Every child deserves an education that speaks to both their mind and their heart.

Hi! I am Ms. Kelsey.

I create engaging, social-emotional lessons to help students and teachers go from stressed, anxious, and unable to deal with their feelings to confident, calm, equipped, and emotionally resilient.

How do I do it? Through interactive lessons, deep connection, creative exercises, mindfulness practices, and emotional regulation skills.

It is my passion and purpose to help equip our future generations with the skills they need to soar through life, in a way that speaks to their whole being, not just one side of their brain.

Visit my Online Store to get started on your SEL teaching journey now!

I want all kids to develop the kind of skills that will guide them through life

Fast-forward to now, I have taught thousands of students the social-emotional content and skills they need, so they can be their best selves and thrive. I have also taught adults how to teach kids these skills (so they actually embody them)!

This involves:

  • Learning how to regulate our nervous system with research-based mindfulness techniques

  • Understanding how our brain works, especially under stress and anxiety

  • Using concepts and tools to listen to our thoughts and transform our self-talk

  • Embodying metaphoric language, characters, and stories to better understand who we are

  • Using journaling, drawing, or creating as an awareness practice

  • Engaging in reflection practices and conversation together

  • And I teach it all in a way that is fun and playful, so the positive emotions children feel while learning the new information you teach them solidifies the content in their brain.

Our students’ emotions affect what and how much they learn.

If you are a teacher, you know that students’ emotional literacy and wellbeing directly affect their learning.

I spent over 10 years teaching in classrooms from public schools in inner-city Chicago to high-end International Schools in Asia, and all of them had one thing in common: kids were lacking social-emotional skills (and teachers weren’t given the resources or time to teach them).

After experiencing time and again how students’ inability to understand or process their emotions directly affected what they learned and how they felt about themselves, I decided to begin developing my own curriculum and materials.

Since then, I have trained in Mindfulness and Social-Emotional Learning and have taught thousands of kids the type of life skills that they weren’t getting at school. Things like how to breathe through panic in a test or transform their inner self-talk.

Values I share with my clients

Open communication

I share directly and openly with you, so you can implement the language, skills, and tools we are learning at home or in the classroom.

Presence & Playfulness

I bring a deep sense of presence to all of my sessions, which includes reflective listening, stories, playfulness, and active questioning, all to guide you back to your own inner wisdom.

Diversity & Inclusion

I have lived in 9 countries and currently live in Spain, which continues to shape the way I see and experience the world. I strive to create spaces where everyone is fully seen and accepted for who they are.

My expertise and certifications

I hold a Bachelor’s Degree in International Studies and two Master’s Degrees in Education and Instructional Leadership, with an emphasis on Social-Emotional Learning in Urban Environments.

I also am a certified Health Coach (from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition) and have extensive training in mindfulness (Mindful Schools, Tara Brach) and yoga (Yandara Yoga, Alex Pfeifer, Rolf Gates). It should also be noted that I have also taken every child and parent workshop from Dr. Becky, who continues to influence and inspire what I do.

I’ve done extensive research on emotional intelligence, mindfulness, and best practices for teaching kids and adults things they will retain in the future. A big part of what I do as an educator and coach is teaching others how to integrate their own knowledge about their systems of emotion to grow in a way that is aligned for them.

My experience teaching and leading in several different education systems around the World (from Singapore to inner-city Chicago, to Costa Rica to Thailand) instructs how I use content to engage and teach kids important skills. It also helps me connect with kids from different backgrounds and of all different learning styles and attention spans.

Things Only My Besties Know About Me

I’m an aspiring minimalist and everything I own fits into just a few large suitcases

I currently live with my very tall and sweet, Dutch husband in Spain

I have been practicing and teaching yoga for over 20 years

I enjoy living close-to and being in nature

I’ve been plant-based for the past 8 years and love to create new, healthy recipes in the kitchen

I’m an advocate for children’s and animal rights, peaceful parenting, and nonviolent communication

I love to travel and can speak four languages