My Story
My work as a life coach is rooted in a deeply personal chapter of my life, one shaped by fear, uncertainty, and, ultimately, hope.
In 2001, just three months after welcoming our second child, my husband Bill was diagnosed with colorectal cancer and given a 50% chance of survival. Around the same time, I learned that my father, who had been battling cancer quietly to protect me during my pregnancy, had only a few months to live. The possibility of losing the two most important men in my life, while caring for a newborn and a young child, was overwhelming.
In the depth of that fear, clarity arrived from an unexpected place. Our nearly three-year-old son sensed my distress and gently patted my shoulder, saying “It’s OK, Mommy. It’s OK.” His purely tender reassurance reminded me to shift my focus and return to presence for my family, and for myself.
Searching for something I could hold onto, I returned to the traditions of my Japanese upbringing, green tea. I encouraged Bill to drink freshly brewed green tea daily, but the bitterness made consistency difficult. Determined to find a better way, I discovered organic sencha green tea powder, which allowed him to consume the entire tea leaf and its antioxidant benefits without the harsh taste. This practical shift became a turning point, not only in Bill’s recovery, but in how I understood agency, resilience, and care.
From left to right: Kai (my son), me, Kana (my daughter, and Bill (my husband).
At one point, we feared Bill might not see our newborn take her first steps. More than two decades later, he walked her down the aisle.
That experience taught me something lasting: while we cannot control everything life brings, we can learn how to meet uncertainty with clarity, steadiness, and intention.
As our family grew and I scaled a business, I faced my own challenges: burnout, anxiety, and periods of deep exhaustion that kept me from fully inhabiting my life. These struggles became another teacher. I realized that resilience is not built through force or endurance alone, but through learning how to work skillfully with one’s inner world.
This understanding led me to pursue formal training as a Life and Wellness Coach and Tea Master, integrating neuroscience, emotional regulation, and contemplative practices into a grounded, practical method for everyday life.
Bill has now been cancer-free for over two decades. Our journey with tea became the foundation of Yu Tea, and over time, our work contributed to broader wellness research, including studies published through the National Center for Biotechnology Information that explore the potential role of green tea in health.
Today, my coaching brings these threads together: science and tradition, clarity and compassion, structure and presence.
I support leaders and high performers who are navigating pressure, uncertainty, and transition, helping them build inner stability, see what truly matters, and lead their lives with both success and serenity.
Because enduring success is not built by pushing harder.
It is built by learning how to return to serenity, especially when life asks the most of us.