I grew up in a small mountain town in Colorado, surrounded by beauty. When I think of what gave me solace in that time, there are three things that come to mind: the old rickety upright piano in our living room that I would play for hours at a time, a peach journal that I would keep my thoughts in, and the big wheel I would ride around our deck with my brother Will.
Those things still bring me joy...writing and playing music that I hope declares beauty to my community and to other communities, writing my thoughts to bring healing to myself and others, and the friends and family around the world that make my life meaningful.
After many years of writing songs behind closed doors, I finally began touring in 2002. I played all over the world for 13 years, everywhere from castles in Germany to villages in India. I taught songwriting workshops around the world, taught refugees in San Diego free music lessons, and even recorded an album of houseless friends music from a shelter that I taught songwriting at in San Francisco.
After all those years of traveling, I was ready for a new career. I started teaching piano lessons, voice lessons, beginner guitar lesons, and songwriting lessons. (The story of how I fell into teaching lessons is crazy...you should ask me about it some time!) It has been a dream job and perfect fit for me. After each lesson I can't believe I have the privilege of bringing the magic of music into people's lives, whether they are young or old. I believe that music is a catalyst for my students to know the treasures that are inside of them.
I also continue to love writing. I wrote my book, Getting Naked Later: Making Sense of the Unexpected Single Life in 2013 .It was published by Harvest House a few years later. I am working on a new book called Prodigal Mind: Change Your Story, One Thought at a Time about becoming a compassionate observer of our inner landscape, as well as a blog. (See prodigalmind.org for more information on this part of my life.)
I am also a certified life coach.
My greatest joy in the last few years has been to finally get married at 45 years old to my wonderful husband Justin and do life with him and my four amazing step-kids.
Whether it be the music I create, my friendships, my teaching, my coaching, or my writing, I always intend for my motivation to be to bring light and love to whomever is in my presence every day.