About Me

Life is filled with defining moments when time seems to stop, the light goes on, and somehow you know your direction is going to change dramatically.  I had one of those moments on October 18, 2019.  I was teaching a social studies class on Native Americans and my attention was drawn to the hallway where one of my past students was standing- peeking in. It was hardly surprising; students often stop by and pop their heads in on their way to class or at the end of the day. But there was that look again, " I hope I am not  interrupting, but I am glad you noticed me." As always, I asked my students to hold on and I stepped into the hall to check in with her. Looking into her big brown eyes  I could see that she was struggling.  I gave her a minute or two of support, a deep breath and a hug, and told her to stop by any time. As I walked back into the classroom, I heard a voice loud and clear “Come on Ginny, this is the third time in the last two weeks that she has been standing at your doorway, and she’s not the first."  Looking into those eyes full of insecurity and self doubt, I just knew at that moment that I needed to find a way to be the person she needed me to be. Two minutes here and there just wasn't going to cut it.  That day I made a decision that I was going to find a way to become a life coach for teen girls.

  I have been working with tweens and teens for the past 20 years as an educator, youth group leader, Sunday School teacher, Compassion Camp Counselor, and Outreach Yoga Instructor. I guess the seed of this defining moment started eight years ago, when it became clear to me that my students were lacking the  skills and tools they needed to navigate adolescence.  So, I committed myself to bringing positivity, growth mindset, mindfulness and yoga practices into my classroom and school. I have seen firsthand the positive impact it can have on my students’ overall well being, resilience, and self-esteem. The challenge was to keep the momentum going after they left me and headed further into adolescence.

Over the last year I have had the privilege of working and training with two highly skilled life coaches, Dawna Salkiewicz of Blissful Acres Wellness Center and renowned teen life coach, Tami Walsh, founder of Teen Wisdom ™ Inc. This work and training have helped me to develop a framework and methodology that I believe will have a very positive impact on the girls in our community and beyond. I am passionate about helping teen girls navigate the challenges and transitions of adolescence. So, let’s get busy girls, and Find Your Firefly!