about us —where it all began
Back to the beginning
Kristen and Allison met during one of the most confusing, emotionally charged seasons of life: middle school. That tender age when fitting in feels like a full-time job, popularity is everything, and everyone is just trying to survive without embarrassing themselves too badly.
We found each other while navigating some really tricky social dynamics—trying to stay in with the “popular” crowd, ending up in situations that didn’t feel great, and slowly realizing we were losing ourselves in the process. It honestly felt like survival of the fittest—and we were determined to survive. Together.
We leaned on each other through the awkwardness, the drama, the hurt feelings, and the quiet moments of wondering, Is this really who I am? Eventually, we found the courage to step away from the group and chart our own path. It wasn’t easy (or graceful), but it was the first time we chose authenticity over approval—and that choice changed everything.
High school came next...
bringing a whole new set of challenges (cue the braces era, the pressure to fit in, the heartbreaks, and the anxiety over getting asked to prom—or not). We were side by side through all of it, processing crushes, disappointments, growing pains, and trying to figure out who we were becoming—while pretending we totally had it together.
we started asking bigger questions
Somewhere in those years,
Why did our families function the way they did? Why did we feel so angry and alone? Why does fitting in feel so hard?
We didn’t know at the time but looking back, this was the beginning of our shared pull toward psychology—trying to make sense of our own dysfunctional family dynamics and experiences, and searching for something that felt true.
Around then, Allie’s dad began taking us to a non-denominational church—less about religion and more about love, connection, and meaning. Neither of us had grown up with any kind of spiritual framework, so this was our first real experience of something bigger than ourselves… and the idea that maybe we weren’t alone in all of this.
Once Allie got her driver’s license, Sunday mornings became a ritual (iced soy chai lattes in hand), filled with long talks, reflection, and a growing sense that healing and self-awareness actually mattered.
That curiosity followed us into college and adulthood.
We studied psychology, pursued training, and eventually became therapists—not because we had it all figured out, but because we knew what it felt like not to. We were deeply motivated to understand human behavior, heal old wounds, and offer the kind of guidance and support we so desperately needed during those formative years.
Life kept unfolding, as it does—marriage, parenthood, identity shifts, more healing, more unlearning.
Sometimes we were in the same chapter, sometimes parallel ones, but always connected.
True Northing is an extension of a friendship built on honesty, growth, and walking each other home.
It’s two best friends who’ve been figuring life out together since middle school—now sharing what we’ve learned, what we’re still learning, and inviting you to do the same.
