So, where did embd. come from and why?

I was in the beginning years of my practice as a psychologist and found myself struggling to disconnect from work when walking out of the door - finding it hard to switch off, slow down, and be present with those I loved and broadly in life. At the time, I was working in an office 5 days a week and filled each and every moment of my week with “productivity” or busyness. Having experienced anxiety since I was younger, I found my anxiety ramping up to a level where, on the inside, I wasn’t coping, and I noticed my ability to enjoy the pleasures in life dwindling down.

This was back in 2021, when I began to reassess how I was living day to day. My partner, who is a professional athlete, was travelling overseas to train and compete; so I decided to take a leave of absence from work, taking the chance to unwind and slow down. I was looking for ways to reconnect with the present moment and find some playfulness and joy in life again.

I spent the next few years working and travelling - I completed my yoga teacher training in Spain, I lived in Colorado and road-tripped all around the US, and spent time in New Zealand participating in and facilitating performance and stress mitigation workshops. I reconnected with nature and started to do things just for the fun of them again.

Slowly, my mind and body began to slow down and I started to feel comfortable in the present moment - my mind became my ally and my body became grounded and relaxed.

This journey has completely changed my life; physically - I get to travel with my work and no longer work in an office - as well as emotionally and spiritually. I re-discovered a rejuvenated energy for life that has led me to embd.

Embd is about finding moments of getting back into and reconnecting with your body. Through stillness, movement, challenge, exposure to controlled stress, and self-reflection. It is about reconnecting with nature, being present with those you love, and finding the sweet spot between growth and recovery.