Dance Movement Therapy in Napa, CA

For the past 25 years, I have been helping individuals and couples to 'Live Laugh Love'. To live with passion, authenticity and purpose. To grow and blossom and thrive. To be kinder to oneself, to let go of perfectionism and to tame the inner critic. To let the joy in, and the laughter out freely. To love yourself and others more fully, and to have healthy nourishing relationships. My style is warm, supportive, compassionate, honest, non judgmental, open minded and holistic. I use an eclectic mix of therapeutic modalities for healing, learning and growth (ie Attachment, Gottman, Love Languages, Cognitive Behavioral, Family Systems)

I have had life experience in dealing with trauma which guided me to become engaged in the field of psychology, for the past 11 years. In the journey of healing my own trauma I was drawn into the field of psychotherapy-I can serve as a guide to return you to balance Through my own work with psychedelic medicines I have gained a great deal of knowledge of how the mind is impacted by the stories that we tell ourselves. These stories can cause anxiety and depression that affect the whole person: psycho-spiritually, physically, and mentally.

I want your body to feel like a home. I am a QTBIPOC, Poly & ENM allied, Sex-Positive Somatic Therapist offering experiential, trauma-informed, anti-oppressive body therapy for Queer, Trans, Non-Binary, Genderqueer, Neurodiverse, ENM, Poly, Kink, BIPOC folx. I weave modern neurobiological models, dance-movement, & somatic approaches to help you unwind bodily patterns of trauma & oppression in the nervous system, shift self-limiting patterns, & develop tending care for all parts of yourself. An embodied-experiential approach means focusing not just on talk & thinking, but on your present moment visceral inner bodily experience.

As a health psychologist, my approach bridges mental and physical well-being, allowing you to reclaim your life from chronic health issues, such as chronic disease (ex. diabetes, chronic fatigue, IBS, CIRS etc.), weight and eating difficulties, stress-related illness, insomnia, pain, addiction, depression, and anxiety. I combine my expertise in multiple state of the art evidence-based treatment methods, with a nuanced understanding of who you are as a person, to create a tailored treatment approach specific to your aims. I also offer opportunities to incorporate mindfulness, music, art, movement, and nature therapy practices, to maximize your therapeutic success.

I work with individuals and couples interested in gaining insight into relational patters with the goal of empowerment. I work with those interested in exploring the intersection of how we are shaped by society and culture, how we are shaped by our ancestors, family systems, and our own beliefs about who we are impact what we imagine we are and may become. I work with clients struggling with anxiety, depression, self-harm, self-confidence, and relational conflict who desire ease and balance. I am interested in sexual empowerment and sexuality, and I inhabit and work with alternative relationship styles including non-monogamy.

I am a queer artist, activist and therapist. I believe deeply in healing, and my practice as a therapist is one way I use my own healing journey to inform and create space for others to explore theirs. I seek to center my work on empowering and supporting people in the LGBTQIA+ community navigating all the emotional work it takes to exist in an oppressive culture - anxiety, depression, relationships, sex, gender, substance use, family, housing, employment, etc. Whether directly or indirectly through my practice, I also work to uplift and center the empowerment of queer, trans*, Black, indigenous and people of color (QTBIPOC).

Are you ready to reclaim your power and rewrite your story? Then you're in the right place! As a LatinX therapist with over 14 years experience working with childhood trauma, I intimately understand the power of healing lifelong wounds. Maybe you've done ‘the work,' yet you still haven't gotten to the root of these hurts. This can make you feel self-critical, anxious and insecure. You're not alone. It's common to experience self-doubt or unworthiness, a legacy often passed down thru generations of trauma. But you're meant to shine without shame! And the journey home to yourSelf can be both deeply transformative and light-hearted.

I have been licensed as an MFT working somatically, for over 30 years. I'm interested in what isn't working in your present life that brings you to therapy, what is unresolved from past relationships that you'd like to clear up, and what comes up in our relationship as we get to know one another. These facets help us create a complex experience which can transform old stuck patterns. Through the lens of my somatic training, clients can include their felt experiences in their bodies as an additional resource for exploring and understanding themselves. I also use a feminist and social justice orientation.

I have practiced as an Integrative Movement Psychotherapist for over 17 years and believe that true healing shines through when we work with the whole self-the body, the mind and spirit. As a body-mind therapist I bring in an eclectic mix of psychodynamic theories, strengths based practice, CBT, dance and movement therapy, expressive arts, eco-therapy and mindfulness work to my practice.

With genuine positive regard and a creative approach, my practice is committed to fostering awareness, healing and empowerment. The therapeutic relationship ultimately deepens the relationship with oneself and how we navigate challenges in the art of living. I facilitate with getting to the heart of the matter, gleaning meaningful insight, and building upon internal and external strengths. I have worked professionally for over 20 years, supporting a diverse population of hundreds of adults, youth, children, couples and families through and beyond, trauma, grief, depression, anxiety, life transitions and relationship difficulties.

You don't have to go this alone! I approach my clients with authenticity, non-judgement, and compassion. The issues that I would be honored to support you with include: depression; anxiety; working through trauma; grief/loss; major life transitions; self-discovery; exploring/cultivating creativity; exploring cultural identities; creating satisfying relationships; and understanding and resolving conflicts in family relationships. I integrate various theories and approaches based on your particular goals. Our work together can be exploratory or action oriented: focusing on the past, the present or the future; long or short term.

Many challenges we experience in daily life relate to conflict between parts of ourselves. Each part reflects our body’s own loving attempts to care for us in the ways it knows. When we shift one part of the feedback loop, the whole system rearranges - in our bodies, & in our relationships. My approach to individual & couples therapy is holistic, somatic & client-centered. I start with creating a non-judgmental, inclusive space for you to come as you are. As we form & reach for your goals, our work may include movement, developmental psychology, trauma work, regulation practices, behavior/communication coaching, & creative guidance.

Are you feeling stuck, lost, frustrated or helpless? Did no amount of affirmations or self-talk change the mind? We can't access our full Self from just cognitive. The body reflects the mind & stores trauma unconsciously which disrupts the nervous system & natural ability to regulate, causing symptoms like anxiety, depression, etc. Symptoms can seem like “traits" when they aren’t contextualized in survival defenses, ancestral, interpersonal & social layers. So we will co-create a nourishing space to hear somatic stories, identify triggers, patterns & skills to realign with innate wisdom so you can move helplessness to empowerment.

I am trauma-focused and honor the part of you who would like to discover more about yourself, and the part of you who doesn't want to come to therapy and may resist. Is there a part that is curious? Is there a part that is scared? Let's find out who you really are inside. The part that no body else knows, maybe even parts you don't know. Discovering who you are in the present moment happens by learning how to be present. Also searching through art making, writing, dancing, movement and discovering the process happening in the moment can help you find the part in you that shines. All parts of you are welcome.

I am currently offering in-person and online individual sessions using expressive arts, mindfulness, neurofeedback, EMDR and Ketamine. Artistic expression may be done through an online collage program or with any materials you would like to use. This may include drawing, painting, collage, sculpture, music, movement, writing, photography, role play or any combination of these. The focus is on the creative process as a tool for transformation and manifestation, rather than on the quality of the product.

My practice combines both mind and body approaches to support change. I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Registered Dance and Movement Therapist. I have experience treating a wide variety of psychological and emotional difficulties in adult, teenagers and children. I feel very grateful for the opportunities to work with those seeking a greater sense of well-being, satisfaction in relationships, and understanding of self. In therapy, I am working in both verbal and non-verbal ways, including somatic psychology techniques for adults and play therapy for children.