Holistic Wellness Professional ・Integrative Health Coach・ Social Justice Advocate ・ Multidisciplinary Artist
About Me
My Story
I am a proud amalgamation of intersecting lineages, identities, life experiences, passions, visions, goals.
I proudly identify as biracial, transfeminine, neurodivergent, Buddhist, futurist.
Now 33 years into existence, I strive to upkeep a daily existence based in thriving, ecological sustainability, healing, self-actualization, equity for all.
Born in Virginia to an Idaho-American father + Japanese mother, I trace my ancestry to southern Japan + the British Isles, Germany, Sweden, Italy. I spent my childhood & formative years living between DC, Europe, Tokyo, New York, Oregon, Idaho.
Attending international schools + traveling abroad throughout my childhood exposed me to a plethora of cultures, peoples, and places, which have strongly shaped my current worldview. All the while, I inhabited a queer/trans identity that did not fully blossom until young adulthood.
After receiving my BA in psychology from Georgetown University in 2012, I returned to Tokyo to work in the Japanese tourism industry before pursuing my graduate degree in Sustainable Tourism Management in three EU countries, graduating in 2017. Thereafter, I lived _ worked in the Pacific Northwest cities of Portland, OR + Boise, ID for 6 years before relocating to New Jersey in 2023 to begin working @ Rutgers University.
Professionally, I've pursued an array of diverse opportunities in the fields of applied social science research, advocacy, environmental justice, sustainable tourism - interrelated yet distinct areas of work that have continually inspired me to explore greater opportunities for overlap in other realms. Including, most recently, integrative wellness coaching.
What's next is anyone's guess...
Nature
The spellbinding beauty & healing qualities of the natural world, flora & fauna, land & sea
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daily time outside
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ecology & conservation
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hiking
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camping
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nature therapy
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solitude
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rewilding
Health & Wellness
The holistic synergy of essential physical / psychological / spiritual balance, healing, well-being of body & mind
Health + Well-being
plant-based nutrition
cooking
exercise
sleep
meditation + yoga
therapy
journaling
self-care
Top Passions
Travel
The opportunity to visit myriad ecologies / cultures / wonders that make Planet Earth an incredible living miracle
trips locally, domestically, abroad
natural exploration
novel adventures
mental travel
Psychology
The captivating human psyche & behavior in all its complexity; applications of research toward the betterment of others
spirituality
consciousness expansion
academic research
trauma healing
Meta
The innumerable complexities of existence, the Universe, consciousness, greater purpose; continually thinking on an existential plane
deep introspection
psychedelics
mind expansion
outer space / Universe
romanticism
Children + Animals
The beautiful innocence & wholesomeness that exists in the purity of childhood and animality
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babies + youth
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early education
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pets
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wildlife
Philosophy
The ponderance of the deeper questions of our world, ethics, how & why we exist, intersections w/ psychology & art
reading
discussions
reflection
writing
Buddhism
The belief system centered on ending suffering + engendering peace in the individual / interpersonal / collective consciousness via presence, compassion, gratitude, mindfulness, impermanence, non-duality, interconnection, emptiness
meditation
mindful presence
sangha
reflection
Japan
The rich history, culture, language, people, landscapes of the Japanese archipelago & my ancestral lineage
東京、熊本
日本語
後藤家
温泉♨
和食
伝統文化
Aesthetics + Arts
The daily appreciation of beauty & design in its countless manifestations of expression
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natural landscapes + animals
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visual arts
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music
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high fashion
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biophilic design
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minimalism
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gardening
Connection + Community
The invaluable significance of family / close friends / love in providing the soul w bountiful joy, social support, greater meaning
bio + chosen family
loves
friends
communities
History
The 13.8 billion years of "past" that has occurred before this moment; reflecting on its applications to the present & future
natural
societal
anthropological
geological
futurism
Sustainability
The personal & global economic, socio-cultural, ecological considerations to achieve a prosperous, healthy, joyful, harmonious state for future generations
eco-friendliness
environmental justice
activism
conservation
ecotourism
Liberation
The radical freedom from constructs, ideals, stigmas, ego in a healing, authentic manner; advocating for & inspiring liberty, equity, justice for others
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intersectional identities + diverse self-expression
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advocacy
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egolessness
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liberalism
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open-mindedness