Empathic Guidance
with
A Somatic Mystic
Welcome to the mystery
My diverse background and qualifications as a Mystic, Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP), Certified Grief Support Counselor (CGSC), Certified Trauma Recovery Coach (CTRC), and Registered Therapeutic Counsellor (RTC) with a diploma in Psychology and Clinical Counselling, coupled with my Shaman training, create a comprehensive and holistic approach to healing and supporting individuals.
My dedication and belief in each person's innate ability to heal themselves is a powerful perspective, emphasizing the resilience and inner strength that lies within each individual. This empowerment is a guiding principle in my practice, fostering self-discovery and self-healing.
Living by the law of mystical participation signifies my deep engagement with the interconnectedness of all things, embracing the idea that we are not separate from our environment but active participants in the tapestry of existence.
"My view of shamanism as an 'activity in a world that is ordinary yet spiritual' echoes the understanding that the sacred is woven into the fabric of everyday life. It's not bound by rigid doctrines or empirical measurements, but rather, it's a living practice, an art of healing, and a technology of the sacred. This perspective aligns with the notion that shamanism is more about lived experiences and transformative acts than a set of dogmas or cultural practices." Edith Hunter.
I resonate with Edith Hunter's words, illuminating my spiritual alignment with the essence of shamanism as a universal practice transcending geographical and cultural boundaries. The etymology of 'shaman' from 'saman,' meaning 'spirit healer,' bridges the gap between the worldly and the spiritual, highlighting the profound role of healing and transformation in this ancient practice.
The idea that healing often takes place within the context of a supportive and witnessing relationship is profound, along with recognizing the importance of a compassionate and understanding presence that can help individuals navigate their healing journey. My approach embraces the notion of shared healing, where the therapist and the individual collaborate in growth and transformation.
This combination of qualifications and beliefs points to a holistic and client-centered approach to healing, focusing on psychological and spiritual dimensions. My diverse background equips me with many tools and insights to support individuals' healing processes.
https://www.penn.museum/sites/expedition/shamanism-and-spirit/
Turner, .Edith"Shamanism and Spirit" Expedition Magazine 46.1 (2004): n. pag. Expedition Magazine. Penn Museum, 2004 Web. 17 Feb 2023 <http://www.penn.museum/sites/expedition/?p=8465>
My understanding of Trauma Recovery and Wound Healing is: "It is truly possible."
Trauma happened in relationship, just as wounds happened in relationships.
Trauma is healed in relationship.
I am a Dedicated and Experienced Trauma Counsellor
For over three decades, I have focused on understanding trauma from the perspective of those with PTSD, transitioning into professional training in various fields. With in-depth training in trauma theory, a holistic approach encompassing soul and spirit perspectives, and a commitment to the physiological aspects of trauma. Along with Certification in Grief and Trauma recovery I have a Diploma in Psychology and Clinical Counselling and am certified in Somatic Experiencing (SEP).
My approach to trauma healing goes beyond theoretical knowledge, as I believe in living and experiencing the work firsthand. This personal journey has provided me with a profound understanding of healing and has proven to be an invaluable asset in guiding others on their path to self-healing and empowerment.
I walk alongside individuals as they navigate the complexities of their trauma, helping them regain their power. Education is a key aspect of my approach, empowering each person to trust themselves and reclaim the wounded aspects of their self. I also support and facilitate the integration of healing that aligns with one's faith and spirituality.
My commitment is not to do the work for the individual but to be a supportive presence on their healing journey. My goal is to create a therapeutic relationship that fosters self-connection and self-healing, rather than dependency. I believe that this approach not only helps individuals heal but equips them to assist their loved ones in their healing journeys as well.
My own journey started with a diagnosis of PTSD and later, C-PTSD. Traditional therapeutic methods were not yielding the desired results, which motivated me to delve deeper into trauma healing techniques. Today, I bring over ten informal and six formal years of experience in guiding people back to their personal power, offering judgment-free witnessing and a safe space for healing.
My approach combines intellectual understanding, a spiritual connection to healing energy, and a strong focus on body awareness and intelligence – the very core where trauma often resides. I have personally walked the path of trauma recovery and now walk it with others, assisting them in their darkest nights and brightest days.
May you find a moment of safety on your healing journey, and may you be empowered to discover what truly works for you.
Walking in Grace
I dove deep into grief for six years and journeyed through its wastelands and caverns. A tragedy took one of my daughters life, taking a part of me with her.
The part that thrived confidently in what I knew, confident in my ability to be raw and open. The part who had hosted gatherings and taught groups lay dead on the floor in front of me for four years. I could not see this. I was blinded by grief.
Taking the time to grieve has been the most crucial aspect of my life for most of my life. I grieved the loss of family, culture, and connection very early in life. At a very young age, I knew I wanted something different, so I would leave my family and grieve the loss that I chose. I kept leaving to find myself; each time I returned to the family, I would discover I did not fit in even more.
Grief struck and filled with confusion; I could not understand why "I could not find myself" in the family. Was it because of them or because of me that I had to leave to find myself? I am aware that as much pain I experienced in my life as a result of my family, I also caused them pain. Each time I walked away, I left them laced with rejection. I never told them that I needed to find myself. I only told them I did not need them.
As I came to the awareness, making the; "MIND, BODY & SPIRIT" connection is my greatest asset. To me, this is "Dancing in the Shadows."
Dancing in the shadows has brought rhythm to my life and removed the blinders I wore for almost 56 years.
Through Soul Retrieval, I discovered the dead aspect of myself, still there on the floor. 4 years after the death of my daughter. This aspect was barely breathing, frozen in terror and grief. The pain was so deep that it left a bleeding gaping wound. I saw this aspect of myself lying in a pool of thick warm blood, barely alive. Seeing this part of me was horrifying, so wet with grief, broken and lifeless.
Through a fellow student's great love and guidance while training under Dr. Jane Simington, life was breathed into this frozen, wet aspect of myself.
Gently the fear began to thaw, and the bleeding waned as this aspect of me sat up, still on the floor, but sitting.
My horror subsided as I saw colour fill her face.
I reached out, and she took my hands, joining me in life.
We (both aspects of myself) knew we had to walk a thousand miles together before we would be fully one.
She (this retrieved aspect of myself) was a reluctant companion that summer. She still needs to be skilled in grieving and living; she had been lifeless and silent for four years. When we experience horrific trauma, aspects of ourselves leave - this is called soul loss. I learned that spring that being gone is genuinely being gone. This aspect of me had not grieved the loss of my daughter, and she had not found a reason to smile and laugh. She(the retrieved aspect of myself) had not held my daughters' babies or any other children since hearing of my daughter's death. She (the retrieved aspect of myself)challenged every thought and action this summer.
Together with this retrieved aspect of myself, I navigated a move to a new home with emotions that had not been experienced due to the complicated grief. Anger interrupted the settling in and made unpacking a challenge. Lased with an underlying refusal to accept anything, I continued to unpack and set up a place for my integrated self to breathe and teach.
I was gently talking to this unintegrated aspect grieving ourselves back together in a loving conversation; we danced in our shadows together. I acknowledged and honoured her fears and confusion, loving her into me and loving me home in me. It was a long, complicated and challenging journey back to me, back to teaching again.
Through Grace, I was afforded the opportunity to heal myself and dance in my shadows.
I look forward to what life offers as I Dance in My Shadows with all who, with courage, dance in theirs.
The inability to recognize the soul loss is why I was unable to teach again. Why I kept putting off all calls for teaching from those I have taught before and new ones who awaited my ability to share a way of dancing in the shadows.
Soul loss plays a role in our difficulties, fears, and unrecognized grief.
These aspects of ourselves haunt us that we have lost; they seek their home in us. They complete us and bring unacknowledged gifts that will enhance our lives in ways we are unaware of.
Soul retrieval has put the pieces of me from my childhood, from trauma and tragedy back together.
I wish this for everyone.