Dear Reader

This past week has been a bit of a whirlwind 🍂 — a mix of transitions, goodbyes, and unexpected reflections. Maybe it’s the autumn air, the full moon, or just the natural cycles of life, but everything feels more intense lately. Relationships seem to be at the center of it all for me.

I spent a full day in Amsterdam yesterday, visiting some of my therapy clients in their homes. It was an intense day of crisis interventions, real conversations, and powerful shifts. There’s something raw and beautiful about being in those spaces where people are at their most vulnerable, and witnessing the change that can happen in the midst of it. I call this Sacred Presence. This work (which is not a job), stirs something deep within me — just like the streets of Amsterdam do too, with their fallen leaves, memories, and farewells.

One of the most poignant moments of the week was saying goodbye to a dear friend who’s moving to another country. As I walked through Amsterdam, missing the city a bit and knowing my friend would no longer be nearby, I felt a heaviness in my heart. It reminded me of the transitions happening all around me. So, my daughter Mila was off on her first school trip for five days, my friend leaving, and life shifting in unexpected ways.

And then, as if that wasn’t enough, I decided to throw myself into something entirely out of my comfort zone — 🙈speed dating. Meeting 15 men in 7-minute bursts was... interesting. But honestly, it wasn’t about the dates. It was about the emotions that surfaced (and that I was hiding behind my happy mark, just like anyone did). As I sat across from one stranger after another, I felt parts of me rising up — parts that I hadn’t connected with in a while....

My inner critic was loud, telling me I should have it all together by now. One younger part, the one who once loved to travel far and alone but secretly longed to share those adventures, showed up too. And then there was the part of me that just wanted to feel connected, not only to others but also to myself.

A doorway to deeper healing

All of this — Amsterdam, my daughter growing up, my friend leaving, speed dating — came together like a perfect storm of grief (letting go) and love. I’ve come to realize that these emotional storms are actually doorways to deeper healing, initiations and invitations to listen to the parts of ourselves that hold these stories.

And that’s what Story Medicine is all about. It’s a free, self paced one-week course where we’ll explore these inner parts and the stories they hold, starting this Sunday. It’s a space to reflect, heal, and reconnect with yourself in a way that feels gentle but transformative.

Tomorrow, I’ll send you Part 2 of this story, where I’ll talk about the connection between grief and love, and how those emotions shape our inner world.

For now, reflect on this: Is there a part of you that’s navigating a transition or feeling unsettled by change? What might that part of you need right now?

I hope you’ll join me in Story Medicine—together, we’ll explore these stories and discover the healing that comes from listening to ourselves.

In love,

P.S. It’s not too late to sign up for Story Medicine. We begin this Sunday, and it’s completely free.