FAQs
MY APPROACH AND WAYS TO WORK WITH ME
All your questions answered
my approach
Somatic Experiencing® (SE) is a body-oriented therapeutic model that helps heal trauma and other stress disorders. Developed by Peter Levine, Ph.D., it is the result of the multidisciplinary study of stress physiology, psychology, ethology, biology, neuroscience, indigenous healing practices, and medical biophysics, with more than 45 years of successful clinical application.
SE focuses on resolving the effects of trauma and chronic stress held in the nervous system. Using gentle techniques — like body awareness, sensation tracking, and titration (working in small, manageable steps) — it helps reset the nervous system, restore inner balance, and build resilience.
SE is especially helpful in working with anxiety, depression, and chronic stress because these states often show up physiologically. By learning how to notice and gently unwind uncomfortable sensations, we tap into your body’s natural capacity to regulate and heal.
The approach is grounded in a powerful observation from nature: wild animals, though routinely threatened, rarely become traumatized. They instinctively discharge the survival energy that builds up during threat. Humans have the same capacity — and Somatic Experiencing helps us remember how to access it.
While sessions may include conversation, this is not traditional talk therapy. My lens is somatic — which means our focus is on the body’s patterns and physiology, rather than analyzing or retelling stories. We pay close attention to what’s happening beneath the surface: sensation, breath, tension, temperature shifts, movement impulses, and more.
Rather than staying in the narrative, we explore how experiences live in your system — and gently support the stuck survival energy (like fight, flight, freeze or fawn) to move through. Many people who’ve done therapy and feel they’ve “told their story” find this work especially helpful — not because it replaces therapy, but because it supports transformation on a physiological level. We’re not just talking about change, we’re creating the conditions for your body to experience it.
I’m not a licensed psychotherapist and don’t diagnose or treat mental illness. If anything arises that’s outside my scope of practice, I’ll let you know — and I’m happy to refer you to therapists I know and trust.
Understanding the nervous system has changed my life — and it’s one of the most powerful tools I’ve found for supporting healing that actually lasts.
So many of us try to think our way out of patterns that are actually physiological.
Nervous system education helps us notice what’s happening underneath the thoughts — the stress responses, the protective patterns, the survival strategies — and offers new ways to relate to them with curiosity and care.
Understanding the nervous system can help you recognize what’s happening in your body, why it makes sense, and how to slowly create new options over time. I believe this work should be accessible, empowering, and grounded in the everyday — not something you only access in crisis or clinical settings. That’s why education is woven into everything I do.
Reiki is a gentle, non-invasive healing practice that originated in Japan. It’s based on the idea that life force energy flows through all living beings — and that disruptions or imbalances in this energy can contribute to physical or emotional distress. Reiki practitioners use light touch (or no touch at all) to help restore energetic flow, support relaxation, and promote the body’s natural healing processes.
I offer Reiki sessions in person and also use it as an optional part of somatic sessions. I find that it pairs beautifully with nervous system work, offering another layer of support and integration. Some people describe it as a reset, a softening, or a way to land more fully in their body. Others simply enjoy the quiet rest.
Reiki doesn’t require any specific beliefs to be effective. You don’t need to understand it or feel anything for it to “work.” It’s simply one of many tools we can use — if it feels supportive to you.
I’m a Registered Nurse (BSN, RN), Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner (SEP), Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-200), Certified Reiki Master Teacher, and Certified Healing Touch Practitioner. My work is grounded in 20 years of experience supporting individuals and families through life-altering diagnoses, caregiving, cancer, end-of-life, and grief — with a particular focus on trauma, nervous system regulation, and sustainable care models.
In addition to extensive clinical and holistic training, I’ve designed programs for healthcare professionals, facilitated retreats for people living with cancer, and continue to study anti-oppression, trauma healing, and integrative approaches to wellness.
working together
Sessions are collaborative and conversational — just with a different kind of focus. Instead of diving into the story, we tune into how your body is experiencing the moment: sensations, impulses, images, emotions, patterns of tension or ease. This helps us work with the nervous system directly, rather than just talking about the problem.
You’ll be guided through gentle practices like tracking sensation, orienting to your environment, grounding, or movement — always with your full consent and collaboration. We might explore how certain patterns of fight, flight, freeze, or fawn show up in your system, and practice small ways of shifting those responses in real time. There’s space for both insight and integration.
Each session is unique and shaped by what’s emerging — with plenty of room for reflection, pause, curiosity, and personalized tools to take with you into everyday life.
I recommend starting with 6-12 sessions and a rhythm of weekly or every-other-week, especially if you’re new to somatic work or seeking meaningful change. This helps us build familiarity and momentum, and gives your system consistent support for integration.
That said, some people book sessions as needed — either to supplement other care or during particularly intense times. Others continue weekly sessions until they reach a milestone or stay on for long term maintence.
You’re welcome to book one session to see if it feels like a fit. We’ll check in regularly and adjust the frequency based on what’s most supportive for you.
Reiki energy healing sessions are simple, gentle, and deeply restful. You’ll lie down (fully clothed) on a massage table or supported on cushions, and I’ll use light touch — or no touch, if you prefer — to support your system in unwinding and restoring balance. Some people feel heat, tingling, or waves of energy; others just experience a deep sense of calm. There’s no need to feel or do anything for it to “work.”
I may incorporate grounding practices or gentle breath or imagery cues at the beginning, but mostly, this is a space for your system to rest and recalibrate. Energy healing isn’t about fixing — it’s about supporting your body’s natural intelligence and capacity to heal.
You don’t need to believe in anything specific to benefit. It’s just one of many supportive tools I offer, especially useful when you’re feeling overwhelmed, depleted, or disconnected.
Sessions are offered both virtually via Zoom and in person at Hatch Midwifery in San Francisco — a warm, welcoming space that’s home to a variety of holistic practitioners. You’ll be able to choose your preferred format when booking.
Sessions are $200 and last 50-55 minutes. When planning for 6-12 sessions, collecting payment upfront to reserve your standing session time is preferred. Otherwise, payment is due at the time of your session and can be made via Venmo, Zelle, HSA/FSA card, credit card, or direct transfer.
For those pursing their SEP credential, SE student sessions for credit are $150.
I reserve one reduced-rate slot each week for those whose identities have been historically excluded from traditional care. Please reach out if you’d like to utilize this option.
who this is for
This work is for anyone seeking more ease, resilience, or connection — especially if traditional approaches haven’t gotten to the root of what you’re experiencing. Many of my clients are caregivers, creatives, or people navigating health challenges, identity shifts, or major life transitions.
It’s especially helpful for repairing the effects of childhood trauma, processing acute or chronic stress, and unwinding the physiological patterns that traumatic events can leave behind. That said, you don’t need to identify with having trauma to benefit from this work. Nervous system work supports managing the stress of daily life while helping you tune into your truest inner nature. If you’ve ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, disconnected, or out of sync with yourself — there’s something here for you.
If you’re navigating a new mental health diagnosis or active addiction, I recommend combining this work with support from a licensed mental health professional. I’m happy to collaborate and can provide referrals if needed.
Not to be hyperbolic, but nervous system work can help with basically everything.
Because your nervous system shapes how you experience the world — how you think, feel, connect, rest, react, and recover — working at this level can create deep, lasting shifts across all areas of life.
This work can be especially helpful if you're navigating:
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Anxiety, overwhelm, or chronic stress
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Burnout, compassion fatigue, or boundary challenges
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Grief, loss, or life transitions
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Chronic illness, pain, or health challenges
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Medical trauma, childhood trauma, or systemic harm
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Feeling disconnected from your body or intuition
It’s also supportive if you’re not in crisis, but just want to feel more present, connected, and grounded in your daily life — or if you’ve done lots of healing work already and want a new way in. Please don't hesitate to book a free curiosity/consult call to discuss your unique circumstances and goals prior to scheduling a session.
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between sessions
Often yes, but never as homework. I offer optional practices, reflections, or tools to try at your own pace. These are meant to support integration, not to add pressure.
You might notice small shifts first — like breathing more easily, feeling less reactive, or setting a boundary that used to feel impossible. Over time, you may find that symptoms become less intense, less frequent, or even resolve altogether.
Often, the biggest sign of progress is that you’re able to meet the stress of life differently — with more capacity, more clarity, and more choice. Even when external circumstances stay the same, your internal landscape begins to change. And that changes everything.
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Terms + Conditions
THE BASICS
The information shared on this site and in any resources, newsletters, or linked social posts is for educational purposes only. It is not medical advice, and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or replace guidance from a licensed medical or mental health professional.
POLICIES FOR 1:1 SESSIONS
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A minimum of 24 hours’ notice is required to cancel or reschedule an appointment. Late cancellations may be subject to the full session fee.
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Payment is due at the time of service.
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Accepted payment methods include Venmo, Zelle, direct bank transfer, HSA/FSA cards, or credit card.
Anti-Oppresion + Accessibility
This space is built on a foundation of anti-oppression, anti-racism, and disability justice. I bring both lived experience and formal training to how I think about care, access, and harm reduction — including in how information is shared and who it's for.
All bodies and identities are welcome here. I reserve one reduced-rate session slot per week for people whose identities have been historically excluded from systems of care. Please reach out if you’d like to utilize this option.
I participate in reparations by donating to mutual aid efforts and through regular Yunakin Land Tax contributions.
If something on this site feels inaccessible or not right for you, I welcome your feedback and remain committed to continued learning and unlearning.
WORK WITH ME
book
A low-pressure chat to share what’s bringing you here, what kind of support has (or hasn’t) worked in the past, and what you’re hoping to shift. You’ll get a feel for my style, can ask questions about sessions or other ways I can support you, and see if a somatic/trauma-informed path resonates with what you’re craving right now.
A mix of Somatic Experiencing® and my own style of nervous system education and integrative support. This work includes your body in the conversation to help shift stuck patterns, release stored stress, and reconnect with your natural capacity for healing. Expect gentle dialogue, guided awareness, and personalized tools you can use between sessions — so that you can meet real-life moments with more ease, clarity, and resilience.
Virtual via Zoom | In-Person at 637 Irving St. in San Francisco
A deeply restorative session combining Somatic Experiencing® with Reiki, a gentle energy healing practice that supports nervous system balance and rest. You’ll lie down with your eyes closed while receiving hands-on energy work. We’ll begin with space to set intentions and end with time to integrate what arises.
Held at my office at 637 Irving Street in San Francisco.
A session for practitioners and clinicians interested in integrating a somatic or trauma-informed lens into their work. We’ll explore your goals, scope, and current setting, and I’ll support you in applying these approaches with more clarity and confidence. Whether or not you pursue formal SE training, this session can support your professional path and help you align your work with your values.
Conducted remotely via Zoom.
Please note: This consultation + mentorship does not count toward SEP credit.
A session for students enrolled in the Beginning Level of Somatic Experiencing International’s Professional SE Training Program. I’m an approved Beginning Level Personal Session Provider, so this session counts toward your SEP credential. It’s a space to deepen your embodied understanding of SE, explore your own nervous system patterns, and build integration skills to support you throughout the training process.
Conducted remotely via Zoom.