In 2020, after leaving my clinical physical therapy practice,
I chose to go back to graduate school to get my PhD in Depth Psychology and Archetypal Studies from Pacifica Graduate Institute.
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My doctoral education in Jungian and Archetypal psychology in addition to Somatic Experiencing Practitioner training allows me to bring a wide variety of personal and professional experiences and perspectives to the experiences that are concerning you.
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Regardless of why you are considering 1-1 work together, I can help you find a rich and deeper connection to the creative life within and help you re-member your personal strengths that are a reflection of the more meaningful quality of life you have been seeking.
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My Approach
PATTERN
A large part of the work that I do involves the intuitive tracing of patterns.
These patterns can present themselves in many different forms such as sensations, images, movements, emotions, language/stories, and/or energetic patterns.
We track these patterns as they are symbolic of a deeper self organizing/regulating function of the psyche, even if the patterns perceivably feel symptomatic or pathologic.
One of Carl Jung's most influential ideas was his sophistication of the term archetypes, which are the primordial images that dwell deep within the unconscious of every human being.
These archetypal patterns are understood as universal symbols of psychic reality.
An archetype is a pattern that determines human experience (whether on a conscious or an unconscious level) and makes itself felt as something both vital and holy.
“Psychologically, however, the archetype as an image of instinct is a spiritual goal toward which the whole nature of man strives (Jung, 1960: 212).
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STRUCTURE
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Whereas the patterns that we are tracing are the forms of the self regulating or ordering function of psyche, structures are the physical manifestations of those patterns.
Examples of structures can look like physical, somatic, and/or psychological symptoms such as, intrusive images, body tics or OCD impulses, emotional flooding, abusive relationships, nightmares, and many more.
By using the structures as doorways we are able to see into the deeper patterns that influence our physical everyday life.
By following the structural manifestations in your life, we can trace the deep meaning inherent in these patterns.
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PROCESS
Much of the work we will do involves learning to trust the process of weaving between pattern and structure. Since process is the link between pattern and structure, we want to add consciousness to the patterns and structures that often run unconsciously.
If trauma has been prevalent throughout your life, the patterns and structures around that trauma can create negative feedback loops that keep you distanced from the true essence of who you are and who you are meant to be in this world.
In trauma, the highest value is survival and by consciously weaving between pattern and structure, we can creatively develop a deeper relationship to those survival patterns; then, we see the process begins to influence the creation of new patterns and eventually new structures that are a deeper reflection of the true essence of who you truly are.
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Areas of Focus
Somatic Experiencing
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Somatic Experiencing (SE™) is a body-oriented therapeutic model applied in multiple professions and professional settings—psychotherapy, medicine, coaching, teaching, and physical therapy—for healing trauma and other stress disorders.
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The Somatic Experiencing approach facilitates the completion of self-protective motor responses and the release of thwarted survival energy bound in the body, thus addressing the root cause of trauma symptoms. This is approached by gently guiding clients to develop increasing tolerance for difficult bodily sensations and suppressed emotions, thereby improving the capacity for self regulation.
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The Somatic Experiencing method works to release this stored energy and turn off this threat alarm that causes severe dysregulation and dissociation.
SE helps people understand this body response to trauma and work through a “body first” bottom up approach to healing.
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The SE approach releases traumatic shock, which is key to transforming PTSD and the wounds of emotional and early developmental attachment trauma.
It offers a framework to assess where a person is “stuck” in the fight, flight or freeze responses and provides clinical tools to resolve these fixated physiological states.
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It is based on a multidisciplinary intersection of physiology, psychology, ethology, biology, neuroscience, indigenous healing practices, and medical biophysics and has been clinically applied for more than four decades.
Dream Tending
In the realm of the night, the theatre of dreams unfurls, a universal canvas upon which the psyche articulates its unconscious narratives.
Even when the fragments fade upon waking, the act of dreaming remains an intrinsic aspect of the human journey.
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For those who embark on this exploration, the harvest is one of heightened consciousness – a deeper connection to the self.
Through the lens of somatic dream tending, we embark on a journey, peering into the movements of the unconscious as we parse the images and symbols woven within. This dialogue we nurture becomes a bridge between the realms of conscious and unconscious, an arena where nascent images and ideas flourish. In this unfolding narrative, a roadmap to healing unfurls.
Each image, motif, and theme woven within the dreamscape acts as a messenger of the complexes that shape our emotional contours.
These complexes, "the architects of dreams," traverse the stage of the unconscious.
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Sometimes, dreams compensate for the ego's one-sidedness, offering a mirror to the psyche's attempt to balance out the conscious mind.
The symbols therein, wielded by the psyche as transformers of energy, carve new pathways within the inner landscape.
This process of exploration and illumination is akin to Jungian alchemy – a transformative dance where the conscious and unconscious engage in profound dialogue, opening vistas to new ways of perception.
In alignment with Jung's doctrine, these symbols are guardians of equilibrium, messengers from the depths.
They mirror the psyche's state, serving as prisms refracting light upon the inner depths. And so, as we walk together through this labyrinth, each image unearths its meaning, unveiling the treasure troves of insight embedded in the dream's fabric.
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Why do we focus so intensely on our problems?
What draws us to them?
Why are they so attractive?
They have the magnet power of love: somehow we desire our problems; we are in love with them much as we want to get rid of them . . .
Problems sustain us -- maybe that's why they don't go away.
What would a life be without them?
Completely tranquilized and loveless . . .
There is a secret love hiding in each problem.
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-James Hillman
Depression
In times of great need, reaching out for assistance can be a formidable task, particularly amidst the profound weariness that accompanies the shadow of depression. When the melancholic hues linger, the presence of a seasoned mentor assumes paramount significance in helping to navigate the suffering that ensues.
Our voyage shall commence by treading upon pragmatic pathways, seeking to move through the weightiness inherent in depression's grasp. Together, we shall embark upon a journey into the depths of the unconscious, unearthing the persistent echoes of the past that reverberate within the present. Delving into the intricate threads of relationships, losses, and circumstances that weave the fabric of your melancholia, we shall unearth the dormant potential for revitalization.
In this transformative journey, a newfound essence of self shall be unveiled,
accompanied by the rekindling of life's vital force.
Anxiety
In the swift currents of the modern world, anxiety emerges as a prevalent companion for many souls.
When the tendrils of uncertainty and trepidation extend their grasp, sometimes transforming into tempestuous anxiety storms or immobilizing phobias, it beckons us to turn our gaze inward and seek solace.
Anxiety, in its essence, holds sway over both the psychic and somatic realms. Through the channel of Somatic Experiencing, we embark on a journey to improve receptivity to sensations (interception), thereby diminishing the grip of anxious symptoms. This expedition involves an excavation of the emotional substratum from which these symptoms spring. This intricate amalgamation of unease often finds its origin in the fertile soil of unconscious yearnings and fears. For instance, the gnarled roots of anxiety can be traced to the unrelenting pursuit of an unattainable perfection or to the fertile ground of insecurities that reside within.
Together, our efforts will be dedicated to deciphering the psychosomatic language of your anxiety, discerning the symbols it carries, and ultimately illuminating the latent wisdom it guards. As we tread along this transformative path, the sanctuary of inner equilibrium shall gradually be erected, offering you refuge amidst the tempestuous sea of anxiety.
Grief and Loss
The impact of a profound loss extends beyond mere sorrow; it ushers forth a labyrinthine fusion of emotions – the likes of anger, fear, remorse, and guilt – a constellation that can obscure the already intricate path of relinquishment.
This emotional vortex, borne of the depths of the psyche, becomes a crucible for the arduous alchemy of movement.
Beyond the departure of a beloved figure, human existence also bears threads of experience woven from chronic affliction, incapacitation, severed bonds of marriage, or the unwelcome transitions life ushers in.
These encounters, laden with the weight of grief, form the landscapes through which we traverse.
In a world that often impels us to hasten our stride in the face of sorrow, we're beckoned to stifle the natural cadence of mourning in favor of expedient progression. Yet, our endeavor charts an alternative course, carving out a sanctuary wherein the tempo of your grief can find resonance.
In this sacred space, the unfolding of your grief assumes its rightful temporality, unburdened by the constraints of societal pace. Each emotion is granted the breath it warrants, and through this process, the overwhelming may be transformed into the bearable. Thus, we embark on a pilgrimage to the heart of your loss, traversing the labyrinth of your emotions, in search of the integral healing that emerges from embracing your grief authentically and at your own rhythm.
Work and Career
Labor intertwines with the spectrum of human emotion, serving as both an elixir for the soul and a potential drain on its vitality. The endeavor of engaging in labor congruent with our inherent calling assumes a paramount significance, akin to the sowing of seeds in the fertile terrain of our inner life.
Yet, within a vocation, uncertainties may sprout, their tendrils weaving through the fabric of our purpose.
The dissonance may manifest as a discordant resonance with one's current occupation, akin to the felt sense of feeling "out of tune" with the soul's composition. Perhaps the tendrils of travail have been entwined with thorny relationships, or labor and the sanctum of personal life remain perennially unbalanced.
Through our collaborative journey, the focus shall be the alignment of Self with the labor at hand. This is a process of unraveling the mystery of work and reweaving its significance within the tapestry of your individuated essence.
This endeavor transcends the mundanity of a mere career assessment, diving into the depths of your core self –
the realm where your authentic purpose resides.
Together, we traverse the labyrinthine corridors of your vocation, unearthing the archetypal threads woven into its fabric. As we illuminate the pathways of your inner self, the vocation that resonates at the heart of your being shall emerge.
This alignment heralds the dawn of a transformative relationship with work –
one that reinvigorates the soul, nurturing its growth and sustaining its vitality.
Transitions
Life's transitions stand as profound junctures, each with its own unique challenges that echo the archetypal rhythms of human evolution. These passages are akin to the chapters of a saga, where the roles we have embraced with familiarity, such as the nurturing mantle of parenthood, are relinquished, and where old paradigms of achievement transmute into vessels of hollowness.
These transitions bear the hue of liminality, thresholds that beckon us to confront our limitations. Yet, within this encounter with our boundaries resides the crucible of both anxiety and melancholy, potent forces that can shape the narrative of our unfolding journey.
Together, we can traverse these domains in shared containment, offering an opportunity to cast a discerning gaze upon the crossroads of existence. Through this alchemical process, life's choices are reevaluated, their significance illuminated by the lantern of conscious introspection. The focal point is not merely to retrace the steps taken but to delve into the values that underlie them – the dormant wellsprings of meaning.
In this sacred space of exploration, the crucible of transformation grants us the power to redefine the very essence of self. The values that emerge from the depths guide the forge, shaping a renewed identity inextricably intertwined with the tapestry of the larger Self.
Eating/Exercise Disorders
Within the realm of eating disorders, the relationship with sustenance transcends only its physical essence, and opens one to symbolic symptoms that reach into the very depths of the psyche. The struggle between your earthy vessel and nourishment acts as a mirror, reflecting a dissonance between the conscious mind and the profound emotional needs.
In this discord, the tremors of anxiety often find their echo, resonating in harmony with a profound estrangement from the full spectrum of emotions that course through the psyche.
Together, our expedition unfolds as a journey of reclamation.
The first note is one of listening – attuning not only to the body's subtle whispers
but also to the symphony of emotions that guide our existence.
Within this process, facets of the inner self, once relegated to shadow, emerge to dance in the light of conscious understanding. In traversing these inner landscapes, harmony shall be restored. A renewed awareness of the bodily vessel shall unfold, and the dance with sustenance and exercise shall reclaim its grace. Yet, the journey's essence transcends the physical; it is an initiation of holistic self-care. The fragmentation that had sundered body, spirit, and emotion shall be mended, and the tapestry of your being shall once more move in the direction of wholeness rather than fragmentation.
Relationships
In the realm of relational dynamics, a call for assistance often arises when the fabric of the union is caught in the ordeal of crisis. Alternatively, this beckoning might emerge as a response to the revelation of a limitation nestled within the relationship's terrain.
Yet, it is also a call to fortify the relational container, a desire to cultivate and amplify the shared bond.
This foundational phase entails the laying of groundwork that will uphold the sanctity of the partnership.
Each partner, a vessel of their own unique struggles, beliefs, and complexities, contributes to the interactions. The journey is one of profound individuation and interconnection for each partner.
It's a pilgrimage that beckons you to confront the tapestries woven from your internal landscapes. As you traverse the shadowed realms, the task at hand is to embrace the responsibility for your individual yearnings and needs. This involves an attunement to the art of empathetic listening, the alchemical dance of resolving disputes, and the crafting of meaningful bonds.
As you traverse this inner journey, the relational space can be transformed. The crucible of strife becomes a transformed vessel for growth, birthing an intimacy that transcends the ordinary.
1-1 Sliding Scale
My 1-1 sessions operate on a sliding scale ranging from $125-$175.
I have a few slots for those who can’t afford the low end of the scale, please feel free to inquire.
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Consider paying less on the scale if you:
*are supporting children or have other dependents
*have significant debt
*have medical expenses not covered by insurance
*receive public assistance
*have immigration-related expenses
*are an elder with limited financial support
*are an unpaid community organizer
*are a returning citizen who has been denied work due to incarceration history
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Consider paying more on the scale if you:
*own the home you live in
*have investments, retirement accounts, or inherited money
*travel recreationally
*have access to family money and resources in times of need
*work part time by choice
*have a relatively high degree of earning power due to level of education, even if you are not currently exercising your earning power.
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The scale is intended to be a map, inviting each of us to take inventory of our financial resources and look deeper at our levels of privilege and to exercise autonomy and choice in this investment process.
It is a way to challenge the materialistic society we live in and work towards economic justice on a local level.
While I ask you to take these factors into consideration, please don’t stress about it. Pay what feels right.
Any and all questions of this map can be discussed on our free discovery call before beginning sessions together.