I believe that healing involves being deeply present to the body and soul, so learning and transformation can happen.
I am committed to supporting people in pain to find more freedom in their body and life. I am committed to supporting people with insomnia to find deep, restorative sleep.
My story: I have many memories of gritting my teeth through elementary school assemblies from back discomfort sitting on the linoleum floor. Growing up my grandmother often reminded me, "Sit up straight!" to little avail. Thus began an early awareness of my back and a longing for relief. By the time I was twelve I had physical therapy for my low back, and in my twenties an auto accident left me with so much back pain that I was frequently in the chiropractor's office. In 1998 I received a flyer for a class taught by Feldenkrais practitioner Jack Heggie, "Running with the Whole Body," a six week series of Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement® (ATM®) lessons. I enjoyed jogging, I had always wanted to run more efficiently, and I signed up immediately. Jack's Feldenkrais class changed my life.
I began attending regular Feldenkrais classes, initially to help my posture. Doing simple movements in the Feldenkrais lessons I experienced a new ease in my body, mind, and even emotions. I would drive home after each Feldenkrais class feeling my spine unwind and a calmness in my normally-busy head. As the lessons continued, I felt graceful and grounded--feelings I had long wished for.
Today, my back and neck are better than they have been since I was three years old. I can easily sit on the floor and in chairs that used to give me pain. On the rare occasion that I have back discomfort, I can do a Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement lesson and bring myself relief. I have freedom in my movement and intricate awareness of my inner landscape.
My experience in Feldenkrais inspired me to train in bodywork modalities to support others to have greater ease in their bodies and lives. In 2003 I attended massage therapy school and concurrently became a Reiki master-teacher. I embarked on intensive study in Soul Lightening Acupressure and Alchemical Alignment (bodywork for trauma resolution and embodiment of spirit), as I am drawn to the way emotions and energy show up through the body. All my modalities -- Feldenkrais, Soul Lightening Acupressure, and Sounder Sleep -- have taught me to listen to the whole person and that healing on many levels is possible.
Credentials: I am a Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner. I am a 2004 graduate of the Potomac Massage Training Institute and a Licensed Massage Therapist, with advanced training in pregnancy, severe headaches, and whiplash. I am certified in Soul Lightening Acupressure's Clinical track and Process track, and I have been practicing it since 2013. I am certified as a Soul Lightening Acupressure Seva Stress-Release Instructor and a Soul Lightening Acupressure, Acupressure for Anyone Instructor. I have been an Alchemical Alignment practitioner since 2015 and continue to take advanced training with it's developer Brigit Viksnins. I am a certified Sounder Sleep System Instructor, and I am a Reiki Master-Teacher. I am certified in Polarity Therapy Level 1. I have additional training in Craniosacral Therapy and the Yuen Method.
Teaching experience: Teaching is one of my great joys. As a faculty member of the Potomac Massage Training Institute, I teach the Introduction to Energy Healing and the Eastern Energy classes, and the Soul Lightening Acupressure Seva for Stress Release workshop. I have taught at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the United States Postal Service Headquarters (USPS), Hope Connections Cancer Support Center, Shady Grove Hospital Aquilino Cancer Center, Montgomery County Homeless Shelters, and more. My classes are warm, fun, and always applicable. Interests: My understanding of the body and nervous system is enhanced by longtime practices in mindfulness meditation, Iyengar yoga, and the Feldenkrais Method. My work and life are greatly influenced by Non-Violent Communication (NVC). I enjoy swimming, jogging, and time in nature with loved ones. I am a supporter of small farms and nutrient-dense, traditional foods.
Basics: A graduate of Haverford College, I hold a B.A. in socio-cultural anthropology. I have a delightful daughter who is one of my primary teachers. And a sweet dog who teaches me every day what it means to live in the moment, filled with unconditional love.
The following are service marks or certification marks of the Feldenkrais Guild of North America: Feldenkrais® , Feldenkrais Method® , Functional Integration® , Awareness Through Movement® , ATM® , FI® , Guild Certified Feldenkrais Teacher® , and Guild Certified Feldenkrais PractitionerCM