About
California Institute of Integral Studies
60 semester units + a year-long practicum in clinical somatic therapy
EMDR Cleveland
EMDRIA-approved 50-hour training focusing on complex trauma, disassociation, and anti-racist clinical practices.
(In progress.)
Bay Area Community Counseling
One year of associate training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT),
Structural-Strategic Family Therapy (SFT) & Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR).
Relational Somatic Healing
Training and associate supervision in healing developmental and intergenerational trauma through healthy relating and touch. (In progress.)
Co-Active Coaching Institute - ICF Accredited
92-hour coaching training focused on exploring and living one's vision, values, and purpose
How I got here
I came to somatic therapy first as a client. After years of trying different approaches to heal my internal fire, a meditation teacher suggested I explore somatic therapy. While I knew nothing about it I was desperate, so I gave it a try. Almost immediately, I felt deep and cellular changes start to unfold and became hooked.
It has been over a decade since then and I have changed a lot. I am more connected to myself and others. I am kinder, steadier, calmer, happier, and more me. Since finding somatic therapy, I have gone down all kinds of rabbit-holes, studying and trying all kinds of theories and modalities. The farther I go, the more committed I become to share what I have learned. Whether I'm in the role of therapist or client, I fiercely believe in this work. It is real and mysterious and feel honored to be alongside you.
How I work
The heart of my work is somatic and relational and rooted in attachment theory. I see our bodies, minds, and relationships as connected and trust our innate capacity to heal. I see much of the work as learning to listen to our ourselves and practicing healthy ways of relating. I also see our symptoms and painful patterns as ways we have learned to protect ourselves or navigate things that are somehow too much. Rather than viewing them as something to get rid of, they are our lighthouses, showing us what we’ve been through and what needs healing. By turning skillfuly towards them, they transform.
Together, we will explore your goals and determine what will best support you. These are some of your options:
- EFT-Inspired – deepening emotional connection and safety with your partner(s), informed by Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy.
- EMDR – processing and releasing trauma held in your body through Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.
- IFS-Inspired Parts Work – exploring the different parts of yourself and how they show up, informed by Internal Family Systems.
- Relational Somatic Healing - exploring your patterns of relating, to yourself and others, and utilizing our relationship to exercise the muscles of healthy relating
- Somatics - mindfulness, nervous system tracking and regulation, movement, and other mind/body tools inspired by Somatic Experiencing and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy.
My work is also shaped by decades of art and mindfulness practices, along with my experiences in sociology, restorative justice, education, natural building, life coaching, and caregiving. All of these have shaped how I see people not only an individual but within a larger context of their families, communities, cultures, and political and environmental systems. I care about creating a space that is systems-focused, intersectional, queer in philosophy and practice, neurodiversity-affirming, and grounded complex trauma-informed practices.
What I can help with
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Developmental trauma
- Fatigue, lack of motivation, depletion, numbness
- Internalized oppression and trauma
- Intergenerational trauma
- Loneliness, isolation, & a lack of belonging
- Low self-esteem
- Harsh inner critic & looping thoughts
- Overwhelm, panic, & fear
- Overstimulated and hypersensitive
- PTSD & cPTSD / flashbacks & disassociation
- Relational & intimacy challenges
- Sadness, grief, & loss
What I offer
A free no-obligation 20-minute consultation to explore how we might be able to work together.
In-person therapy in Berkeley or virtual therapy for clients located anywhere in California.
A bit more about me
I love singing, dancing, watercoloring, tending to my flower garden, anything handmade, backyard fires, going fast down hills on a bikes, building earthen homes, floating in warm bodies of water, and forests.
Big skies and desert lightning storms are home to me, along with the red clay and croaking frogs of the southeast. So is my family.