We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kyra Christopherson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kyra below.

Kyra, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

First off, I loved all these questions, yet this one spoke most to my heart. I just completed my third master’s, and the introduction to my thesis was dedicated to my father who passed away four years ago. There are many reasons and ways that I could say my parents didn’t do things right. In fact it was as an adult and discovering after going out on my own–a sort of ‘hero’s journey’ that I could see what they did do right. I grew up in a what I called a brilliant yet nonfunctioning family. My grandmother was the stable figure who raised me but not because my parents didn’t want to–they were adults struggling through their own traumas and mental health challenges. Multiple times in my young adult life I returned to Minnesota (my home state) in times of urgency. To clean out my mother’s apartment; to visit my father or brother in the hospital; to attend to my aging grandparents. I grew up as both a mediator and navigator through chaos. Yet through all of it, I knew I was loved. What my parents did absolutely right, was express their care for me. For my father, I was the youngest of his five children, spreading across a twenty-five year age span. His demeanor towards me was the softer side of a tough, German outlook. For my mother, I was the youngest of her two, and the one who could ‘make it’ as my older brother experienced severe and debilitating mental health issues from his teenage years. Growing up in a chaotic, unstable environment could have stacked my ACES, yet due to many privileges (being white, educated, and growing up in an affluent area) AND the solid understanding that I was loved, resilience became my mode of operation. As a teacher and a mother now, I am eternally grateful for understanding the power of presence, and the impact when a child knows they are truly loved. This past year I went on an incredible journey of childhood deconstruction therapy. It was a journey of multiple sessions of guided meditations/activities to bring awareness and compassion to the experiences in childhood, and the parts of oneself that may have felt unheard or unseen. Throughout that cathartic process, I also had a deep Soul-level feeling that my parents wanted me to thrive. I could understand from my adult perspective that my parents were really just doing their best–and that their love for me was unchangeable, undying. Parenting is messy. It’s complicated. And at best, it’s fueled by caffeine (I now have a toddler and four year old going through sleep regressions!). In my roles raising our next generation I am choosing to take what my parents did right…and leave the rest :-).

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I love the tagline…teacher by day/entrepreneur by night. It highlights what has been fun to wear different hats but then to also see how seeking growth in both professions has a reciprocity. I have been a teacher for thirteen years, a Minneapolis Public School teacher since 2018. I love being a Montessori Guide at Seward Montessori and working with 1st-3rd graders. Throughout my days I get to model and instill my core values: love, joy & peace. And while it may sound clique, those are very actionable and tangible abstract nouns when it comes to an elementary classroom. I also get to model for my students being a life-long learner. Throughout the last decade I’ve studied holistic health and neuroscience. In 2023, I completed a conscious-shifting, up-leveling transformation program and became certified as a Higher Brain Living Facilitator. This cutting edge gentle touch technique is research-backed and proven to positive alter brain states and stages of consciousness. This work and awareness has shifted my life so much, that I wanted to provide it for others. I am passionate about how people can transform and live to their fullest potential. I also care deeply about community support and advocacy. At the forefront of all that I do–is family. My own family (and my closest friends who are also family), my class & our community, and the growing network of relationships that are in reciprocity with one another. In many ways I am seeking to decolonize my mind and lean into more sustainable ways of being together. And to do this, I chose to make it my business–to direct my creativity, concern and connections into a business venture. Two years ago, after my remarkable training year, my husband and I purchased a historic duplex. I started an LLC entitled Higher Brain Home (HBH). With inspiration from friends who own/operate an Airbnb business, we set out to create our own extraordinary stay. We had also been inspired by our own travels and adventure aspirations. We also LOVE taking care of our home space and curating beautiful experiences. We’ve been successfully operating our home as a short and mid-term rental and excited to see it’s growth and longevity. Recently, I also opened an office space just a block away from our home. Our vision when we initially got the house was to offer enlightening events too. Throughout the years my husband Lucas and I have led youth, spiritual and art focused groups. We enjoy bringing community together and supporting one another to thrive! In this newest creation of an office space, I had the intuition to create it as a collective space. Hence: Healing and Being Haven: (HBH) Collective.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

Ok, as a teacher I had to choose this question–I also just love it too. I think you can tell a lot about a person by seeing their book shelf. By my bedside I have a variety of books to devour when I have the gusto after getting the littles to bed. This summer I was especially taken with these three: Atomic Habits by James Clear; Returning Home to Our Bodies by Abigail Rose Clarke and The New Possible (Collection of authors). Although Atomic Habits is the only one that specifically and strategically deals with management and entrepreneurship, all three provided incredible insight and inspiration into the why behind creating a collective space for authentic relating and holistic practices.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

As I had mentioned in a previous question, resilience became a state of being through a tumultuous childhood. But one story that I don’t often share was that my teaching career required resilience too. Today I feel like I was really meant to do do this–and yet as in anything, it takes time, dedication, experience and “failure.” I first began teaching in Germany through a Fulbright fellowship. I believed in and desired cultural exchange and connection. When I returned to the United States I started researching our domestic public education systems. I grew up in Wayzata–which if you’re from Minnesota you probably know as one of the top ranked districts in the state. It is also very segregated and privileged. After living and working in New York for five years, I wanted to return to my roots to influence positive shifts for more equitable education. As a Teach for America teacher I was impacted by the harsh reality of our “achievement gap” moreover a system that did not appreciate the cultural wealth of people who have been historically oppressed. I was a fish out water. I was new. And while I was dedicated…I was dumb to the street smarts that I needed to be effective. Fortunately I had a teaching mentor at the time who saw my teaching potential but also my heart. She could see that I was trying to make something work despite the overwhelm–and her advocacy for me to move to a different role (a Montessori teaching assistant) made all the difference. Resilience can be strengthened along the way especially when others communicate empowering belief. I think about that now and seek to provide that in both my teaching and facilitation.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/hbhcollective
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/higherbrainhome/
• Facebook: Kyra Lynn Christopherson
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyra-christopherson/

Image Credits

I have included brand images from my official Higher Brain Living website, a picture of HBH Collective space, my family photo, and a stock quote due to the nature of it’s philosophy.