What's the best gift you've ever received?  

My son.

​

Most memorable career moment so far?

I greatly enjoyed meeting and working with Reese Witherspoon on an independent film we were both cast in.  I had the misfortune of being half way in and out of my costume when she arrived in the dressing room.  But Reese didn't miss a beat. She looked me straight in the eye and introduced herself!

What do you think is the most important life lesson for someone to learn?

Be authentic.  No one can be me.  I have had a lot of struggles with identity because of the messages I received from  my abusers and the commercial sex trade.  Every year I allow myself to be a more and more authentic version of myself.  Once I came to realize that it's ok if people don't like me, I was free.  Being my true self allows me to thrive and it allows the right people to share this journey with me in an empowering way.

​

If you had a superpower what would it be?

This question brings me to tears.  If I could somehow shield women and children from violence I would want to be able to do that.  I envision a shield, much like Wonder Woman's that would somehow prevent predators from being able to cause the harm that they do.  I don't need to fly or lift things... I just want a powerful shield that could protect and prevent so much of the trauma that stems from violence and assault.  

​

What is your favorite thing to buy at the grocery store?

Kefir.  I drink it every morning religiously.  It tastes terrible, but it's so soothing to the digestive system.  I have come to really enjoy self care.  And self care for me is not binging on chocolates or pizza.  It's truly loving my body and allowing it to thrive.

​

What is the best thing that happened this past year?

My mom went in to remission from cancer after a two year battle.  She has been a huge support to me my entire life and I can't imagine going a week without having access to her.  I hope she lives many more years!!

​

Best way to decompress?

Ride a motorcycle through the canyons.

​

If you could create a scholarship, what would it be?

I would like to offer scholarships to survivors of parental alienation.  So many of the women I know have battled abusive exes in family court and it becomes a vicious cycle with little positive outcomes for anyone involved.  I myself experienced 13 years of family court with my ex husband and in the end our family could have paid for my son's college with the amount spent on our legal teams.  I would love to see survivors of family court have an opportunity to study law and be able to bring some real change to a very broken system.

​

If your life was a song, what would the title be?

Never Ever Ever Give Up.  Those words have come to me at crucial moments over the years.  I'm not stronger than other survivors.  I'm not smarter or more worthy of recovery.  I am just willful enough to get up time and time and time again through the pain and through the seemingly impossible situations.  Our minds will tell us we can't, but if we just put that thought down and keep moving forward, eventually the forward movement wins, and you find yourself living a completely different life than the one you had before.

​

When do you feel beautiful?

When someone who truly loves me looks me deeply in my eyes.  When I feel seen and known I feel the most beautiful.

​

Tea or coffee?

Tea.  Green or black.  Decaf with stevia and cream.

​

What is something you learned at Dwelle Collaborative that you still use to this day?

I still use my pink [Life Management] binder that divides my life in to 4 different categories [self-care, work, leisure, community] and gives me lists of things that need to get done in those 4 areas.  I take it with me to the DMV, to the doctor.  I put the important papers in there and I know the day will be successful as long as it's all in my pink binder.  Sometimes I just hold the binder across my chest and sort of hug it.  Just knowing that I have the spread sheets and lists inside helps me feel there is always hope and always a direction to focus on when things seem hard.

​

What is your ideal breakfast?

A glass of kefir and a grapefruit.

​

How will you know when you’ve “made it”?

I have already made it.  I have lived more life than most people ever will.  I have met amazing people, seen nearly all of our country and parts of other countries.  I have seen the darkness and I've seen the light and I know who I am at the end of the day.  I am loved by family and adored by my friends.  I "made it" a long time ago when I decided that I was worth it.  

​

What’s the closest thing to real magic?

So many things come to mind... butterflies - standing on the edge of a cliff and watching the cold waves crash against the rocks - a thick fog rolling in from the sea and surrounding me so that I can't see my hand in front of me.  This world is filled with magic.  It's a magical place.  We have a father in heaven, but I think people too often forget that we have a beautiful mother planet that we live on.  And if we listen, and are very still, we can see the magic unfold right in front of our eyes.

​

Who is making you laugh lately?

A new found and unexpected love is bringing me a lot of joy lately.  When we have an opportunity to truly know someone and see the parts of them that most people never know, we can feel a deeper joy.  And those kind of laughs together are so precious to me.

​

If you had 100k, what would you do with it?

Pay the debts!! And then get my mother a proper home of her own.  I know she would love that.  

​

What is something you’d tell yourself 5 years ago?

It's okay to leave.  You are lovable.  Your future will be bigger and greater than you ever imagined.

​