Rooted began as a personal creative project I committed to in 2020, during the start of my therapy journey exploring my adoption story. With the support of my therapist at the time, I was able to process some complex emotions surrounding my adoption by developing and writing the storyline for this book.

What started as a personal journey has grown into something I’ve been able to expand into a learning, creative, and therapeutic space for others.

As I continued my education in psychology, I began connecting my own healing to the research behind trauma-informed and creative therapeutic practices. I’ve learned that storytelling, metaphor, and creative expression are not just art forms — they’re ways the body speaks when words can’t. These creative processes help release the kind of trauma that lives deep within us, especially the implicit or preverbal wounds that so many adoptees and others with early separation experiences carry.

Since then, I’ve expanded my research to better understand the different types of trauma shaped by early separation and early childhood development. This work has guided me in developing trauma-informed reading and creative programs — like my book club, Not Your Ordinary Book Club — designed to support both literacy and child and adolescent development.

Below, you can explore more about the psychoeducation that informs my work, from adoption trauma and somatic-based healing to integrative approaches such as EMDR, creative therapies, and other body-centered forms of healing.