I have learned through the simple, daily practices of yoga, meditation and breathwork, as well as intentional use of entheogens, to be gentle with myself and utilize self-awareness self-care practices for balance and wellness, accepting myself as both fully human and fully divine.

I am a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC), Certified Yoga Instructor (RYT 200), Meditation Teacher, Certified Peer Support Specialist (CPSS), Breathwork Facilitator, and trained NAMI Family Support Group Facilitator. I am also a person in long-term recovery with a professional background that includes 7 years of training, supervision and direct client contact in addiction counseling.

I am a trauma-survivor and been through spiritual emergency. My primary passion is bringing trauma-sensitive, evidence-based, somatic mindfulness, movement and breathing practices to those 1) experiencing spiritual emergency, 2) recovering from substance misuse and eating disorders, and 3) those wanting to prepare for, experience, and integrate a psychedelic experience.

My personal journey took me deep into the throes of active addiction and incarceration on a drug arrest, and my two years behind bars were mostly spent in the notorious Attica Prison where I survived a rebellion in 1971 that killed 43 inmates and employees. As a trauma survivor, my personal healing and recovery and how I work with others has always been guided by deep understanding and compassion. Since becoming a counselor, I have taught and led groups in numerous treatment and recovery facilities and guided numerous series classes, workshops, and retreats. I regularly present workshops at conferences addressing addiction recovery, plus teach mindfulness practices to professionals within mental health facilities. I have worked with many individuals one-on-one, both online and face-to-face.

I began doing yoga in the early 70s while in prison and began meditating in the early ’80s. Since then I have lived in two Buddhist retreat centers and studied, practiced, and participated in numerous retreats in Asia, Europe, and the U.S. with a wide range of Eastern and Western meditation teachers, including H.H. Dalai Lama and Thich Nhat Hanh, spending the equivalent of two years in retreat setting.