Empathy and a heart for others has always been a part of me since I was a little girl, and my first "coaching" role was in high school, as a peer counselor. After graduating from SDSU and the event of 9/11, I decided to pivot my career path to the beauty industry where I enjoyed 20 plus years working behind the chair, and 6 1/2 as a proud salon owner. “Behind every great haircut is a therapist with scissors." My dad’s hustle motto of “work hard, play hard,” that I had adopted felt like success and balance for years. Unfortunately, rest was nowhere in the equation.

 

The Tipping Point

​It was when I was at the top of my game, that I started making a shift in my profession because I was experiencing massive burnout. I was double-booked behind the chair, mentoring stylists, running a salon, teaching classes, being a mom… I mean, I was doing it ALL. And crazy enough, I still felt like it wasn’t enough.

I was holding it all together by a thread. On the inside, I was a hot mess! My nervous system was shot. My body was screaming for attention. And my joy was missing. I was confused with what the next right step was to truly support myself. I remember multiple days where I was just feeling angry and sad. I was exhausted and felt trapped in the life I created! And here’s the kicker—I wasn’t mad at my team, or my clients. I was mad at ME. I felt like a victim of my circumstances and I felt weak for not being able to carry the load with ease. Honestly, I didn’t know how. Therefore I had this mean girl narrative that told me “I was failing, or I wasn’t doing enough,” which was creating anxiety and depression. I had trained my brain to reach for comfort food or alcohol to numb out the pain and replace rest to keep pushing through. And unfortunately, I see the same thing in some many others, which is why I’m here today. 

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​A New Path Forward

That was the start of my healing journey. I began reflecting on my habits and my coping strategies to filter out what wasn’t serving me. I dove deep into neuroscience, emotional resilience, positive psychology, and self-care strategies that actually WORK in real life. I’m not talking about getting your nails or lashes done for self-care. I’m talking about the type that shifts your mindset and energy so we can keep showing up as the amazing humans and professionals we are. Sometimes we need support and guidance to help us see a new path forward, which is what I now offer to others.

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​The Present

I get to help other high-achieving, heart-centered people like you, create space to protect your energy, and reconnect to your joy that was buried underneath all of the emotional clutter through my 1:1 coaching, workshops, programs and retreats. We are not broken, we can just get disconnected from the truth of who we are. We just need some go-to self care tools to support us along the way. If you see a part of yourself in my story, please reach out. You don't have to do this alone.

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Outside of coaching and developing new programs, I stay active with my husband and our two teenage kids, Cash and Zoe, along with our dog, Fozzie. Traveling, good food, and live music are non-negotiables in my world because, just like with self-care, we all need things that bring us joy and keep us energized.

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​​Partnerships

Outside of Dulce Vida Coaching, I have the privilege of being a Wellness Trainer at Summit Salon Business Center, where I host virtual along with in-person workshops and retreats for busy service providers on "Self Care Behind the Chair." By using real-time, practical wellness strategies to manage stress and burnout, salons create a culture where balance and energy thrive. The result? Happier stylists, stronger employee retention, higher service quality, higher retail sales, and a salon vibe that uplifts everyone.

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Expanding my reach for helping others heal and redesign their life with habit change, you will find me on the Reframe app, offering 1:1 coaching and leading community meetings up to 250 people, who are reducing or eliminating the role alcohol plays in their life. “You don’t have to control everything ahead of you—just the next right choice in front of you.”

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If you are interested in creating a partnership with me, please contact me or schedule a 20 min discovery call to talk about how we can work together.