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Learn to Heal Yourself
I have come to the conclusion that human beings are born with an innate capacity to triumph over trauma. I believe not only that trauma is curable, but that the healing process can be a catalyst for profound awakening—a portal opening to emotional and genuine spiritual transformation. - PETER LEVINE
My intention for our work together is to be your coach, your guide, for self healing through somatic modalities. On my own healing journey, I gathered the tools that helped me the most to share with you. As you learn them and gain greater meta awareness, insight and self love, you become your own healer.
About your
guide, Kali
Kali has been a licensed bodyworker for 20+ years and has certifications in spiritual counseling (in the Ram Dass nonsectarian tradition), Emotional Freedom Technique, Somatic Emotional Release Craniosacral Therapy, and iREST Yoga Nidra, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction and anti-oppression facilitation.
Kali is currently in training for Somatic Experiencing and to be a Ecological Grief Facilitator. Kali holds a Masters in Social Change and Sustainability and a Bachelors in Environmental Studies and Psychology. Kali has a background in Buddhism (Zen and Insight). Kali doesn't identify with any particular religion and accepts all religions and spiritual paths as valid.
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Please note, Kali is not a licensed counselor. Kali provides somatic therapy coaching (not talk therapy, diagnosis or treatment) and spiritual support.
How somatic
therapy works
“No matter how much insight and understanding we develop, the rational brain is basically impotent to talk the emotional brain out of its own reality.”
- Bessel van der Kolk
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While talk therapy or conventional counseling works primarily with the conscious story of your life in your mind, Somatic Therapy works with the subconscious patterns of responding in your body. These responses are intended to protect you, but sometimes these patterns get stuck, overrespond or generally dysregulate the nervous system.
These response patterns that live in the body are like invisible blockages, rocks and dams in a river. We often think the restricted river and it's patterns of flow are just us, our personality, our unique self. However, stuck patterns greatly limit our potential for peace, happiness, and experiencing everything life has to offer.
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We bring the subconscious patterns of responding by the body into consciousness to experience, regulate them and change them for the future. Teaching you how to regulate your own nervous system allows your heart and mind be present and come online together in greater meta awareness. This leads to new possibilities for consciously creating future experiences, relationships, life pathways. Unrestricted, you can bring out your more authentic, expansive self, even in challenging circumstances.
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A great metaphor is learning to navigate a river with rapids. Do you want to be relatively calm and flexible in difficult circumstances? Do you want to be able to recenter and keep going when your boat it overturned, even though you might be scared and shook up? Do you want to be a nimble kayaker seeing and able to navigate many pathways to enjoy the river? Or do you want to be in a ridged boat and with a stuck rudder and no skills to paddle the rapids, feeling ready to jump ship?
Your ability to survive and enjoy life and relationships depends in part on your self awareness and regulation. You will be able to meet challenges with a wider range of tolerance, flexibility, resilience and expression.​
Somatic Experiencing
Somatic Experiencing® (SE) was developed by Dr. Peter Levine, an expert with doctorates in both medical biophysics and psychology. After years of extensive research and practice, Dr. Levine discovered that traumatic experiences disrupt the natural rhythm of the nervous system.
Animals seem to have an innate way to reliably discharge stress and trauma to maintain natural rhythm, but humans can miss the opportunity to resolve or discharge trauma physically or may not have the support to integrate the experience in a healthy way. Dr. Levine concluded that healing from trauma requires restoring this natural rhythm by engaging with the body.
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SE offers a gentle approach to releasing trauma long held in the nervous system. A skilled practitioner can assist clients in becoming aware of their body, including its sensations, emotions, and thoughts. Through this awareness, clients learn ways to regulate their nervous system. As they are supported to do this within the relative safety of the therapeutic relationship, the life energy previously trapped within the body as freeze responses can be accessed, acknowledged, felt, and transformed.
Scheduling
Kali offers sessions on sliding scale at $150/hr. I offer a few sliding scale spots per week for those who are unable to earn an income or are going through hardship crises.
Unless you are already familiar with somatic therapy, I suggest a free consult first to get a sense of your goals and to see if they can be supported by this work. If you don't feel some relief from the first actual session, there is no charge.
If you suspect you have a significant mental health condition, have suffered severe and recent trauma or are at risk of self harm, I recommend you seek conventional counseling from a licensed therapist.​​
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