That's the lesson I learned the hard way when crushing migraines almost forced me out of my dream job 22 years ago. I was teaching stress management at a hospital—and falling apart myself. Traditional stress management wasn't working because it only addressed half the problem. That's when I discovered the two-step system that stopped my migraines that same week—and saved my career.

Since then, I've spent 34+ years as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker helping thousands of healthcare professionals master the Stress SMARTER™ System—a science-backed method to prevent burnout in real-time, not after the fact. My work is trusted by Penn Medicine, Princeton Health, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University, the NJ State Police, and Philadelphia International Airport.

I'm a 2x TEDx speaker (TEDx Princeton, TEDx Sawmill Lake) and author of 30+ books on stress and workplace wellness. In my TEDx Princeton talk, I demonstrated the "magic palm dump" technique—so effective that one audience member called a friend in Germany during the break to share it. But my career isn't just about speaking on stages—it's about saving healthcare careers. Too many incredible professionals are leaving because they think burnout is inevitable. It's not.

My signature keynote, "When Your Superpower Becomes Your Kryptonite," has helped healthcare teams at conferences, hospitals, and organizations across the country cut their stress and anxiety in half using tools they can use immediately—between patients, during shifts, after difficult cases. I've been featured in Reader's Digest and Woman's World, and I've lived every crisis I teach about: I battled undiagnosed depression for two years and survived Stage 3 endometrial cancer during COVID's isolation.

After three decades in healthcare, I'm not just surviving—I'm thriving. And I'm on a mission to help healthcare professionals do the same.

I  am married with two 4-legged children (Bongo & Sophie - rescue dogs). I love spending time with them outdoors and hiking. When I can I love to waterski too!