When I was growing up, my environment was unpredictable. There were times when it was very, very good — full of warmth, love, and laughter. And there were other times when it was deeply painful and chaotic.
In that environment, I learned to sense people deeply, to read the energy in the room, and to adapt quickly. I developed empathy and learned to hold unconditional positive regard — which I later learned to extend to myself as well.
My childhood experiences could have compromised my mental health completely — and for a time, they did. I struggled with emotional pain, self-doubt, and anger issues. But over time, I began to understand my parents and their own wounds. I learned to forgive, to let go, and to see them through the eyes of compassion rather than resentment.
At 23 years old, I made a life-changing decision: I moved from Brazil to London. I arrived with a one-year open flight ticket, a paid six-month English course, £800 in my pocket, and no plan at all.
All I had was my presence, my unwavering self-belief, and a deep trust in life.
If I had been trapped in my past pain or frozen by fears about the future, I would never have dared to step into the unknown. But something within me knew how to stay in the present. Moment by moment, breath by breath, I focused on what was right in front of me — trusting each step to reveal the next.
I didn’t formally discover the concept of mindfulness until 2016, but I realized then that I had already been living this way since I arrived in London in 2001 — 15 years before I even knew what to call it.
In 2022, I qualified as a Mindfulness Now teacher. But long before that certification, I was already embodying mindfulness every day. I learned mindfulness first through my inner wisdom, not through books or formal practice.
I truly believe that this wisdom is inside all of us. We are born as mindful beings — present, curious, and fully engaged with each moment. As children, we don’t overthink the past or obsess about the future; we simply exist.
The foundational role of self-care
At the heart of everything — mindfulness, resilience, self-compassion — lies self-care.
Self-care in its totality is not optional; it is a lifelong skill, a non-negotiable commitment to ourselves. Without self-care, it is very difficult to practice mindfulness, to be resilient, to feel worthy or important, or even to consider ourselves as deserving of love and presence.
I deeply believe that the way we treat ourselves is the way we ultimately treat others. When we neglect our own needs, criticize ourselves harshly, or ignore our limits, we mirror this in how we connect with the world.
The crux of my work is to help people develop a truly healthy and compassionate relationship with themselves first — to reconnect with their inherent worth and build a foundation of deep self-respect and care. From there, we can begin to cultivate mindfulness, resilience, and self-compassion, and create authentic, meaningful connections with others.
Why this matters for you
Many of my clients come to me struggling with anxiety, caught in future worries and “what if” scenarios. Others feel the heavy weight of depression, locked in the pain of the past.
The path forward begins with coming back to the present moment — and learning to treat yourself with deep care and kindness.
Mindfulness invites you to come home to yourself. Resilience helps you adapt and remain steady through life’s storms. Self-compassion teaches you to meet your imperfections and pain with love rather than judgment. And self-care supports all of this, creating the ground from which everything else can grow.
When we begin to nurture ourselves in this way, the pain of the past loosens its grip, and the future feels less overwhelming.
A final invitation
You do not have to stay trapped in the past or frozen by fears about what lies ahead. Through therapy, mindfulness, self-care, and compassionate presence, it is possible to reconnect with your inner strength and build a life that feels alive, grounded, and meaningful.
If you feel ready to begin this journey, I would be honoured to walk beside you. You deserve to live fully — with presence, trust, and the freedom to create your own story.