I met Teal in June, 2014 when she came to Chicago. I was the ground director for that particular workshop, and was so excited to have Teal in my city. Having read her book and watched her YouTube channel since 2011, I was ecstatic for an opportunity to meet her in person. After all, discovering Teal’s materials were what got me out of a long depression, years of psychiatric cocktail medications and a very troubling obesity problem. After discovering Teal’s materials, I cured my depression, got off my meds, lost 100 pounds and became a health nut vegan who wanted to help everyone feel as amazing as I felt. I always felt like Teal was reminding me of the things I always innately knew, albeit from a spiritual esoteric perspective, but nonetheless, I used her teachings to completely turn my life around.

Long before Teal and I met on a breezy summer afternoon at O’Hare International Airport, we exchanged emails. I was in the lowest point of my life, and she took time to reply to all my emails patiently, lovingly and helpfully. She gave me hope and inspiration to be authentic. Her kindness is something I will remember forever.

Teal and I quickly became friends. We clicked almost immediately on the car ride from the airport talking shit about how much flying and the airline industry in general sucks. Teal and I are sassy kindred spirits and I love spending time with her. She is the only person I know who one moment can make me laugh but can also drop teachings and wisdom on me that brings me to tears. She is a generous soul who literally never stops giving. Teal has cooked me dinners designed solely to make me feel happy, has helped me improve my snowboarding technique, has spent hours skyping me and reassuring me I’m on the right path, and is infinitely generous– always treating me to incredible opportunities.

I have spent extended time in Teal’s house and have seen her first-hand in her environment. She is an artist first and foremost, a total Gemini indigo who is a force of nature with her art. Teal works harder than anyone I’ve ever seen in my life. The rate of her producing, whether its videos, blogs, articles, books, teachings, processes, paintings, etc is incredible. Teal is a fierce businesswoman who supports not only herself and her dynamic career but also her son and her entire household.

Teal loves her son Winter more than words can say. I’ve watched her hold him tight and whisper in his ear how much she loves him, how she’ll always keep him safe and how he is the most wonderful boy on earth. And I agree. Winter is the spitting image of his mother. I love taking him on hikes and listening to him tell me stories and creating scenarios. He has such a vivid imagination and a beautiful relationship with his mother. Teal is a model mother figure and loves nothing more in this life than her son. She would drop everything—her career, fame, friends—just for her son. Winter is the most important part of Teal’s life. I’ve watched Teal break down crying while we’ve traveled for workshops because she misses Winter so much. I just think you really don’t know Teal until you’ve seen her with her son. She is raising him to be an upstanding, authentic and compassionate man.

Working for Teal is a whirlwind. She moves fast and I love trying to keep up! But it’s important to mention that she is human. I think social media and the Internet paints an incomplete image of Teal. She survived unfathomable abuse and devastation as a child and lives to tell the tale. While most of us can ride the wave day to day, Teal’s waves are tsunamis. Her processes have essentially given her an opportunity to live a life where she can laugh, love and create. But she pays a toll everyday while she works through triggers and memories. It’s both devastating and incredible to witness, and I love nothing more than staying by her side through it offering her unconditional support.

I don’t understand all this anti-Teal propaganda and lies. I’ve joked to her morbidly how it’s like we’re all back in middle school and the popular kids are bullying her again. It’s just ridiculous, if the people who criticize her could actually take a real look at who she is, there would be no question. Teal Swan is exactly who she claims to be. She has worked with me first hand and has accessed parts of me no psychologist, psychiatrist or mystic has ever been able to reach.

My family has noticed the changes in me too and has all given gratitude and thanks to Teal for bringing their son and brother back to life.

On an adorable note, Teal facilitated the meeting of my current partner, who I have been together with for three happy months. I am more in love than I have ever been in my life, and Teal has been working with both of us on our fears relative to relationships and has helped us sustain a healthy partnership we hope will be very long term.