About Me

I am a certified grief educator, a bereaved partner and daughter, and a Korean adoptee who helps others navigate complex trauma and loss.

 In 2016, I was navigating life as a full-time graduate student with a young child when I suddenly experienced the devastating loss of my partner. Though I had previously experienced the loss of grandparents and other relatives, nothing had prepared me for this loss. I did the best I could for a couple of years, until I eventually stumbled upon grief counseling and connected with a wonderful grief counselor. It was truly life-changing.

 Being able to speak with someone who specialized in grief was different than any kind of therapy or self-help advice I had tried in the past. I was finally able to understand why I felt so stuck and began to move forward.

 A few years later, I experienced another series of losses, culminating in 2025 when I came into reunion with my biological family. As a Korean adoptee, navigating birth-family reunion has brought its own complex and often unexpected grief. Reconnecting with my biological family has meant confronting a lifetime of accumulated loss—not only of first family, but also of culture, language, and sense of home. These experiences have deepened my understanding of how grief can shape us in ways that aren't always visible or easily understood, even by those who have experienced loss themselves. Birth-family reunion is a deeply individual experience, and its complexities—including the grief that can accompany reconnection—aren't always understood, even within the adoptee community.

 My experiences navigating loss, along with the people who have shared their stories and journeys with me, have shaped my understanding of grief and the importance of feeling seen, heard, and supported. Through my own experiences and in supporting others through theirs, I’ve come to believe that grief support should be a space where people feel welcome and safe to bring their entire selves—a place where their experiences are honored, their strengths recognized, and their capacity to live fully nurtured, both through and beyond loss.

 In 2026, I became a certified grief educator, formalizing my commitment to this work. Throughout this journey, I’ve met wonderful people whose courage, openness, and resilience continue to inspire me. My hope is to pay that inspiration forward by helping others feel less alone, reconnect with their own strength, and discover that a meaningful, full life remains possible alongside grief. My goal is to inspire hope even (especially) when the rest of the world seems dim.