SOMATIC COACHING SESSIONS
When I was a young teenager I had a dream that in a post-apocalyptic world I would function as an underground relationship therapist, that it would be my valuable skill to keep intimacy and connection alive. When I woke and realized I was still 14 and had zero relationship experience, I kept this dream on the back shelf. When I was 19 I got the invitation to study for two years with an emerging radical women’s mystery school that combined meditation, self inquiry, physiological study, sexual wellness, therapeutic psychology, somatic experiencing, mythology, and ceremony. I immersed myself first in my own inner world, becoming sensitive to the parts of my psyche that were communicating needs and old pains, learning the science and the mystery, the practice of presence and listening. I realized how scarce true presence had become and how much yearning exists to be seen, accepted, and loved. I started studying IFS (Internal Family Systems) years later, captivated by the world of part, amazed by how effective this was for both me and my clients. I began practicing zen meditation after many years of putting it off and being brought up by meditators. I’ve struggled to turn this work into a business model. I don’t feel right about capitalizing on a role that came to me so intuitively and organically, that I would be offering from, say, a hut at the edge of the village, if we still did that. My practice is integrated into my life now as this permanent yet deciduou dharma. Something I will offer until my elder years run out, no matter the state of the world.
Nervous System Soothing
During transitions, uncertainty, and upheaval, regulating the nervous system while learning to read the subtle emotional signals allows the body to stay connected to intuition and a sense of ease rather than being overwhelmed by constriction, fear, and shut down. In order to regulate the nervous system a sense of safety must be established to move out of a fight, flight, or freeze response. I provide a gentle container for acceptance, stability, and rooted compassion, building resilience and confidence in one's own ability to self-regulate and soothe. From this integrated perspective it becomes easier and easier to come home to the self.
Trauma Resolution
We form our attachment styles, our capacity for self compassion, and our beliefs about life almost entirely before the age of 10. Luckily our brains have the capacity to re-write these beliefs and heal from generations of inherited trauma with some support. When childhood traumas stick around unaddressed, the wounded inner child continues to show up in adult life with the desire to find resolution. The inner child’s greatest desire is to find love, safety, and belonging from those who reflect the qualities and importance of their caretakers, which usually means the romantic partner/s! Without support and awareness this desire for resolve can manifest as choosing unhealthy partners, repeating cycles of harm, enmeshment, codependency, trauma bonding, a guarded heart...all huge obstacles to building healthy partnerships. When familial trauma is resolved, our ancestors, selves, and descendants are given the greatest gift.
Healthy Relating
I can help you evaluate and understand your needs and desires in relationships. This can include: clarity on attachment styles, establishing and building trust, working with sexual issues, learning effective communication, understanding parental relationship patterns, maintaining healthy boundaries with work, friends, family, and beyond. The list goes on and on!
My Approach:
I use a combination of Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, mindfulness, somatic embodiment, holotropic breathwork, and intuitive deep listening.
Session Pricing
60 minutes $120
90 minutes $200
Sliding Scale
60 minutes $80-100
up to six sessions available
How to decide if you qualify for sliding scale:
To make this work accessible, I offer a sliding scale option for those who could use support but don't currently have the monetary funds. I know that spending money on mental and emotional healthcare is a privilege in our current capitalistic system and in my utopian fantasy those who are currently marginalized would be met with an abundance of care, safety, and belonging, showered in love and opportunity. I’ll leave it up to you to self asses. Please choose from my fees based on your current financial situation, being as honest with yourself as possible. Asking questions like: ‘would paying full price impact my basic needs? Additionally, I can connect you with practitioners I admire who may support your lived experience with more familiarity.