizational consulting, specifically regarding culture and communication. And, while it’s not a vocation, it is certainly a deep passion, fitness and training.

Creative writing has given me a command of communication, particularly an attunement to the deep waters of what is said and unsaid. It has given me an ear and an aptitude for the power and emotion and movement that words can generate. Poetry, in particular, has nurtured my capacity to listen with my whole being for what is being offered.

Nonprofit administration has honed my ability to think about systems--what does it look like for a system to thrive and what does it look like for a system to struggle? What are the factors that create those conditions? How do we intervene to bolster an organization’s success? How do we create a space, physical and social, where people can show up and be their best selves?

Trauma-studies, yoga, somatics, and fitness are all continually in conversation with one another and create a foundation of embodiment praxis (both practice and theory) that underpins how I show up. They have taught me to monitor my breath, my body, and how my energy contributes to the dynamics of a space. They have taught me again and again that discomfort isn’t bad, that there is an edge that is often filled with tension that is a space of deep and meaningful growth. That edge is a space I walk in all my work.

Working in hospitality fundamentally shaped how I think about service. I believe that working in hospitality is an exercise in humility, compassion, and communication. I had the fortune of working for people who really believe that restaurants can be an expression of love and community. My attention to the customer experience, to the power of a generous welcome, and to the importance of following through all were honed in my years in the restaurant industry.

And finally education, counseling, and organizational consulting-- in so many ways, they weave together all of the skills and practices I’ve described so far. All three involve loving, intentional accompaniment as people try to figure out who they are in relation to others and to meaningful work. All three involve careful attunement, communication, and insight into both what is explicit and stated and implicit and hovers in the space below words. All three are supported by my ability to show up with a regulated nervous system and a generous welcome for whatever shows up in the space.

All these interests and vocations bring me to a consulting practice where you might find me ask questions like:

• What here creates or supports success? What are might inhibit it?

• Are organizational values and the mission clearly understood and practiced?

• What does it feel like to enter the organizational space for leaders, for employees, for consumers, for other stakeholders?

• Who feels able to express themselves? Who seems to be expressing themselves less? Who might feel that they must express themselves? Why?

• What are the power dynamics within this organization?

• What are the interpersonal dynamics?

• What are the relational norms and practices?

• What does communication look like in this organization?

• What is the opportunity for growth? Is that a shared vision among stakeholders?

I believe, wholeheartedly, that engaging in meaningful value and culture based reflection not only improves the experiences of stakeholders, it also improve the products or offerings of any organization, because a culture in which people feel grounded and held by the mission and norms is often a culture in which people feel psychologically secure enough to take risks and to bring their curious and innovative selves to the table. It lights me up to accompany organizations as they move through such reflections.