From the Alps to the Soul: How I Found My True Calling

Where the Journey Began

It’s funny how a vacation can turn into something so much more.

A while back, I took a trip to Europe, seeking a break from the daily grind. I remember hiking through the Swiss Alps, surrounded by the kind of scenery you usually only see in postcards, lush green valleys, snow-capped peaks, and air so crisp it felt like a reset for my lungs.

But as I stood there, taking it all in, something unexpected surfaced. It wasn’t just the altitude taking my breath away, it was a realization landing squarely in my chest.

I knew that what I was doing for work, real estate, was no longer aligned. It was a job, yes, but it didn’t feed my soul. What I truly missed was connection. I missed supporting people in meaningful ways. I missed the healing space I once held as a massage therapist.

The Pivot

When I returned home, I didn’t hesitate. I got recertified in massage therapy and began exploring intuitive and somatic healing practices. I felt a pull toward something deeper, work that addressed more than just the physical body.

That pull eventually led me to a class that felt less like a choice and more like a calling. It was there that I was first introduced to the concept of plant medicine.

I was curious, respectful, and deeply drawn to learn, not just intellectually, but experientially. When I was invited to participate in a ceremony, I knew I didn’t want to walk that path alone. I invited my sister to join me.

A Shared Journey of Healing

At the time, my sister was carrying the weight of unresolved trauma. It had shaped her relationship with herself, with her husband, and with the world around her. She had learned to protect herself by closing off—by keeping love at a distance.

That first ceremony brought everything to the surface.

It wasn’t easy. The experience invited her to confront emotions and patterns she had long buried. It revealed how deeply she had been holding onto pain, and how that pain had been influencing her life.

That moment marked the beginning of a genuine healing journey, not just for her as an individual, but for her marriage and her ability to connect more openly with others.

Surrendering to the Wisdom of the Plants

Through continued study and experience, I came to understand a foundational truth of this work: Plant medicine offers exactly what is needed in the moment, not necessarily what we expect or want.

There is no controlling the experience. Each ceremony is unique, and each person within it receives something entirely their own. Often, it brings suppressed emotions, memories, and patterns to the surface, not to punish us, but to invite awareness and healing.

The Lesson of Love

I was later called to attend another ceremony, and once again, my sister joined me. We entered with open hearts and no expectations, simply a shared intention to continue learning and healing. The theme of the weekend was Love.

Surprisingly, that theme brought discomfort rather than ease.

Although my sister had made significant progress since her first experience, the energy of love felt overwhelming, physically unsettling. What emerged was a powerful realization: receiving love still felt unsafe.

The experience revealed how deeply a lack of self-love can shape our ability to receive connection from others. It wasn’t a setback—it was clarity. Once again, the medicine offered exactly what was needed.

The integration work that followed, both individually and within her marriage, was transformative. She later described it as falling in love all over again, this time from a place of honesty and openness.

Witnessing that process reaffirmed something I had already begun to feel deeply: This is the work I am meant to do.

Mountain Willow Wellness: A Sanctuary for Healing

With this clarity, my massage practice naturally evolved into something more expansive.

Mountain Willow Wellness was born from a desire to hold space for whole-person healing, physical, emotional, and energetic. My work now includes trauma-informed bodywork, somatic practices, massage therapy, and integrative energy work.

Rather than focusing solely on symptoms, my approach honors the interconnectedness of the body, nervous system, and lived experience.

Ceremony Preparation & Integration

One of the most vital, and often overlooked, parts of transformative healing work is the support that surrounds it. That is why I offer Ceremony Preparation and Integration services.

This work is designed to help you feel grounded, supported, and resourced before and after powerful experiences. I offer guidance around intention setting, nervous system readiness, and gentle integration practices, so insights can be embodied and meaningfully woven into daily life.

While I do not provide or administer any substances, I hold a steady, compassionate presence for those engaging in personal healing journeys.

Walking the Path Together

This journey, from the peaks of Switzerland to the depths of my own learning, has led me exactly where I am meant to be.

Healing is not linear, and it is not meant to be done alone. Whether you are seeking relief from physical tension through massage, or looking for grounded support as you integrate deeper healing experiences, Mountain Willow Wellness is here as a sanctuary.

If this story resonates with you, you’re warmly invited to reach out or explore more about my work when it feels aligned.

Sometimes the first step is knowing you don’t have to walk it alone.