My Coaching Story

From poverty to success

BACKGROUND-

I come from a two child, single parent household.  My nuclear family was so far below the national poverty line that people often wondered how we survived.  My brother and I were raised in southern California (though I originally hail from Seattle, Washington) in some of the poorest neighborhoods of the USA at the time.  Things were so bad that, at one significant, and devastating time in my life, around the age of 10, our mother informed us that she was not making enough money to support my brother and I, and that we may be sent to live with our grandfather.

RELIGION AND SEXUALITY-

When I was around four years old my mom decided to become a Christian.  The Church and religion soon became a prominent factor which was to change the trajectory of my life.  As I grew older I started realizing that society, and especially religion, had a negative reception of my sexuality, and indeed, any sexuality that it didn't understand.  Like many others in my place, I struggled with myself, my sexuality and my acceptance, all the while going through normal growing angst. 

EDUCATION-

I applied and was accepted to a university far from my home.  I went on, as the popular idiom states, a hope and a prayer.  I had 100 dollars to my name, which, somehow, was supposed to pay for four years of school at a cost of more than $30,000 USD a year.  The first year I found a job to help pay for my expenses and by my last year I was holding down three part-time jobs and taking an overload of credited classes.  I graduated with two degrees and a penchant to see the world.  After graduation I moved to Switzerland to complete my studies while perfecting my French.  Since that time I have lived in three different countries and visited, for various lengths of time, multiple other countries.

My Goal-

Living through so much and suffering so much growing up, I was pretty sure I wouldn't make it past the age of 25.  At one point in time I had a breakdown and, in order to keep my sanity, I went to see a Psychologist and then a psychiatrist.  At that time i had lost all hope of achieving any goals, but thanks to my friends and seeking help, I was able to overcome my doubts and move on to accomplish goal after goal.  My past helps me identify with and help others who are in the position I was in.  I can uniquely empathize with them and help them find purpose in life, as I did.

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