Me

I am a certified Health and Wellness coach from Georgetown University, a happily married expat women, mother of two beautiful human beings and a dog, and this is my story…

Originally from Colombia - and with deep ties to Italy and Germany -, I have lived throughout my life in several countries across Asia, Europe, Africa and Latin America. We are part of that big expat community always on the move: adapting, changing, exploring and understanding cultures and of course, trying to make each country our home. Together with my family we have lived through all kinds of experiences ranging from beautiful memorable situations - to even war - and from all we have learned.

I love many things… spending quality time with the people who matter most, family adventures, photography, meditation, yoga, being in nature, learning new languages, and plenty of cuddles. Advocacy and social justice run strongly through my veins too. So sometimes, you’ll find me lost in a medical journal or studying human behavior; other times, I’m advocating for a social cause, but of course also dancing sharing laughter with friends and loved ones, giving my daughter singing lessons, enjoying outings with my husband, or playing with our dog… and some days, fatigue still can keep me on the sofa—a quiet part of life I’ve learned to accept and manage.

How I got here

I have always had a passion for health and regret not having studied medicine. Instead, I  built a career in international development cooperation as an institutional reputation and Public Relations advisor. In 2013, soon after the birth of my second child, I started falling ill. I traveled to many places trying to find answers for my “mysterious illness”. On the quest for answers, I underwent few surgeries too: a mastectomy, a hysterectomy, an explant of my silicone implants, and two breast reconstructions (and not yet there). Despite being in the hands of top-notch specialists,  my health continued to decline to the point I bid farewell to my husband on a day I felt was my last. Soon after that day , - and four years into illness by then -, I was finally diagnosed. The reports read “neuroborreliosis”. Too late to be fully treated, - I heard.  By then, days were filled with a myriad of symptoms ranging from brain frog, paresthesia, POTS, memory loss, fatigue and around 30 more. Some days I was better and functional, some I will be attending social events or participating in school activities, - even working a bit-, but others I will be house- or even bedbound.

Through it all, I became an active member of my medical team, and simultaneously I started to be active in support groups as well. There, I realized how much I love to help others in this vast world of health.

By  using a functional approach, I managed to get progressively better, returned to work from home, do sports, dance, and in general have an enjoyable life despite ups and downs, - and let’s be honest, despite few relapses too.

My most debilitating symptom has always been fatigue. Without energy, we can barely function. So, I learnt to manage my “battery” same as I would do it with my cell phone. I would set up my daily priorities and just “switch off” things I could drop. And yes, on some days I drop everything , - except taking care of my kids and keeping - as much as possible and not always succeeding :) - an enjoyable relationship with my husband.

Social life is also something I try to hold on to, although it is very difficult at times. From abroad the love and support of my eldest son, my parents and my besties have been part of my happy energy sources too.

Healing, learning and helping others

I have come a long way in my own healing journey. Today, I am able to enjoy an almost normal life, while also accepting and managing the bad days that sometimes still remain. And part of the joy is helping others.

I have explored countless paths in my healing journey and a wide range of treatments across multiple countries. Guided by specialists in many fields, I have learned from each experience.

Some approaches worked beautifully, others didn’t, and a few turned out to be the missing puzzle pieces. Over the years, this health adventure has allowed me to connect and cooperate with an invaluable network of medical professionals of different specialties across different countries. They are not only valuable sources of knowledge and healing for me, but also the ones who encouraged me to steer my career in this new direction.

During this health journey, I realized people were often reaching out to me. -  people in patients’ groups, friends, relatives, and friends of friends seeking advice.  I committed time to volunteering, offering guidance based on my personal experiences, my knowledge, and access to an exceptional medical network. But at the same time, I made it a priority to say no when something was beyond my boundaries. After ten years of volunteering, I decided to make the career shift towards health and wellness.

A key aspect of my healing process was precisely reflecting about my job. I realized that after two decades, I grew tired of it, - of adapting it to my health needs and my family life.  So, I decided to leave my job and commit to my formal training to become a health and wellness coach in Washington DC. Since then, I keep learning, growing, and evolving as part of my passion, commitment and respect for others navigating similar journeys and challenges. I stay up to date ongoing courses at reputable academic institutions and bring this knowledge directly into my practice, using it to thoughtfully guide and support each client.

I also firmly believe that mental, emotional, and physical health are inseparable. As humans, we are one-whole and what happens in our mind affects our body and vice versa. So, taking care of both by using evidence-based personalized approaches is what eventually will get people better. And sometimes better is not 100% fine to run a marathon, but rather having an enjoyable fulfilling life is the goal.

My commitment to each client’s story is unwavering. My aim is to walk beside you in every possible way, so that by the end of our work together, you feel more empowered, more balanced, and closer to the healthiest version of yourself.