My story has been shaped by layers of lived experience, loss, and resilience. Before I ever knew the language of "trauma-informed care" or "nervous system regulation," I experienced years of chronic stress and relational wounding that left deep imprints on my body and mind.
From childhood through much of my young adult life, I was immersed in narcissistic abuse, both within my family and later in romantic relationships and friendships. That kind of environment wires your nervous system for survival, hypervigilance, self-doubt, and a constant search for safety. I also navigated other defining moments: a near-death experience as a child, the Dawson College shooting in my first year of cegep, multiple injuries and medical crises, and profound losses including the sudden passing of my brother. Each of these experiences reinforced the message that the world was unsafe, and that my body was a place of pain rather than safety.
