Follow on Instagram @thehealingmodalities
In 2015, the Universe realigned my life. I’d been working and living in New York City for three years, after jumping at the offer to move there from San Francisco. I’d been working at a private equity firm for 10 years and enjoying my investor relations and business development role.
For as long as I can remember, I had this strong sense of responsibility to support myself and prove that my life was worth something. Maybe it came from being the oldest child in a Chinese American family and knowing how hard my grandparents worked as immigrants, and how hard my parents worked to raise and support three children on their own.
But when was it that I began tying my sense of self-worth and self-value to accomplishment, achievement, success, performance?
My will and determination developed around these ideas and I needed to be reliable, not let people down, shoulder the responsibility. So I pushed myself hard and expected things from myself that went above and beyond what others might expect from me. It was a way to show that yes, I’m needed; yes, I’m worthy; yes, I deserve to be here. I gave others the power to determine what my value was and how I felt about myself. But at what cost?
And in 2015, the answer came in the form of a compromised immune system from chronic work-related stress, which led to a bacterial blood infection that nearly ended my life, and then an 11-hour long emergency open-heart surgery that saved it.
While recovering from the traumatic surgery, I engaged in various healing modalities to make sense of what happened. In the third year after surgery, I decided to pursue a holistic life coaching certification as a reflection of the important life lessons I’d learned through recovering and healing, and in some ways, in starting my life over.
What does it mean to redefine success for yourself? What does it look like to truly care for yourself so that you can show up in your life the way you want to–and not how you think other people want? What brings you joy? How do you take your power back and advocate for yourself and “be” what you think is missing in your life?
I’m a certified holistic life coach focusing on transformative self-care. I work with people who want to stop people-pleasing, set healthy boundaries for themselves, and show up in the world the way they want to, instead of the way they think they “should.”
Sessions with me include tools and concepts for building awareness of self and others, connection to self and others, and moving towards life goals. I aspire to have my clients leave each session feeling more engaged and present in their lives, moving towards their goals with a sense of connection to themselves, curiosity, focus, empowerment, and self-compassion.
April Yee is a Holistic Life Coach focusing on transformative self-care for professionals and anyone who wants to be more fully engaged and feel empowered in their lives. April believes that self-care is transformative because it creates a path from self-disregard to self-love through daily practices of self-kindness. When we are kind to ourselves, when we are connected to ourselves, and when we practice loving ourselves, our whole lives change. We will be less likely to make decisions that are destructive or damaging to us.
After undergoing emergency cardiothoracic surgery which saved her life in 2015, she recognized the importance of self-care in creating a fulfilling and meaningful life. Previously, April worked in the private equity industry for over 10 years, being based in San Francisco and New York City. April holds a B.A. in Psychology, a B.A. in American Studies, and a minor in Communication & Rhetoric from the University of California, Santa Cruz. She serves on the Boards of four nonprofits. Along with coaching and practicing self-care, April enjoys reading, writing, learning, and connecting.
Sign-up for the Self-Care Seeds newsletter. Weekly tips every Thursday to grow you self-care practice.
Are you getting in your own way? Find out how to Get Out of Your Own Way on my podcast and show!
Real Chat with Kat podcast episode. In this episode April shares profound insights on ways to elevate your self-care, drawing from her personal journey where neglecting self-care led to unexpected challenges. Explore the connection between physical ailments, stress, and trauma, emphasizing the need to allow our bodies space for healing. April delves into the pitfalls of being a workaholic and perfectionist, highlighting the societal need for increased awareness of how our daily habits impact our well-being. Tune in for a heart-to-heart discussion on understanding the deeper meaning of self-care, celebrating your small accomplishments, and building trust within yourself.
The Healing Modalities 