Somatic simply means working with the experience and intelligence of the body, rather than relying exclusively on thought and analysis. My approach uses mindfulness and present-moment awareness to help people become more aware of sensations, emotions, impulses and patterns that may otherwise go unnoticed. See Philip Shepherd’s excellent work as an introduction:  https://embodiedpresent.com/pages/philip-shepherd

A range of techniques in which a practitioner helps another person remain and/or return to the present moment experience (e.g., the senses, body sensations, etc. that are present in this moment). Guided meditation is one form of relational mindfulness, which I sometimes use, but it’s also in the form of touch-supported counseling in which the client immerses more deeply into what is happening right now rather than the past or future.

Something I love about this work is that there really isn’t a “typical” session - but the building blocks include: identification of the client’s longing/wish to change, exploration of that longing within mindfulness and body-centered awareness, and the co-creation of new experiences — built on safety, connection, trust, space and play —  that will help connect the client more deeply to their own inner wisdom and sense of innate wholeness. 

Much of my work focuses on relational patterns — the ways experiences from our past can shape how we connect with other people today. We may find ourselves bracing for rejection, conflict or disconnection without realizing we’re doing it. Through mindfulness and relational exploration, we can become more aware of these patterns and create space for new ways of relating.

Touch plays a central role in my work. When a baby cries, what does it want? If you tell it "you're safe," will that help? No, of course not -- the baby wants to be held and cared for. While we're not babies anymore, we're in those same bodies, with nervous systems that still depend on touch to be soothed and feel safe. 

The touch I use is rarely similar to massage -- it's slow, only done with consent, and more about emotional care and energetic support than your muscles or knots. It's perhaps most similar to craniosacral work. 

That's totally ok! My method does not depend upon touch. I have helped many people over zoom or with an agreement not to use touch. Sometimes, as safety increases, the concern about touch decreases -- but I will never pressure you to receive touch and it is not required to work with me. I deeply understand the fears we rightly have about touch in a society in which touch is so consistently sexualized, abused, and used without true consent.  

The truth is that we are only just beginning to understand the healing process enabled by psychedelics in conjunction with therapy, and it's different with each substance and each person. But in general, it works by harnessing the opening power of certain substances to spark the innate healing intelligence of the human body and soul. This intelligence emerges in proportion to the safety of the container and the skill of a trusted sitter, therapist or guide to hold it and support the process. I provide integration support; I do not provide psychotherapy or medication.

Yes, psychedelic-assisted therapy definitely can lead to long term change. Sometimes, this can result from a single journey. More commonly, people require a series of journeys to experience lasting change. Results are a function of a number of related factors: a client’s feeling of safety and trust with their practitioner,  their openness to experiencing discomfort as part of the process, their ability/desire to release some degree of control when feeling safe enough to do so, and perhaps most importantly, their commitment to integration work, in which the lessons and experience of the journey are intentionally brought into everyday life. I provide integration support; I do not provide psychotherapy or medication.