I’ve always been a little wild.

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In high school, I was voted “Most Likely to March to the Beat of Her Own Drum.” Honestly, that still describes me well.

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I’ve always had a wild spirit—independent, a little rebellious, someone who loves deeply and cares even deeper for others. Learning to care that deeply about myself took a little longer.

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I had loving, supportive parents and a great childhood, but in my late teens and early twenties, that wild spirit took me down some destructive paths. I struggled for years trying to figure out where I fit and how to find my way forward. I learned the tools, heard the advice and tried more than once to make changes, but for a long time, nothing ever really clicked. Still, somewhere inside me, I always knew I wanted something more—for myself and eventually for my children.

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I grew up, raised a family and built a successful career. Then in 2015, three major life challenges collided—my marriage was struggling, my teenager was navigating some difficult challenges I knew all too well, and I lost my job after 15 years. It was the perfect storm, and emotionally, I felt like I was drowning.

But I knew one thing with absolute certainty - I could not go back to my old ways of coping.

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So, I turned back to the horses.

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Horses had been part of my life since childhood, from my early days around 4-H and trail riding to owning a horse of my own. There was always something about being with them that made the world feel a little quieter. I felt grounded, at peace and more like myself.

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And when my world felt like complete chaos as an adult, that’s where this journey really began.

Through my own journey of healing and self-discovery, I began to understand what I think I had intuitively known my entire life: horses have a way of showing us what’s real. They don’t care about our titles, our past or how well we pretend to have everything together. They respond to our energy, our boundaries, our presence and our authenticity.

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At the same time, another part of my life began coming together.

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I’ve spent much of my corporate career in learning, development and talent management, helping people grow and discover what’s possible for themselves. Becoming certified in Equine Facilitated Learning and Equine Assisted Coaching through Equine Alchemy, along with earning my International Coaching Federation (ICF) credential, felt like a natural extension of that passion. It brought together the pieces of my life that had always mattered most—my country roots, my love of horses, my passion for developing others and my own very real, sometimes messy journey of finding my way back to myself.

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And that’s how First Light Farms of the Sandhills came to life.

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I’ve always wanted to create a soft place for others to land—a place where you can slow down, breathe, reconnect and simply be who you need to be for a little while.

The horses and this land are the magic here. They’re the teachers and the heart and soul of First Light. I bring my life experiences, professional background and training to create a welcoming, supportive space where you can explore, reflect and discover what feels right for you.

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Because that girl marching to the beat of her own drum wasn’t actually lost after all.

She was just taking the long way home.

That’s what First Light is really about—finding your way home to yourself.