At 13, I wasn’t just a kid—I was my mom’s therapist. My parents fought a lot, and I remember my mom waking me up in the middle of the night to pull me into their arguments to protect her. Each fight pulled me deeper into my own loneliness. I know I was supposed to be strong, but inside, I felt like I was barely holding it together.  I learned to comfort her, but the more I helped her, the more alone I felt because I had no one to comfort me.

Then one day, my mom suggested I see a child psychologist, and it turned out to be the best thing that had ever happened to me. It was the first time someone really listened to me. I walked out of his office feeling like I was floating, like the weight of the world had been lifted from my shoulders. That’s when I knew I wanted to help others in the same way.

Throughout my 20s, I dedicated myself to that goal, spending years in school and working different jobs. But along the way, I experienced toxic managers who were doing to others what my family had done to me – leaving people feeling alone and unheard. I realized there was a bigger problem that needed fixing. These experiences lit a fire in me to help managers become the kind of leaders who lift others up instead of tearing them down.

Today, with a PhD in business psychology, I’m a leadership consultant who empowers managers to lead with empathy and help them create spaces where people feel seen, heard, and valued. Because I know what it’s like to carry the weight of the world—and I’m here to make sure others don’t have to.