Integrative Mental Health Practitioner, Certified Yoga Therapist and Yoga Teacher Trainer
Academic Background
BA, International Relations Brown University, Providence RI MA, Clinical Psychology Antioch University, Los Angeles,CA Ph.D., Transpersonal Psychology Institute of Transpersonal Psychology - Sofia University, Palo Alto, CA Professional Affiliations
Ronin Institute International Association of Yoga Therapists Association of Nature and Forest Therapy California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists California Association for Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors "Your sacred space is where you can find yourself over and over again." I am the founder and director of Water Touching Earth Wellness Group, which consists of my private practice and trainings programs, along with two other business initiatives: Ease Mountain Yoga & Nourishing Arts and The Care Forest Project, both located in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California.
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My professional, creative, and academic work reveal a deeply-held conviction in the potential of human beings. I believe in our innate capacity to confront and transform obstacles into sources of wisdom, power, and discovery.
I believe deeply in the scholar-practitioner model, and pursue research projects in the disciplines of ecology and psychology with the Ronin Institute in addition to my work with individuals and groups. My past work as a health coach in a corporate setting, a psychotherapy intern at Women's Clinic in Los Angeles, and my doctoral research on recurrent major depressive episodes were good fits for my skill set, beliefs, and interest in the human capacity for change. I completed my graduate studies and chose a professional path that focuses on providing integrative mental health tools with robust, compelling evidence to support their use. I work as a yoga therapist and eco-therapist with a focus on the use of conscious movement, embodied presence, breath, mindfulness practices, connection with community, nature immersions, and guided self-inquiry as healing tools. I specialize in working with people who are living with low moods, stress, trauma, and loss. I am certified as a yoga therapist by the International Association of Yoga Therapists (C-IAYT). I am registered with Yoga Alliance as an experienced yoga teacher, or E-RYT. Lilias Folan was my first yoga teacher, I studied to become a yoga teacher with Mark Stephens at both the 200 and 500 hour level and am the lead instructor for the Ease 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training. I have studied restorative yoga with Judith Hanson Lasater. I took jukai, a Buddhist ordination for lay practitioners in 2009 in the Soto Zen tradition with my teacher, Jundo Cohen. The focus of our practice is Shikantaza, “Just Sitting,” as instructed by the 13th Century Japanese Master, Eihei Dogen. I completed training as a Compassionate Bereavement Care Yoga Provider (CBC-Y) with Karla Helbert and Dr. Joanne Cacciatore of the MISSFoundation in partnership with the Elizabeth Kubler-Ross Family Trust.
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The yoga therapy components of my work are based on meeting certification standards set for by the International Association of Yoga Therapists and my education in psychology and are not derived from my status as an E-RYT with Yoga Alliance.
