My Journey  

I started my integration journey with a psychodynamic therapist doing group and individual therapy. From there, I augmented my therapy with a body movement practice, not knowing that it was also a part of my integration process. In 2009 I was introduced to body psychotherapy and the somatic perspective. That was when I realized that my martial arts and yoga were all part of the process of understanding and untangling my trauma.

My first degree was in architecture. My drive to understand trauma in-depth led me to enroll in the Somatic Counseling Master’s program at Naropa University, which I completed in 2013. In the program, I pursued working with veterans who dealt with trauma and saw the need to integrate mindbody integration into the therapeutic relationship with these people. I worked at the VA for two years, facilitating group and individual sessions, assessing needs, and finding support for my clients. During that time, I trained and was certified in providing EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) to my clients. From there, I moved into private practice. To quote John Lennon, “life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” I had just had a child and was a first-time parent. My father was dying from Parkinson’s and Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and I felt I needed to learn more about psychology. So, I took a break to be with my family and then returned to school. I have come out on the other side feeling much more knowledgeable using my educational exploration of psychology and trauma integration. I have first-hand experience with different aspects of psychology, relational integrations, and EMDR (client and therapist). I know I can provide my clients with a safe container to explore and integrate their life events.