Hey sunshine!

I'm a CTAA certified life coach specializing in emotional intelligence. A Place to Pause is a sanctuary for growth where I fuse music, art, and my life’s experiences through my creative process, Mina Mixology. My goal is to help others elevate to their highest potential. Thank you for believing in my purpose... I hope I can now help you discover yours.

Until we pause again...

Music is Medicine

For as long as I can remember, I heard the world differently (literally). I could not only see it, but I felt it, and in most instances, it fills me in ways beyond explanation. Even when I tried, I was made to feel as though I existed in a world in which I simply didn't belong. And between my family, kids at school, even random passersby, I was reminded I was different... DAILY.

That is, until I saw Ella (my fairy godmother) perform "It Don't Mean a Thing" live on PBS. From that day on, everything changed. I was captivated by everything about her and it was the moment when I felt my safest. I fell in love instantly, captivated by the way her voice and joy during that performance expressed what my words simply couldn’t...

As we get older, it's funny how life has a way of redirecting us, doesn't it? I had all of these big dreams of who I wanted to become but then, life happened. I set out on my adulting journey at 18, and within less than a year, I became a mother to a beautiful little girl. I put college on the back burner and focused on working to provide for her. Despite the challenges of being a young mother, I still managed to balance music in my life through production, performance, songwriting, and even independently released an album entitled "Running Red Lights" in 2011. For reasons you will learn as you get to know me a bit more, music took a backseat as I embraced my roles as both a wife and mom.

It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing, Ella Fitzgerald, 1974

Available on all platforms, hope you get a chance to check it out!

During this musical hiatus which lasted over a decade, I silently battled abuse, depression, anxiety, and obesity (I even almost lost my life because of it). I just knew I had to do and be better. I starting going to therapy and finally felt seen and heard. It was during this time that I discovered the transformative power of visual art. It became a new way to express myself and even strengthened my relationship with my daughter, who was also attending college at the same time. We both graduated the same week, and I earned my Bachelor's degree in Graphic Communication & Art, which deepened my understanding of just how creativity can heal and transform.

Click on the gallery to see the rest of my visual art!

The real shift came when I finally chose myself. That choice led me to my truth: (a very late) diagnosis that I wasn't broken at all... but neurodivergent, with a deep sensitivity to sound and the world around me. This new understanding led me to discovering what lied behind my creative talents; but my purpose, peace, and a kind of healing I never thought possible. And this time, the music found ME.

art is therapy