Beginnings

I was born and raised in Brazil, surrounded by natural beauty and with a view of the ocean. Despite all that beauty, my childhood was difficult.

I endured physical and psychological abuse for about sixteen years from a member of the household who was brought in by my mother but had no familial relationship to me. My father abused alcohol for as long as I can remember — apart from the two years prior to his death — and was mostly absent in my development, even though, physically, he was present. As for my mother, I believe she tried her best, considering what she herself was and still is carrying to this day — unresolved trauma and shadows.

As grim as it may sound, my childhood wasn’t only darkness. There were points of light and moments of joy. One of the greatest lights for me, then and now, was — and still is — my sister. In the darkness, we guided each other; sometimes we carried each other. In all honesty, we both agree we don’t know how things would have been for either of us had we not had one another.

Descent

When I moved to the United States, I realized that the abuse I experienced in childhood was not “normal.” It was already a challenging time — adjusting to a new country and culture — and when I added the awareness of how much that had negatively impacted me and my behaviors, it hit me like a wall of bricks. As a result, I fell into a deep depression.

Through that fog, I found enough clarity and will to complete a year of high school, earn a GED, and finish college in good standing. A part of me could never give up, and I kept walking — even without knowing where I was going. Deep inside, I knew I would make it to the other side one day, and I didn’t want to have too much to pick myself up from. After a lot of pain and hardship, the fog lifted — not completely, as it would visit me again a few times after — but enough to start my journey as a guide through darkness.

Those experiences became the soil from which resilience and deep empathy eventually grew. With a desire in my heart to help others who were experiencing their own dark night of the soul, I decided to become a therapist. That was only the first step in exploring who I was — and who I would become.

Ascent

I went on to earn my Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology, which deepened my understanding of trauma and human behavior. During my practicum at a hospice, I felt the seeds of my soul’s passion and purpose begin to sprout.

Being a witness and holding space for individuals going through grief and the end-of-life process was truly transformational for me. There has never been another time when I felt such a sense of honor, humility, connection, depth, and reverence as when I sat with someone in their grief or at the threshold of death. From what I’ve experienced, those are the moments when masks and pretenses fall — when we meet someone for who they truly are, at their most real and raw.

That experience shaped how I hold space today. I later became a certified Spiritual and Life Coach through the Life Purpose Institute and completed end-of-life doula training with INELDA, allowing me to bring psychological insight, spiritual depth, and embodied presence to my work.

Through multiple events and relationships, I began to feel life’s invitation for deeper work within myself. That’s when I consciously and intentionally began my own shadow work — a process I am still undergoing, and suspect will continue until the end of my life… and beyond.

Today

The more I learn and grow, the more I fall in love with it all — the darkness, the shadows, the wealth of riches that lie on the other side. I can see and understand the potential those moments bring into our lives when we know how to meet them.

It isn’t an easy process. Sometimes it can feel like a death — because it is: a death of who we were, what was, and what we knew or thought we knew. And yet, from what I’ve experienced and witnessed, once you move through it, you are reborn — stronger, wiser, and more complete than before.

What a gift we give ourselves when we cross that threshold and walk the path — not in perfection, but with presence and openness.

My Philosophy and Approach

My work is grounded in compassion, honesty, and deep presence. I don’t offer quick fixes or bypass pain; I help people meet themselves fully — even in the places that feel hardest to face.

I also don’t approach this work from a place of leadership or mastery. You, and you alone, are the expert on yourself and your life. I’m merely a guiding companion who can shine some light as you walk on your path — until you are ready to hold it on your own.

Drawing from my background in psychology, spiritual coaching, and end-of-life care, I guide clients through the terrain of shadow work, grief, and transformation with reverence for their individual process. I believe that the darkness we resist often holds the exact medicine we need for growth and wholeness.

Every session is an invitation — not to be “fixed,” but to be seen, understood, and gently led back to one’s own inner truth. My role is to walk beside you as you move through your own thresholds: from endings into beginnings, from loss into meaning, from shadow into rebirth.

Training & Credentials

• M.A. in Counseling Psychology, National University (2018)

• Life Coach Certification and Spiritual Coach Certification, Life Purpose Institute (2025)

• End-of-Life Doula Training, INELDA - International End-of-Life Doula Association (2025)

If any of this resonates with you, and you feel called to share part of your journey with me, you are welcome to book a threshold session — a brief, free conversation to connect and see if this work feels right for you.

If you have any questions about shadow work, grief support, or end-of-life coaching, feel free to reach out through our Contact form below or by emailing me at kathleen@shadowandrebirthcoaching.com.

I will receive your message with honor and gratitude.