My Personal Story

If you knew my story, you wouldn’t expect me to laugh the way I do.

Self-compassion and a gentle diving inward has freed me from the daily hijacking of suffering and self-criticism that once consumed me. Now I stand witness to my pain instead of becoming it. With that said, I am continuously learning about aspects of my inner-experience that can throw me out of feeling safe and secure. It has been learning my nervous systems unique dance—recognizing what happens right before I move into fight, flight or freeze—and stretching out the time I spend in the pleasant experiences of connection, joy, calm, compassion, and creativity.

Life for me had been a series of waves—giant effervescent crashings and risings from chaos and grief—to reaching a state of equilibirium.  Early in life, I learned to dissociate from my emotions and my environment and to push things away. I used humor, laughter, and a smile to disarm people, but felt so low and scared inside. This strategy ended up causing my anxiety to increase and for me to become further split from my real feelings.

Over the past 20 plus years of education and searching for what would help me, I learned that body-oriented modalities including Yoga, breathwork, body sensing, and visualizations, were calming activities that would bring me back to base. Finding my own somatically-oriented therapist was when things began to turn around for me. I started to understand my own body’s beautiful story and how certain knee-jerk reactions were just triggered by unconscious memories of the past. They weren’t happening to me now and they weren’t me, they were just parts I created to survive. Understanding the power of presence and staying in the moment, helped free me from the past. Understanding my nervous system and where emotions were stored in my body, I began to integrate harmful experiences and face my fears. With finding this new way of showing up, my anxiety soon lessened and eventually left. I had a voice and could make sure that my needs were met.

My road to transformation and embodiment took a major shift when I began to feel again (sadness, anger, pleasure, excitement). With a regular somatic practice and tools to calm my nervous system, I started to feel hopeful, happy and was able to widen my window of tolerance for stress. I was able to handle more. Becoming a mother was another opportunity for transformation. I knew if I wanted to attune to my daughter,  I had to stay in my body even when it felt unbearable. My somatic work made it possible to create a secure bond with my daughter and to relax into a new relationship with myself. Our relationship helped me heal old family wounds that had been passed down from generation to generation. But, I didn’t do this all on my own. It took many years of focused self-care and healing.

Education

Currently, I hold a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from John F. Kennedy University. My area of specialization is Holistic Somatic Psychology.

Trainings & Certifications

Polyvagal with Stephen Porges Workshop

Creating Trauma Sensitive Classroom & Schools Workshop

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) Training

Felt Sense – Somatic  Tracking Workshop

Internal Family Systems (IFS) Workshop

Inherited Family Trauma Workshop

Neuroaffective Relational Model (NARM) Workshop

Somatic Touch Workshop

Hakomi Workshop

Mindful Biology Workshop

Trauma Informed Care Workshop

Mindfulness Workshop – Pam Walton Mindful Schools Instructor

Creating Trauma Sensitive Classroom & Schools Workshop

Crisis Response Care (CRC) Certification

Mental Health First Aide Certification

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) Training

Theta Healing Certification

Yoga Training Certification 200Hrs., Nosara Yoga Institute

Hoffman Process graduate

Leadership Beaverton graduate