There was a time in my life when everything looked perfect on the outside, but inside, I felt lost. I worked as a fashion buyer in Germany, surrounded by success, fast-paced living, and a world driven by appearances. The excitement of the job, the travels, the glamour—on the surface, it seemed like I had it all. But the truth was, I felt completely disconnected from myself. There was a growing emptiness inside me that I couldn’t ignore, no matter how much I tried to distract myself with work or social activities.
I didn’t know it then, but I was living entirely in my head. Everything was about pushing forward, getting things done, and ignoring how I truly felt. I was out of touch with my body and emotions, just moving through the motions. The stress kept piling up, but I wasn’t even aware of how much tension I was holding. I kept chasing success, but it never felt like enough. I longed for something deeper, something real, but I didn’t know where to start.
It wasn’t until I discovered breathwork and meditation that things began to change. I’ll never forget the first time I experienced breathwork in a group session. I had no idea what to expect. I thought it would just be another relaxation technique, maybe something to help me manage stress. But what happened was so much more. It was like I had unlocked a door to a part of myself I didn’t even know existed. The more I breathed, the more I felt—not just physically, but emotionally. I started to notice sensations and emotions I had buried for years. It was both overwhelming and liberating.
I began to understand that my body had been holding onto everything I hadn’t processed. The stress, the anxiety, the unresolved emotions—they were all stored in my body, waiting for the chance to be released. Breathwork was the key that allowed me to reconnect with these hidden parts of myself. The more I practiced, the more I realized how out of touch I had been with my own body. It was like discovering a new relationship with myself, one that I had ignored for far too long.
This journey wasn’t easy. There were moments when it was uncomfortable, even painful, to face everything I had been avoiding. But there was also something profoundly healing about it. The more I listened to my body, the more I allowed it to express what had been stuck inside. Slowly but surely, I began to feel lighter, more connected, and more alive. It was as if the layers of stress and disconnection were peeling away, revealing the real me underneath.
As I reconnected with myself, I started to notice the same shift in my relationships with others. The depth I had been craving in my connections with friends and family began to show up—but only because I had found it within myself first. I realized that the disconnection I felt from others was a reflection of the disconnection I had with myself.
After experiencing the profound changes breathwork brought to my life, I knew I couldn’t go back to my old way of living. I decided to leave the fashion industry and fully immerse myself in the world of holistic wellness. I trained to become a breathwork practitioner, yoga teacher, and coach, learning everything I could about the mind-body connection, somatic practices, and the healing power of the breath.
Now, my work is focused on guiding others through this same journey of reconnection. I see so many people who, like me, are living in their heads, disconnected from their bodies, stuck in cycles of stress and overwhelm. They are successful on the outside, but inside, they feel empty. My mission is to help them come back to themselves, to rediscover the parts of themselves they’ve been ignoring, and to experience the same transformation I did.
But my life isn’t just about work. Since making Bali my home, I’ve found a balance between guiding others and enjoying the things that bring me joy. I love playing padel, tennis, and golf, which keep me moving and grounded. And of course, walking my two dogs on the beach has become a daily ritual that reminds me to slow down and appreciate the simplicity of life. These moments of play and presence are a huge part of what keeps me connected to myself outside of work.
I know from my own experience that this isn’t about a quick fix or simply “managing stress.” It’s about something much deeper. It’s about learning to listen to your body, to trust it, and to let it guide you toward healing. When we reconnect with our bodies, we reconnect with our emotions, our intuition, and our sense of purpose. We find a depth and authenticity in life that we didn’t even know we were missing.
This is why I do what I do. Because I believe that we all deserve to live fully—connected, present, and at peace with ourselves. And it starts with the breath.
JJ