If you’re a romance writer struggling with burnout, imposter syndrome, money wounds, grief, or the pressure to prove yourself—I see you.
I help romance writers work through the personal and professional blocks that make it hard to create, publish, promote, or stay connected to their work. This includes burnout, imposter syndrome, grief, money wounds, the pressure to succeed, and life changes. Using Brainspotting, we focus on the writer behind the story, not plot problems, productivity plans, or advice about what to write next.
WHO I SUPPORT
You’ve kept reading not because you’re broken but because you’re ready for that deeper support and movement.
My work is especially aligned with…
Never-before-published romance writers who are stuck in the process
Published and bestselling authors feeling pressured to top their last book or prove they can do it again
Writers navigating burnout, grief, money wounds, or imposter syndrome
Authors who freeze around writing, publishing, promotion, visibility, reviews, marketing, or earning
Romance authors who know their block isn’t a plot problem, and are ready to work with what is underneath
If you’re ready to stop pushing against the block and start working with what’s beneath it, you’re in the right place.
WHY I CREATED SPARKS & SWOONS
My journey into this work began with the end of my own marriage.
Before my divorce, I was earning four figures a month writing romance. As my marriage fell apart, so did my ability to write about love. Afterward, I was lucky to earn even low two figures a month. That block lasted for years.
While contemplating leaving writing and changing careers, I discovered Brainspotting. It changed the way I understood and worked with my block: the problem wasn’t my talent or discipline. I was grieving, and I couldn’t force my creativity past that grief.
I wished something like this had been available when I was struggling. Sparks & Swoons grew from that wish and from my desire to share this work with fellow authors who still want to create but can’t seem to reach the words.
I know what it’s like to be stuck. I know what it’s like to grieve and still want to create and to be unable to do it.
MY COACHING APPROACH
Coaching with me is collaborative, trauma-informed, and tailored to your creative life, nervous system, and inner world. I blend structure with curiosity and meet you exactly where you are.
MY approach IS:
EXPERIENTIAL
We’ll move beyond analyzing the block and gently notice what’s happening in your thoughts, emotions, and body.
TRAUMA-INFORMED
Your safety, autonomy, and pace come first. You’ll never be pressured to disclose more than you want or push past your limits.
NEURODIVERSITY-AFFIRMING
No pathologizing and no expectation that your mind should work differently. We’ll work with your natural strengths and needs.
During the session, I utilize:
INTERNAL FAMILY SYSTEMS (IFS/PARTS WORK)
Parts Work helps us approach the protective voices behind perfectionism, avoidance, and self-doubt with curiosity instead of fighting them.
BRAINSPOTTING
Brainspotting is a gentle, focused technique that uses where your eyes rest, along with body awareness, to explore blocks that words alone haven’t shifted.
Together, these approaches help us understand what your inner system may be protecting and create more room for self-trust, choice, and forward movement.
Trauma-informed describes how I coach; these sessions aren’t trauma therapy or mental-health treatment.
You don’t need fixing. You need a way through the block.
Credentials and Professional Background
- Certified Brainspotting Practitioner
- M.Ed. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling — William & Mary
- Certified Life Coach since 2020
- Published Romance Author since 2015
- Founder of Sparks & Swoons Coaching
Outside the Coaching Space
When I’m not coaching or writing, you’ll usually find me in the garden, checking on my three chickens, singing karaoke, or settling in with a K-drama, the 90-Day Fiance series, or a true-crime rabbit hole.
I also collect crystals and seem to be in a never-ending second-chance romance with Diet Coke.
My life is part stories, part soil, part sparkle — and usually a little caffeinated.
Sparks & Swoons holds a double meaning.
Sparks represents the ideas, curiosity, and movement that bring creativity to life—as well as the chemistry between characters that makes romance irresistible.
Swoons reflects my hope that you’ll create stories that make readers swoon while falling in love with writing, your creative process, and your imagination all over again.
Together, they represent what this work is about: moving through your blocks, reigniting your creative spark, and returning to the writing life you love.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do you charge?
We have three avenues of working together:
1) Individual One-Hour Sessions: $200
2) Intensive Three-Hour Session: $600, 2 Day Intensives: $1,000
3) Group Brainspotting Session: $25 per group
If you have income restrictions, please still book a Discovery Call and let me know. I have a limited number of sliding-scale and low-cost sessions available.
Do virtual Brainspotting sessions work?
Yes. Brainspotting can be used virtually, allowing you to explore your block from the privacy and comfort of your own space.
What kinds of blocks can we work on?
We may explore blocks connected to burnout, grief, perfectionism, imposter syndrome, money fears, visibility, criticism, or difficult life experiences. Some blocks are about craft, time, or workload; this work is for the ones that feel deeper and won’t budge through problem-solving alone.
Will you help me fix my story?
This isn’t story coaching, developmental editing, or manuscript problem-solving. We’ll focus on what may be making it difficult for you to access your creativity, trust your voice, or move forward with the work.
What is Brainspotting?
Brainspotting is a focused approach based on the idea that where you look can affect how you feel. By noticing where your eyes naturally rest while staying connected to your internal experience, we can gently explore what may be keeping the block in place.
Is this therapy?
No. These sessions are personal and creative coaching, not psychotherapy, counseling, or medical treatment. They don’t diagnose or treat mental health conditions and aren’t a substitute for working with a licensed therapist.
Can I work with you if I’m neurodivergent?
Absolutely. Our work can be adapted to honor how you think, process, communicate, and create—without asking you to force yourself into someone else’s version of a “productive writer.”
Will I feel welcome as an LGBTQIA+ or BIPOC author?
My intention is to create an affirming coaching space where your identity, lived experience, and creative voice are respected. Trust isn’t assumed; it’s something we build together.