Dance Movement Therapy in Tracy, CA

Ease, change and joy are accessible. I know you can emerge from distress. I have seen radical growth-- again and again. My therapeutic approach is designed for each person's individual internal world. I design each session using a variety of active and engaged interventions, like EMDR, IFS, and expressive arts. We work to uncover the hurt parts that have taken over your life. The “stuck-ness” seems to dissipate. In an atmosphere of love and total acceptance, I use proven interventions to bring awareness and internal movement.

As a holistic counselor I aim to create a safe space of acceptance, healing, and awakening. My focus involves helping you to gain awareness and clarity in relation to your life situation, and helping you to access your own inner wisdom and innate capacity for healing. My goal is to help you to fully flourish and reconnect to the life-force within. I bring my experience working with clients from a diverse range of backgrounds, facilitating groups both in the bay area and internationally, and teaching as a professor of clinical psychology and consciousness studies at John F. Kennedy University.

I specialize in trauma-informed therapy for anxiety, depression, relational issues, childhood and lifespan trauma, and more. I understand that sometimes psychotherapy is sought out in a very challenging time of life, and I am here to offer support through that. I have specialized experience working with creatives of all kinds, in being a singer myself. With experience focusing on young adults as well, I offer guidance for the process of individuation that occurs during these formative years. I enjoy working with clients of all ages, ethnicities, abilities, gender identities, sexualities, and other intersectional identities.

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.

Are you experiencing a "dark night of the soul" and feeling hopeless? Do you need to change a relationship, behavior or thought pattern? Pause. Change can happen in a single moment of insight. You have taken the first step toward self-empowerment and transformation. When we deepen our awareness within a positive, supportive and safe environment, we can find tools to navigate life’s obstacles. Let's have a conversation! Sessions focus are a collaboration toward growth and transformation. I provide holistic and integrative counseling for the body, mind and spirit, with 35 years of experience in the healing arts professions.

I work with children, teens and adults, in individual sessions and groups. Adults and teens: I see you as creative, resourceful, and whole on your own. I am here to help you heal wounds that keep you stuck and don't let you believe in your own strengths and intuition. I can offer curious questions, valuable resources and tools to add to your own toolbelt, new perspectives, and challenges that honor your goals and what you need to live your best life. I also provide Authentic Movement groups and experiential creative workshops.

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.

You've begun a courageous search. Take heart, healing is possible. My work is rooted in the body/mind connection, nourished by the imagination, and anchored in the support of our therapy relationship. My style includes both directing and listening. I understand that your timing and willingness to explore your concerns are unique and must be navigated with respect. We work together to take stock, talk about your goals, and gather the tools needed - from your own strengths, the training I bring, and a community of resources - to help you continue your journey of wellbeing.

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.

Specializing in a holistic approach to mental health and wellness. How can we talk about what matters, if talking is too painful? Mindfulness-based movement and expression therapy can help first regulate and calm the nervous system before diving into the analytical work. This makes the process not only more comfortable for you but also more effective. I understand the importance of listening to your own experience first, you already know the answers, I’m just here to guide you to them.

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 compassion, presence and warmth, I am here to be your partner and guide on your growth journey. I partner with you to heal emotional trauma and gain self-acceptance through my specialized mind-body approach. I support you through healing limiting beliefs about yourself, developing excellent boundaries, and connecting with your inner-wisdom. You are unique and so is your therapy process, so we tailor our work together to your specific needs and goals. I serve empaths and highly sensitive people, supporting you in coming home to who you really are. Internal Family Systems. Somatic. LGBTQ+. Check out my TEDx talk via my website!

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.

Are you struggling with some seemingly insurmountable hurdle in your life? Do you need support navigating a life transition, significant relationship challenge, or inner conflict? I am here to support you. I specialize in working holistically from a body-oriented perspective (i.e. - mindfulness, movement, etc.) with individuals, families (e.g. - nuclear, blended, co-parenting, foster), couples, and children with acute or chronic behavior, emotional, or relational challenges. All life's challenges are workable. Reduce stress, increase capacity, and restore the sense of balance, well-being, integration and fulfillment that is your birthright today.

I work with adults and youth navigating the oftentimes overwhelming and lonely experience of healing from complex relational trauma. Early trauma, whether from unmet needs or overt abuse, can warp our sense of self and imprison us in frozen fear, shame, or reactivity, impacting every aspect of our lives. Therapy can help us to find more freedom and connection - to all the lost and disowned parts of our psyches; to our amazingly resilient bodies, fiercely compassionate hearts and creative spirits; to other beings, community, and nature; to the present moment; to meaning and purpose; and to a felt sense of safety and possibility.

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 are here because you know something has got to change. Are you self-critical? Do you have that depleting sense of never feeling good enough? Do you hyperfocus on your flaws, fears, or what others may think of you? Have you "let yourself go"? Do you feel overwhelmed or exhausted? Are you wanting to feel calm, light, accomplished, and confident? Has traditional therapy left you feeling like something was missing? My expertise is in mind-body therapy which helps you to work through your old patterns and offers you concrete tools to help you make small, yet profound, changes that support and nourish both the mind and the body.

Therapy is not something I "do" to you; it is a collaboration and conversation we have together. I look forward to walking beside you as you access a place within that feels more like home. There is no one way to move toward healing. I use an emotionally-focused (EFT), humanistic and somatic understanding while keeping the very human need for attachment and relationship at the heart of our work together. Many clients feel and notice a shift toward increased authenticity, flow, ease and joy in their lives after working together. (Now accepting COUPLES).