About Me

Glennon Doyle writes, “Brave means living from the inside out. Brave means, in every uncertain moment, turning inward, feeling for the Knowing, and speaking it out loud. If you are uncomfortable—in deep pain, angry, yearning, confused—you don't have a problem, you have a life.” Yes—Feeling sad, angry, isolated, scared, alone, overwhelmed makes us human. These experiences are the places where we may connect, grow and heal old parts of ourselves.

A little bit about me— When I am not mothering my two children or doing the work I deeply love and am dedicated to, I can be found outside on a trail with my trail shoes on. And on a really good day, you will find me on a trail with a lead rope in one hand, running in tandem with a burro (donkey).

I have been working with families for over a decade. My study and work continue to delve into the entire life spectrum beginning at birth, into childhood, adolescence and then spanning into adulthood. The evolution of neuroscience informs my practices and approach as a practitioner. I strive to hold the ‘whole person’ in mind as I conceptualize and aid in the navigation of another person’s emotional terrain and life experiences.

My approach implements mindfulness-based, Gestalt and sensory tracking techniques with the goal to always bring the client back to the present moment. And, I draw upon a developmental, attachment and family systems-based lens in my work.

Living abroad in Asia, Indonesia and Africa increased the curiosity and wonder I hold as to the beauty and complexity we embody as human beings.

My real life experiences have enriched my ability to connect and understand where my clients are coming from— I am a mother to two children and I strive daily to fill my life with an abundance of work, meaning and play.


Education:

  • Masters of Arts in Clinical Mental Health (Mindfulness Based);

  • Masters of Education (Early Childhood Focus).

  • Certifications: Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) Advanced Practioner; Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy (PACT); Applied Suicide Intervention Training (ASIST); Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP); Sensation Emotion Gesture Action Notice (SEGAN); Gestalt Equine of the Rockies (GEIR), and Attachment-based EMDR.

 

 EMDR

EMDR is an evidence based, trauma informed treatment where the therapist and the client co-create the conditions in which the client is able to heal and transform old, charged memories into memories that hold less weight or burden to carry.. Simply stated, by going through the EMDR process, a client will gain a way to understand and work with their attachment and body-based trauma responses. The therapist will also help support and deepen the client’s ability and bandwidth to find resources which will help the client move forward in their life with more ease and understanding of themselves and also, the world around them.

There is an original piece to the EMDR that I facilitate where we locate the “The Answer.”  The concept of locating the answer allows for a compassionate assumption, that whatever is here, even the client’s symptoms, are here because they have been helpful or adaptive in some way.  And, instead of pushing old patterns aside, we actually appreciate whatever is here prior to trying to ‘fix’ or ‘make things goes away.’ By welcoming and appreciating whatever is here there is space for the client to have more self-compassion. As a result, healing and growth is more likely to occur as a result of working with ourselves in this way. 

The EMDR approach I utilize is attachment and somatic based; this work embodies nonviolence, mindfulness, compassion and promotes deeper self-awareness, coping strategies and helps the client identify and practice new strategies to move forward with in their life.

 
“You alone are enough, you have nothing to prove to anybody.”~Maya Angelou

“You alone are enough, you have nothing to prove to anybody.”

~Maya Angelou

Parenthood

Parenthood is an endless array of feelings, emotions and experiences that may cultivate a shift in one’s self-awareness and sense of identity. In other words, parenthood is hard! The tasks that accompany parenthood can feel relentless at times, not to mention finding time to understand and connect with the shifts and changes experienced through the aging process.

Themes surrounding marriage, childbirth, partnership, physiological and body changes, single parenting, divorce, child rearing, and loss can leave a parent feeling isolated and feeling possible shame or confusion as to how to take the next steps forward. I believe we are not meant to raise our children in isolation, yet so much of parenthood, we find ourselves feeling under resourced and teetering on exhaustion. And, COVID-19 has taken the task of parenting to a whole new dimension— overseeing online learning, the endless chatter and messages on social media, working while overseeing daily learning and family tasks, having children home with us 24/7 in some cases, trying to maintain a work schedule while upholding a basic level of sanity— you. are. not. alone. We will work together so can you may find space for you during these very uncertain times.

My invitation— dare boldly so you may dream amidst the challenges that parenthood inevitably holds. Reconnect with yourself in a way that you never knew was possible, and increase a sense of balance and vitality in your life during the mothering years.

Our work together is full of self-exploration. All you need is to bring the willingness to connect with yourself, the rest follows.

 
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Adolescents

If you are a parent of an adolescent, you know the challenges that come with this terrain. Now more than ever, we are seeing teens struggling with isolation, fear, anxiety, depression, confusion, mistrust, and disappointment, the list goes on.

Teens have never needed more love, empathy, presence, boundaries and support than they do today. When working with adolescents, the work we do is about overcoming barriers and providing an allowance of spaciousness to explore one’s self in a safe and judgement-free way.

The work we do together will allow your adolescent to embrace their innate intelligence while honoring and valuing their whole self. 

My approach is direct, honest, fun, creative, and as a result, a foundation is created which allows you teen to open up and explore their inner and outer world. As parents, we know that adolescents are faced with real challenges which may impact their well-being. Adolescents need the opportunity and then the practice to be themselves, to have a safe space to explore themselves, and to understand and recognize their emotional states. The work we do together is about finding inner strengths so that your adolescent feels more equipped to move through the world. 

I believe it truly does “take a village” to navigate the challenges that come with parenting and raising children.

When working with youth, my approach occurs both inside the office and outside in nature. The work I do with youth involves an essential ingredient, which is staying in the moment. Meeting a child or adolescent in a given moment requires us to find pathways into their inner world, to create and build a foundation of trust and connection that may eventually translate into their everyday life.

Our indoor work will include therapeutic time together which may also include art, writing, creating music, cooking, EMDR, Gestalt parts work and Mindfulness Based CBT.

Outdoor work consists of interacting with a herd of donkeys, walks, exploration of our local forests, working with the land, and building relationships with animals of different types.

My ask: Teens need to be ready to dive in and do this type of work, the rest will follow!

 
 
“Do you love me enough that I may be weak with you? Everyone loves strengths, but do you love me for my weaknesses?”~Alain de Botton

“Do you love me enough that I may be weak with you? Everyone loves strengths, but do you love me for my weaknesses?”~Alain de Botton

Couples

The couples work I do draws deeply upon the work of Psychologist, Dr. Stan Tatkin who is the founder of PACT (Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy). In Tatkin’s book, Wired for Love: How Underdstanding Your Partner’s Brain and Attachment Style Can Help You Defuse Conflict and Build a Secure Relationship, he writes:

“Couples in distress too often turn to solutions that can be summed up by "You do your thing and I'll do my thing" or "You take care of yourself and I'll take care of myself." We hear pop psychology pronouncements such as "I'm not ready to be in a relationship" and "You have to love yourself before anyone can love you.
Is any of this true? Is it really possible to love yourself before someone ever loves you?
Think about it. How could this be true? If it were true, babies would come into this world already self-loving or self-hating. And we know they don't. In fact, human beings don't start by thinking anything about themselves, good or bad. We learn to love ourselves precisely because we have experienced being loved by someone. We learn to take care of ourselves because somebody has taken care of us.”

PACT helps each person in the relationship to better understand their partner’s coping strategies, their ways of being or protecting themselves in the world and where these patterns come from (hint: it usually comes way before the two of you met!) so that together, the couple can move away from unhealthy behavioral patterns and towards secure functioning. In a secure functioning relationship the dynamic looks like this— both people are seen, heard and celebrated. Learn to say to each other, “WE come first.”


 
 

Upcoming Spring Group

 
 

Beginning this Spring 2025, I will be creating an opportunity for women to come together weekly for 8-weeks to to tell their stories, be heard, safe, seen and celebrated in ways they have not yet been. This group is intended for women who long to connect deeply with themselves and the community we live in. Together we will delve into a variety of topics, trying our best to leave nothing off the table— all parts of you are welcome!

We will learn skills like reflective listening, learning to sit with discomfort, deep self inquiry, self-care techniques and creating strategies for new narratives that will support you to better function and thrive in your daily life.

Join us!

For questions, text Gia @ 530-414-4668.

Teen Spirit

I will continue to work with a select number of teens in our community and these teens will have the opportunity to come visit and spend time on our land to do a quarterly-intensive where a combination of nature based practices, EMDR, play, discovery, and trauma-based therapy can intersect and transform your teen’s life.