My name is Alyssa (A-lee-sa), and I’m so grateful that you are taking an interest in reading about who I am, my story, and how my work evolved to be this way.

I grew up in a not-so-traditional yet traditional way. Born in Japan but raised in the US, I was raised by a loving family to embrace two opposing cultures. It was hard because I grew up in a very homogenous neighborhood, and I felt different from those around me. Some of my peers and occasionally teachers made it known that I wasn’t one of them. For a while, I wanted to hide a part of my Japanese identity so that I could fit in better.

In hindsight, this feeling of not fitting in was a blessing in disguise. Not only has it helped me come back stronger into my authentic self, but it has also made me a really curious person. A gift that my parents gave me and my brothers is their love for traveling and experiencing different cultures. I have taken this gift and expanded it into my own, traveling to various places, oftentimes solo.

During my travels, I meet incredible people who generously share their stories, their culture, and help me understand what makes them, them. As a kid, I felt so misunderstood, and hearing what people have to say is very empowering for not only them but also for me. The most beautiful thing I’ve learned throughout my travels is that despite all of these differences, at the end of the day, we are all humans experiencing the same rainbow of emotions and the same struggles. We are one.

My upbringing was traditional in the sense that there was a big emphasis on doing well in school so that I could go to a good college that would set me up for “success” in my professional life. I followed instructions and followed the herd, eventually graduating from Brown University. But the whole time, even though I grew up with a loving family, I felt like there was something missing, that there was something more.

That feeling of missing something was a symptom of disconnection—from myself, from the land, from others. I felt a deep internal struggle. After some traumatic experiences, I found myself with PTSD, anxiety, depression, and disordered eating. Despite the best efforts of others to support me, I found myself looking for ways to escape the pain. But they were only temporary fixes.

One day, I knew it was time to move toward the pieces of me that were hurting instead of running from them. I walked towards my shadows so that I could find my way back to my light.

Before I was ready to face all that was within me, I found myself being guided by nature and Mother Earth. I would stare at the stars for hours at night, bathing in the moonlight, realizing how vast the universe is. I spent time with my feet in the sand, feeling the rhythm of the ocean, the dance of the tides. I started going on long hikes, and the towering trees that once terrified me started to protect me. I felt the breath of the Earth as she inhaled and exhaled, realizing how harmonious nature is. Mother Earth became really important in my own healing, being there for me as a source of unconditional love that was energetically available in every moment.

My spiritual awakening exploded in early 2022, and I have been on that rocket ship back home since, coming back to finding my true self.

However, the greatest growth in my own healing started in October 2022, when one of the greatest gifts of my life happened: I met my spiritual mentor/healer. My mentor has helped me transmute a lot of the pain, sadness, and anger into strength and love so that I could come into my authentic self and harness my inner power. She has helped me become my own guru, my own greatest healer. During our time together, I have fostered a beautiful, deep connection to myself and to my guides, one of the main ones being Mother Earth.

Healing myself has expanded my world and my life. By watering my own inner garden, my external garden has flowered in ways that I never imagined were possible. I have this zest for life every single day, no matter how difficult it can be. I have incredible friendships, with both males and females, that are intimate, respectful, and fun—something that I struggled to have until recently. I now have a close relationship with my family, and it makes my heart so full because it wasn’t always the case.

Through my own healing, I have developed my own healing gifts, activating various skills accumulated over lifetimes. I combine that with my traditional learning, experiential wisdom, and various certifications (Reiki Master, Registered 200-Hour Yoga Teacher), to create a unique healing experience.

For those interested in reading more about how I came to be a healer, go to my Substack article here.