I’ve been pursuing my love of all things related to crystals, rocks, minerals, and gemstones for the past three decades.

Combining my background in mineral science with my love of healing, spirituality, and folklore, I strive to illustrate how and why crystals can change our lives. 

As an avid Reiki practitioner and shihan (師範, “instructor”), I’m also passionate about understanding the roots of the system of Reiki so we can better appreciate where Reiki can take us.

My books and classes help bridge the scientific with the spiritual, the philosophical with the practical, the mundane with the mystical. I want to empower you to take your physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being into your own hands, with information you can trust.

Nearly three decades ago, my childhood love for rocks was transformed when my grandfather gave me my very first proper mineral specimen: quartz from Hot Springs, Arkansas. From that day onward my love for rocks and minerals crystallized into something special.

I pursued school with academic rigor, diving headfirst into all areas of study. Science emerged as one of my favorite subjects; even as a child I read voraciously about natural history, earth science, ecology, and biology. Early on I found another love in the realm of folklore, mythology, and world religion.

Before long I came to understand that both science and spirituality describe a lot of the same phenomena: one through the tangible and quantifiable, the other through meaning and metaphor. Ever since, I’ve strived to be a bridge between the two, allowing each one to enrich my understanding of the other.

I attended Stetson University on a music scholarship with the intention of being a music educator after graduating. The fast-paced world of music didn’t bring me as much joy as it had since adolescence, and I realized it was time to pursue new horizons.

Thankfully, I’d been assigned to work at the Gillespie Museum, an earth science museum on campus that’s home to one of the largest rock and mineral collections in the southeastern United States. To my surprise, the universe arranged for me to work in a veritable paradise of crystals, and the curator of the museum encouraged me to switch my major to study earth science. With his help, I began a formal study of geology and mineral science, later assisting the department by teaching geology labs and continuing my work at the museum.

As a young adult I worked hard to manage my mental health. Although I managed an anxiety disorder integratively with both allopathic and complementary techniques (meditation, gem therapy, and flower essences), it wasn’t until I discovered the system of Reiki that I made lasting progress.

In 2006 I enrolled in my first Reiki class and have continued to practice, study, and deepen my appreciation for the system of Usui Reiki Ryōhō with each passing year. In 2009 I undertook a pilgrimage to Japan to explore Mount Kurama, the birthplace of Reiki, and visit the memorial to the founder, Usui Mikao. On that fateful trip I received my first Reiki shihan (master or instructor) initiation in Tokyo. Since then I have undertaken training in a number of traditional and nontraditional lineages, working each year to further my practice of Reiki through ongoing education and daily practice.

I discovered my love for teaching in 2004. At the age of eighteen I taught my first workshops exploring crystal energy in my hometown of Stuart, Florida.

My classes help bridge the scientific with the spiritual, the philosophical with the practical, the mundane with the mystical. I treasure every class, seminar, and keynote as an opportunity to empower participants to take their physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being into their own hands.

Today, I continue to challenge myself to learn and grow through developing new and exciting curricula across a variety of subject areas, including energy healing, crystal healing, geomythology, shamanic practice, flower essence therapy, magick, and more. I offer classes both online and in person around the world.

My own love of learning gave rise to a desire to help others learn, which, in turn, planted seeds for writing. I’ve longed to be a writer since my teen years, and that dream came true in 2016 with the publication of my first book: The Seven Archetypal Stones. In the ensuing years I’ve completed eight books (so far) and have several more in development. I’m also a frequent guest on podcasts, radio, and other media.

I live in beautiful central Florida with my husband and photographer extraordinaire.

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