I grew up around the midwest, graduating high school in Tyndall. I was a very active kid - always outside. As I got into high school I started track and cheerleading. My senior year I switched things up and began performing (singing and acting). I started college at NDSU for English and publications but had no idea how to balance school and a healthy lifestyle. I missed my family and started struggling with depression, anxiety, and anorexia. After my first year I moved back to Yankton and enrolled in Mount Marty University. There I found my passion for mental health, switched my degree to psychology, and found a love for helping others on their mental health journeys.
Through the majority of my time at MMU I still struggled with my mental health and eating disorder, however over the last couple years I have found empowerment in my independence, growing strength, and career in helping others. My relationship with food and exercise is the healthiest it's ever been, and I find great joy in spreading awareness and support to others. I started attending Empower because I was looking for a place that could give me guidance to building my strength, however Empower gave me much more than that. I found a community filled with support, amazing values, and open arms.
My biggest motivation is my drive to support others in finding their journey to mental and physical wellness. I live by this: wake up every ordinary day and make it extraordinary. Every day is an opportunity: whether it’s to learn, to become stronger, or to grow into the best version of yourself that you can possibly be. Empower is a place where you can not only feel comfortable about that growth, but be supported in it. I look forward to seeing you in class!
