My journey into the healing arts began through my relationship with the natural world. I grew up in both a place (the unceded lands of the Multnomah, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Chinook, Tualatin Kalapuya and Mollala peoples), and within a family that had a deep appreciation of and respect for the land. When struggling through challenging times in my own life, I was lucky enough to have this relationship to the magics of the earth, and to meet a healing professional who shared this sensibility. These combined forces were able to support me through a deep process of transformation and change.

This experience is what brought me to the work I do with clients today and the way I approach it.

My career as a healing practitioner began as a licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in the Bay Area. I have training in many different healing modalities that I enjoy integrating into our work, including Expressive Arts Therapy, Transpersonal therapy, Ecopsychology, Depth Hypnosis, Integrated Energy Medicine, and Mindfulness-based counseling. I’ve worked in a number of community mental health settings, including residential treatment centers, multi-service agencies for youth and adults, and schools; as well as private practice settings.  My special interest is in the reclaiming of identity and self development, particularly around race, gender, sexual orientation and age.

My continued work with my own healing brought me to the practice of Kemetic Reiki, in which I am a certified Level 2 practitioner, along integrated energy medicine, my own ancestral practice and into deep contact with West African Traditional Religions through dance. Shamanic journeying and plant medicine work has also been integral to my own healing. As I have continued on my spiritual path, I found that psychotherapy is a great place to begin healing our emotional and psychological bodies— and that energetic and spiritual healing is absolutely necessary to come into wholeness.

I believe it’s important to pay attention to the stories and messages we receive, often very early in life, from families, peers and the larger cultural context, to bring greater understanding of how they impact our current lives, relationships and work. I love working with clients to rewrite their own meaning and worth, while letting go of damaging stories passed down from media and the larger world community.

I hold my role as a guide, support and witness to your healing process with an attitude of honor and trust— trust in your capacity to know and find answers within yourself, in my own experience and skills; and in the work that we will do together.