Where I'm Coming From
I came to this work through my own healing process. Spiritual emergence/crisis, body dissociation, as well as long-term depression with intergenerational origins, have shaped my personal development. These profound experiences, and the journey I took to overcome them, continue to inform my current work, passions and purpose. As a result of this, I became a dedicated practitioner of meticulous stone-turning. I have explored many therapeutic orientations as both a trainee and client: preverbal and early childhood emotional processing, pre- and perinatal experience, somatic therapy, mindfulness and phenomenology, creative process and poiesis, group fields, trauma in the individual/familial/ancestral/collective, shadow in the personal and collective, eroticism as intrinsic to creativity and wholeness. I draw on my knowledge of each of these areas in my work with clients.
As a therapist, I am constantly growing in my own process, with my clients, and from mentorship and training courses. I am a passionate learner, and hold a curiosity and reverence for life that drives my devotion to this work. My path as a ‘seeker’ was set at a young age, yet my hunger to work with others in a therapeutic role didn’t emerge until early adulthood, when I connected with a very essential desire to serve others in this capacity. I was extraordinarily lucky in that I was exposed to leaders in my chosen field relatively early in my journey; they continue to inspire and show me what is possible, and their skill, compassion, creativity and vision has left an indelible imprint on my life.
My trajectory in this work has been one that I have undertaken carefully, somewhat gingerly, slowly, and with great commitment. The unusual and powerful intimacy of the therapeutic ritual allows for a type of transformation that can reroute enormously damaging patterns in a person’s life towards health and vitality. I consider it an honour to be able to connect with and support others in their encounters with the challenging, the ineffable, the ecstatic, as we claim our rightful place in the privilege of fully living.
Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) #20134, 2022-present
Professional Background
FORMAL EDUCATION
Masters Degree, Intermodal Expressive Arts Therapy (Minor Psychology), The European
Graduate School, Saas-Fee, Switzerland, 2015-2019
Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in Expressive Arts Therapy, Vancouver Expressive Arts, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 2014-2016
CERTIFICATIONS and MENTORSHIPS
Certified Family Constellations Facilitator, The Constellations Path, Israel, 140 hrs, 2022-Present
Certified Pre-perinatal and Developmental Trauma Educator, Myrna Martin, 80 hrs, 2022 - Present
Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, 15 hrs, 2022
Mentorship in Sex and Intimacy Coaching with Orpheus Black, 2020 - Present
Certified Erotic Blueprint Coach, 1 year intensive program, 2020
SELECTED TRAININGS and CONTINUING EDUCATION
‘Clinical Applications of Polyvagal Theory in Trauma Treatment‘, Stephen Porges and Deb Dana (PESI), 20 hrs, 2023-present
‘Shame: The Hakomi Method Approach‘, The Hakomi Institute, 2023
‘Hakomi: 5 Week Training‘, Donna Martin, 2023
‘Advanced Collective Shadow Constellation Training for Therapists’, Nir Esterman, 35 hrs, 2022-Present
'The Heart of Hakomi', Donna Martin, 2022
‘Collective Shadow Constellation Training for Therapists’, Nir Esterman, 35 hrs, 2022-2023
‘Sex, Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression (S.S.O.G.I.E.) Training’, Terra Anderson, 2022
‘Essentials of Trauma Treatment: Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP) Training Course’, 2022
‘Collective Constellations’, Dr. Karl-Heinz Rauscher, Online University of Systemic Trauma, 2022
‘Treating Affairs and Trauma’, The Gottman Institute, 2022
'Healing Transgenerational Trauma', Peter A. Levine PhD, 2022
‘Couples Intensive Therapist Observation’, Terry Real (Relational Life Institute), 2022
‘Becoming Trauma Aware’ and ‘Practicing with Trauma Awareness’, Marti Stany and Hudson Wilkins, 2021
‘Kink 101 for Therapists and Coaches’, Orpheus Black, 2021
‘Accelerated Evolution 360’ Coach Training, Warrior Sage Academy, 2020-2021
‘Principles of Collective Trauma Healing’, Thomas Hubl, 30 hrs, 2020-2021
‘Foundational Teachings in Collective Trauma’, Thomas Hubl, 2020
‘Sexual Attitude Reassessment and Restructuring (SAR)’ Residential Intensive, 3 days, The Haven Foundation, 2019
‘Expressive Arts in Pre/perinatal Psychotherapy’ Residential intensive, 6 days, Myrna Martin, 2017
‘Level 1 Residential intensive: Preconception, Prenatal Period, Attachment Process, and Birth’, Myrna Martin, 10 days, 2016
TEACHING and SPEAKING EXPERIENCE
‘Kink 101: Surrender’, Orpheus Black, Los Angeles, USA, October 2022
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Teaching assistant for weekend workshop
“Dancing with Revenants: Collective Memory and Creative Subjectivity” - European Graduate School Alumni Festival, online, June 2022
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A Lecture with Alba Torres PhD
“Migrating Across Mediums: Transdisciplinary Arts Practices” - Thinking Creative Online Conference, Wenzhou Kean University, May 2022
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A Lecture with Danielle Savage
“Exploring the Erotic Blueprints for Women“ - Online, Winter 2021
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An 8 Session introduction to the Erotic Blueprints
”we | obstacle | space: Exploring individual and group creativity through somatics and mindful movement practices” - Penticton, BC, March 2020
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A weekend intensive workshop. Co-facilitated with therapist and dancer Peter Kok
“Winter Dreaming Studio” - Penticton, BC, Jan 2020
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An eight-week experiential/psychoeducational series that explores dreamwork and Expressive Arts. Co-facilitated with Maiya Robbie, Expressive Arts Therapist RTC
“Arts-Based Embodiment” - Penticton, BC, held twice (in the spring and fall) in 2019
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A six-week series that explores embodiment and somatics through the Expressive Arts
“Arts-Based Embodiment” - Penticton, BC, 2018
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A six-week series that explores embodiment and somatics through the Expressive Arts
Teaching Assistant - Vancouver School of Expressive Arts, 2016-2017