How My Inner Child Led Me Back To My Purpose, Passion, and Joy

For as long as I can remember, I knew I wanted to work with whales. I dreamed of being a marine biologist and spent hours pretending I was Jacques Cousteau. On our family vacations I would take deep dives into the lake, looking for sea life.

Maybe I felt so at home in the water because the sound of being submerged is what I hear all the time. I was born with significant hearing loss. Because of this, my parents told me it would be too risky for me to become a marine biologist.

This was in the late 60s, a time when the gray whale was being over hunted and on the verge of extinction. The Soviet Union alone illegally killed more than 534,000 whales by the 70s, an astonishing decimation that’s been called one of the most senseless environmental crimes of the 20th century. 

I was twelve years old and, naturally, couldn’t stand by and do nothing! So I wrote a letter to Russia, begging them to stop killing the whales.

I never imagined that my childhood passion would lead me to become a healer, founder of the transformation process of WhaleBreathing, and a retreat facilitator supporting others in achieving their dreams.

I particularly love working with women and helping them reconnect with their gifts. I know firsthand that this isn’t always easy. For me, allowing my disability to empower me rather than define me was a long struggle. I’m grateful that my deafness taught me to be present and intuitive and communicate on many non-verbal levels. These skills benefit my healing work because I have to be completely present in order to hear my clients. By doing this, I teach my clients how to do it.

For those of you who don’t know your gifts or goals, I always say to go back to your own story and remember when you shone, remember when life just felt great, and recall what it was you were doing that made you so happy. Believe in your dreams, and allow them to direct you to your authentic self.

Surround yourself with love and knowledge and support. We are all powerful beings who deserve to be happy and embrace our gifts.

When I was young and innocent, my love was about connecting to the earth and its animals. I wanted to be in the water with whales. Today I’m lucky enough to lead groups of people to connect with these magnificent animals, often called the memory keepers of the earth. I feel completely aligned with my inner child and my higher self when I’m on a boat on the water looking out to the sea.

Did I get to be a marine biologist? No, but as I like to say, I became the Jacques Cousteau of the unconscious. What a wonderful turn of events! And I can honestly say that my inner child has found her joy.