Who I Am

My journey into this work began through my own body. At 18, while managing chronic knee pain, I discovered the transformative power of mind-body practices like yoga, meditation, and dance. These early experiences, combined later with somatic and spiritual practices, set me on a lifelong path of healing and deepening my relationship with my pain, my body, and myself.

As a therapist, I am deeply passionate about supporting others to become experts of their own bodies and nervous systems. Together, we uncover parts of ourselves often hidden in the subconscious or expressed through tension and pain. This process includes recognizing the profound impact of ancestral trauma and systemic oppression on our bodies and nervous systems—an essential dimension of healing.

My commitment to social justice began through work in permaculture, food sovereignty, and journalism. These fields taught me what it means for environments to be harmonious, sustainable, and balanced—and to notice when imbalance occurs.

I ground my therapeutic practice in an anti-oppression and pro-liberation lens, informed by feminist, queer, and consent-based theories. Through my mental health work, I have learned that trauma manifests in many ways, and that each of us carries an incredible capacity for healing and a natural drive toward meaning and wholeness. I continually hold myself—and those with privileged identities—accountable for dismantling oppressive patterns, while supporting individuals with marginalized identities in their healing journeys. I embrace an intersectional approach, understanding that true healing happens on both individual and collective levels.

I am a ritualist devoted to honoring and integrating traditional healing methods. I seek joy and wonder in everyday life—whether spending time with trees and water, learning from our plant elders, or dancing whenever possible. My dedicated yoga practice of over 20 years sustains and informs my work as a therapist. I am also trained as a yoga instructor and Reiki practitioner.

My approach is shaped by the places I have lived, traveled, and the many teachers I have been privileged to learn from. I currently live in Portland with my partner and two young children.

My Clinical Background

I received my M.A. in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in Somatic Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS). Throughout my training at CIIS, I worked in diverse communities, including, offering individual and group therapy at the San Francisco Sheriff Department's Women’s Center in San Francisco, and at the private practice sliding scale clinic, The Center for Somatic Psychotherapy. As an Associate Marriage & Family Therapist, I worked for Grateful Heart Holistic Therapy Center based in Oakland and Berkeley, and as a school-based therapist for Middle & High School-aged students all over the Bay Area. I held a private practice in Berkeley for five years before moving to Portland. I now offer virtual therapy in California and virtual and in-person therapy in Oregon. My in-person office is located in SW Portland (unceded territory of the Multnomah, Wasco, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Cowlitz, Molalla, Tumwater, Watlala, and Tualatin bands of the Chinook peoples, and the Tualatin Band of Kalapuya).

Trainings

Somatic Experiencing Professional Training — Current

Certificate In Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies, Naropa University — 2024

Foundations of Polyvagal Informed Practice, Deb Dana — 2021-2022

EMDR 1 & 2 — 2018

Will We Be A Good Fit?

Hands down, there are a few things that people like most about working with me:

I am emotionally engaged:  I am a great listener and am deeply relational. I talk with you. I don’t just sit back and nod my head. I am in every conversation with you, each step of the way.

I am warm and nurturing while being direct: Many clients describe me as having a unique combination of a warm and nurturing presence, and an intuitive directness. This creates a sense of trust, security and depth in our work.

I go deep.  I am a therapist you come to when you want to deeply engage with life’s tough and messy stuff.  I am there to support you, from a trauma informed lens, in approaching and being with the difficult parts of life with awareness, compassion, and integrity.

I am experiential. I have many clients who come to me who have had countless hours (or years) of traditional talk therapy. They have gained a lot from this work but are wanting to try something different. My approach takes components of traditional talk therapy and combines it with somatic and experiential methods.

Click here to learn more about how I work.