I was born and raised in Philadelphia, and was deeply troubled by the poverty and blight that were pervasive there. I spent my early professional life deeply engaged in working with front-line community-based organizations primarily serving disenfranchised children, battered women, chronically mentally ill individuals and homeless families.
Before relocating to the bay area in 2004, I had served the needs of hundreds of poverty-stricken individuals and families. I was greatly moved by this work, but wanted a wider breadth of experience. My experience as a psychotherapist paved my way into greater concern for social justice and led me to devote my time volunteering with women in transition, welfare to work mothers, poverty-stricken families and victim survivors of sexual trauma.
Once in the bay area, I continued my work primarily in psychiatric hospitals, deeply resourcing and empowering individuals of all ages and all levels of functioning.
Believing that self-expression is key to growth, and that movement is a powerful form of expression, I completed a six-month immersion training in dance-based expressive art therapy at the renowned Tamalpa Institute in Marin County, CA. This very innovative and highly-acclaimed schooling offered me an excellent framework to widen the breadth of my own psychotherapeutic methods which combine traditional western psychology and body-oriented expressive arts.
For the past eight years I have been Core Movement and Dance Faculty at the Omega Institute of Holistic Studies in Rhinebeck, NY. Omega is a nationally recognized holistic learning center, combining spirituality, personal and social change, learning and community awareness. I have twice been a Visiting Teacher at the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, CA
For over a decade now I have been teaching my innovative and original movement-based healing technique; Dance Your Bliss at schools, hospitals, psychiatric wards, homeless shelters, retreat centers, women's empowerment groups and health and wellness conferences. My classes and workshops use my interdisciplinary method of healing, creating art, deepening community and loving the Self. I have a Masters in Clinical Social Work and Social Theory from Bryn Mawr College. Bryn Mawr is a highly selective social work school outside of Philadelphia, and the first school to allow women to earn a Master's degree.
I continue to tailor my practice to women and men in transition; specializing in depression, anxiety, life-transitions, business owners, couples and individuals who are new to the bay area.
Recent Trainings:
2011 - present
Individual consultation with Adriana Marchione, MFA, REAT
2011-2012
Group consultation with Jan Messer, MFT, San Francisco, CA.
2010 - 2011
Individual consultation with Scott Balderson, MFT
2009-2010
Hakomi Method Professional Skills Training: Module I and II. This eight month intensive is a mindfulness based, body oriented approach that draws from Eastern spiritual traditions and Western methodology. This training includes an overview of character theory and therapeutic techniques for accessing and transforming core material.
2007 - 2008
Body-Mind Psychotherapy with Susan Aposhyan; Esalen Institute, Big Sur CA. Training combines detailed information from anatomy, physiology, neuroscience, psychology, and spiritual disciplines, with experiential work in embodiment, communication, movement, breath, meditation, leadership, and facilitation. This provides basic skills of somatic psychology – body awareness, movement, breath, and contact – embedded within a highly sophisticated context of embodiment.
2004-2005
Graduate of the Tamalpa Institute Level I, in Kentfield, CA. Internationally renowned expressive arts therapy training. This work was originated in the 1950's by Anna Halprin PhD, who is among the first pioneers to use dance as a healing art. In the 1970's, Daria Halprin further developed the artistic and therapeutic aspects of this work.
2000-2004
Group Motion in Philadelphia; the 40 year-old workshop laboratory led by Master Teachers, Manfred Fischbeck and Brigitta Hermann. This profound system combines improvisation, movement meditations, and contact- improv with explorations of breath flow, sound, and movement qualities.
Education:
Movement Based Expressive Arts Therapy (2004)
Tamalpa Institute, San Anselmo, CA
Masters Degree in Social Service (2000)
Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, PA
Bachelor of Arts, Magna Cum Laude (1995)
Temple University, Philedelphia, PA
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
The Omega Institute: Rhinebeck, NY:
Core Faculty Dance Movement Facilitator; 2003-Present
Esalen Institute: Big Sur, CA:
Visiting Teacher: Week-long staff workshop March 2006
Wednesday Night Programming April 2006
Visiting Teacher: Week-long staff workshop February 2009
2006 Creative Arts Therapies Symposium: San Francisco, CA
2006 Professional Business Women’s Conference: San Francisco, CA
2006 UCSF Young Women’s Health Conference: San Francisco, CA
New Living Expo; San Francisco, CA March 2008
Hakomi Psychotherapy Conference at Naropa University; Boulder, CO: August 2008
The Omega Institute; Rhinebeck, NY Sueno Azul, Costa Rica
Week-long workshop February 2008
The Omega Institute, Rhinebeck, NY
Weekend Workshop May 2008
Women Peace and Power Conference August 2008
Weekend Workshop July 2009
Being Yoga Conference August 2009
Family Week - 2012
