My Learning Background:
Positive Parenting Communication
Core and Celtic Shamanism
Solsara- Relational Self Awareness
Authentic Relating Training
Intuitive Plant Medicine
Non-Violent Communication
Attachment Science
Hypnotherapy Certification
Intentional Navigation Of Personal Grief
Core and Celtic Shamanism
Solsara- Relational Self Awareness
Authentic Relating Training
Intuitive Plant Medicine
Non-Violent Communication
Attachment Science
Hypnotherapy Certification
Intentional Navigation Of Personal Grief
On my learning path, I've been extremely fortunate to work with incredible teachers and mentors. In hindsight, I can see what a gift and practice it was to find Jane Nelson and the Positive Parenting books, when I was a new mother at the age of 23. Before then, the reality was foreign to me that I could speak to my children in ways that honored both the feelings and needs of them AND myself. Those early years with my kids, particularly my daughter, Hazel, who was an only child until she was 5, were a learning lab for me in how communication shapes a moment and a lifetime. I watched how word choice directs energy. It felt like magic at the time. How differently she'd react as a toddler when I'd say "get your shoes on right now" vs "hey babe, we have to be out the door in 3 minutes, do you want to put on your blue or yellow shoes?" It's a direction of the flow of attention, focus, tone, agency and energy that many parents are never taught.
This framework was remarkably effective in creating empathy, respect and understanding in both of us. I find myself using those same skills in my current relationships and in one on one and group work. It changed the way I saw the world entirely. From a place of expected relational struggles, to a place of agency and creativity in each moment. I still say Words Are Magic. I still approach every conversation with this magic in my pocket.
In 2010, I immersed myself in a year long in-person training in Non-Violent Communication. Marshall Rosenburg's beautifulwork is described as: "an opportunity learn to hear our own deeper needs and those of others. Through its emphasis on deep listening—to ourselves as well as others—NVC helps us discover the depth of our own compassion. This language reveals the awareness that all human beings are only trying to honor universal values and needs, every minute, every day. NVC can be seen as both a spiritual practice that helps us see our common humanity, using our power in a way that honors everyone's needs, and a concrete set of skills which help us create life-serving families and communities. The form is simple, yet powerfully transformative. Through the practice of NVC, we can learn to clarify what we are observing, what emotions we are feeling, what values we want to live by, and what we want to ask of ourselves and others. We will no longer need to use the language of blame, judgment or domination. We can experience the deep pleasure of contributing to each others' well being."
To me, this work is a communication technology as well as a heart alchemy. After my hypnotherapy training, I came to understand even deeper how word choice and sentence structure greatly impact our beliefs and outcomes of any moment. I'm in the process of writing a simple, easy to use booklet of examples called: Abracadabra: Magic Words For Relational Alchemy.
Starting in 2012, I studied for two years in person with two incredible Shamanic Practioners, Mary Courtis (Celtic Shamanism) and Christina Pratt. This was where I started gathering the tools to understand what I was experiencing spiritually, and merge the worlds of Nature, Spirit, Intention, Words, Community and Healing. Here I planted the roots of my daily life deeper into nature, ceremony and ritual.
In 2017, I spent over 100 hours with a next level self-awareness learning comunity called Solsara. As their website states: "Solsara is a cultural movement dedicated to exploring what it means to be human together." It was here that I gained the self-acceptance and community processing experience, to start to feel truly embodied in what I had been learning those past decades. The universe sent me to an event, as I was hired as the photographer. I just continued to follow the unfolding path, and attended four 30-hour training immersions with this grounded, groundbreaking community. That year I also studied with Asia Suler in her potent container: Intuitive Plant Medicine.
In 2018, all of that was put to the test "out in the wild", when I met a powerful relational coach who sent me out on the ultimate fear factor experience: Go on dates with 11 men over the period of a year. (I had never been on a date in my life!- I had only been in not-so-depth-filled long term relationships) But it was time to show myself what I was newly made of. The task was not just dating, it was *showing up*. As myself. Not who I assumed anyone wanted me to be. My work with Solsara had given me the tools and understanding of the power of gut wrenching emotional transparency- even with strangers, even on first dates. I’ve seen how it sets people free. I decided I didn’t really have anything to lose.
What I found and transformed in myself was nothing short of miraculous. I showed UP for myself by saying how I was feeling in every moment, even when it was awkward as hell, even when I was so triggered or enamored and couldn’t believe I was letting the words come out of my mouth. I found so much safety in this act, the act of just being true, just sharing my human-ness and letting the chips fall where they may. And a few amazing men let their REAL step up to meet me. (And a few of them are still soul allies in my life) In this transparency of emotion, I healed old wounds, they healed old wounds, we released untrue stories about ourselves that we didn’t realize we were carrying. We pulled back the curtain on our deepest fears. We found clarity. We let go of our pasts. We greatly expanded our awareness of what was even possible in connection, and what we deserve. I found self love. I lost my fear of losing myself in love. I learned what my truth feels like. I set my heart free...
(In 2020, that powerful relational coach joined me in creating the Intentional Dating Community.)
The last 5 years, I have spent diving into the theory, science and mystery of romantic relationships, and becoming a Certified Hypnotherapist. Those experiences I had during that year of transparency practice in dating, fueled me to want to understand more of what I and others experienced in those relational containers we created so intentionally. Both the expansive and the challenging parts. Both the emotional and somatic parts. I've been thrilled to find more life-altering tools to share through the lenses of Attachment Science, Polyvagal Theory (Deep Nervous System Understanding), and Relationship Psychology. Each of these relational tools are extremely supportive to use in the all of the other Thresholds I walk with people through. Some of those authors are: John Welwood, Ram Dass, Dr. Sue Johnson, Deb Dana, Dr. Brene Brown, Gay Hendricks, Stan Tatkin, The Gottmans and Dr. Nicole LePera.
Each teacher/teaching, led me to the next, like a lantern lit path. In 2019, when Grief and Loss came into my world very intimately, I felt like I had the tools to survive those things. It wasn't easy, it was excruciating, but I had what I needed to sit with the sacred losses and all that comes with that. One of the people I lost that year, was my incredible mother, the embodiment of Unconditional Love, which I count and work with, as one of my core gifts and her, one of my greatest teachers.
And now I'm here on the other side of all of that, having woven together the threads of these teachers and teachings, and hearing the call every day to share the gifts that I've come here to give.
This framework was remarkably effective in creating empathy, respect and understanding in both of us. I find myself using those same skills in my current relationships and in one on one and group work. It changed the way I saw the world entirely. From a place of expected relational struggles, to a place of agency and creativity in each moment. I still say Words Are Magic. I still approach every conversation with this magic in my pocket.
In 2010, I immersed myself in a year long in-person training in Non-Violent Communication. Marshall Rosenburg's beautifulwork is described as: "an opportunity learn to hear our own deeper needs and those of others. Through its emphasis on deep listening—to ourselves as well as others—NVC helps us discover the depth of our own compassion. This language reveals the awareness that all human beings are only trying to honor universal values and needs, every minute, every day. NVC can be seen as both a spiritual practice that helps us see our common humanity, using our power in a way that honors everyone's needs, and a concrete set of skills which help us create life-serving families and communities. The form is simple, yet powerfully transformative. Through the practice of NVC, we can learn to clarify what we are observing, what emotions we are feeling, what values we want to live by, and what we want to ask of ourselves and others. We will no longer need to use the language of blame, judgment or domination. We can experience the deep pleasure of contributing to each others' well being."
To me, this work is a communication technology as well as a heart alchemy. After my hypnotherapy training, I came to understand even deeper how word choice and sentence structure greatly impact our beliefs and outcomes of any moment. I'm in the process of writing a simple, easy to use booklet of examples called: Abracadabra: Magic Words For Relational Alchemy.
Starting in 2012, I studied for two years in person with two incredible Shamanic Practioners, Mary Courtis (Celtic Shamanism) and Christina Pratt. This was where I started gathering the tools to understand what I was experiencing spiritually, and merge the worlds of Nature, Spirit, Intention, Words, Community and Healing. Here I planted the roots of my daily life deeper into nature, ceremony and ritual.
In 2017, I spent over 100 hours with a next level self-awareness learning comunity called Solsara. As their website states: "Solsara is a cultural movement dedicated to exploring what it means to be human together." It was here that I gained the self-acceptance and community processing experience, to start to feel truly embodied in what I had been learning those past decades. The universe sent me to an event, as I was hired as the photographer. I just continued to follow the unfolding path, and attended four 30-hour training immersions with this grounded, groundbreaking community. That year I also studied with Asia Suler in her potent container: Intuitive Plant Medicine.
In 2018, all of that was put to the test "out in the wild", when I met a powerful relational coach who sent me out on the ultimate fear factor experience: Go on dates with 11 men over the period of a year. (I had never been on a date in my life!- I had only been in not-so-depth-filled long term relationships) But it was time to show myself what I was newly made of. The task was not just dating, it was *showing up*. As myself. Not who I assumed anyone wanted me to be. My work with Solsara had given me the tools and understanding of the power of gut wrenching emotional transparency- even with strangers, even on first dates. I’ve seen how it sets people free. I decided I didn’t really have anything to lose.
What I found and transformed in myself was nothing short of miraculous. I showed UP for myself by saying how I was feeling in every moment, even when it was awkward as hell, even when I was so triggered or enamored and couldn’t believe I was letting the words come out of my mouth. I found so much safety in this act, the act of just being true, just sharing my human-ness and letting the chips fall where they may. And a few amazing men let their REAL step up to meet me. (And a few of them are still soul allies in my life) In this transparency of emotion, I healed old wounds, they healed old wounds, we released untrue stories about ourselves that we didn’t realize we were carrying. We pulled back the curtain on our deepest fears. We found clarity. We let go of our pasts. We greatly expanded our awareness of what was even possible in connection, and what we deserve. I found self love. I lost my fear of losing myself in love. I learned what my truth feels like. I set my heart free...
(In 2020, that powerful relational coach joined me in creating the Intentional Dating Community.)
The last 5 years, I have spent diving into the theory, science and mystery of romantic relationships, and becoming a Certified Hypnotherapist. Those experiences I had during that year of transparency practice in dating, fueled me to want to understand more of what I and others experienced in those relational containers we created so intentionally. Both the expansive and the challenging parts. Both the emotional and somatic parts. I've been thrilled to find more life-altering tools to share through the lenses of Attachment Science, Polyvagal Theory (Deep Nervous System Understanding), and Relationship Psychology. Each of these relational tools are extremely supportive to use in the all of the other Thresholds I walk with people through. Some of those authors are: John Welwood, Ram Dass, Dr. Sue Johnson, Deb Dana, Dr. Brene Brown, Gay Hendricks, Stan Tatkin, The Gottmans and Dr. Nicole LePera.
Each teacher/teaching, led me to the next, like a lantern lit path. In 2019, when Grief and Loss came into my world very intimately, I felt like I had the tools to survive those things. It wasn't easy, it was excruciating, but I had what I needed to sit with the sacred losses and all that comes with that. One of the people I lost that year, was my incredible mother, the embodiment of Unconditional Love, which I count and work with, as one of my core gifts and her, one of my greatest teachers.
And now I'm here on the other side of all of that, having woven together the threads of these teachers and teachings, and hearing the call every day to share the gifts that I've come here to give.
