Hola! My name is Sterling and I’m all about living. I believe living looks different for everyone and helping others figure out or refine what makes them feel alive brings me such joy and wonder! I want to support individuals doing meaningful work and help remind them to smile and enjoy themselves along the way. Everything I offer or share comes from my direct experience and continued countless hours of lectures, research, readings, and practice.

Currently…I am currently pursuing a Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Johns Hopkins University with a concentration on spiritual well-being in hopes of becoming a holistic psychotherapist that focuses on preventative care. I co-lead the counseling program’s Spirituality and Mindfulness in Counseling Club, which has been a meaningful way to build community and connection. I have been meditating for 6 years and spent several weeks on retreat dedicated to silent meditation practice in both Zen and Vipassana traditions. I am curious about all spiritual beliefs and religions, and the way people make sense of the unknown. I am a certified Nature-based meditation teacher and graduate of Mark Coleman’s Awake in The Wild Teacher Training program. Incorporating Nature into my professional practice and daily life is of the utmost importance to me because I think Nature has a way of helping us unlock ourselves and feel at home in this busy world. This feeds into my clinical work as a graduate clinician for the Chesapeake Mental Health Collaborative, which specializes in Nature-Informed Therapy. I also work for the Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research as a research intern with the data management team and an intern facilitator/therapist. All of this deeply fuels my interest in studying transpersonal psychology and the variety of human experiences.

In the past…After graduating in 2014 from Duke University with a major in Psychology, I lived in New York City as a data strategist for an advertising firm and embraced the fast-paced city living. I loved it and what the city had to offer, but it was not until late 2019 that I began to feel drained, without direction. Although I loved my life, I had a sneaky suspicion something was not right (this was right about the time I found meditation!). While my job provided me a comfortable life, I felt uninspired and stagnant in my personal and professional progression. As the pandemic took over the world, I decided to rip off my old life like a band-aid and start anew. I wanted to figure out who I was and knew living the same playing-it-safe life was not for me. I moved out of NYC and started a new job as a consumer researcher for a behavioral health company. I worked remotely and stayed all over the world: Hawaii, Colorado, Florida, Denmark, Mexico, Peru, California, Italy, and France. Two years into that journey I was laid-off. At first I was shocked and then relieved so I knew I had to double down on my personal healing journey. I practiced in Zen monasteries. I studied with various Indigenous healers. I began performing original music at open mic events. I put myself in uncomfortable and foreign positions. I asked questions. I learned from many people, places, things, and Nature. And most importantly I began learning how to listen to my heart and better understand my mind. These last 5 years have been scary, wonderful, healing, and brought me to who I am now - someone who knows who they want to be in the world and how they want to be in the world. If you’re up for it, I’m willing and excited to go on that adventure with you!