Services
Welcome to my practice.
As we journey thorough life, our life imprints upon us. This happens naturally within the body via the senses and encodes into the body's memory, the nervous system. This sometimes creates habitual holding patterns in the body and/or distorted views of reality based of prior experiences; especially if they were overwhelming, scary, or unpleasant. This is a normal reaction to an abnormal situation. By observing the stories we are telling ourselves to be true, we can create change in how we perceive the world around us. As a Certified Mental Health Integrative Medicine Provider, it is my passion to share and blend the ancient philosophies of yoga and wellness with modern anatomy, neurobiology, and trauma research.
Bhramari Seattle provides compassionate professional care to those seeking support, encouragement, and healing with life's complications.
I am a certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP) and a licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate (LMHCA) in the state of Washington, receiving my Master of the Arts degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Antioch University here in Seattle. I also hold a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Child, Youth, and Family Studies with a minor in Psychology from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. Inspired by the depth of clinical research supporting yoga and mindfulness for healing the mind through body, I completed a 200-hour Yoga Alliance approved Yoga Teacher Training in 2015 to incorporate yoga into my therapeutic approach. Additionally, I am certified in Restorative and Yin Yoga. I believe in taking a holistic approach, sometimes talk therapy alone is not enough. The whole being - the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual parts all deserve compassion and attention for their experiences. It's not a matter of "what's wrong with you" but rather what has happened to you. Bhramari Seattle provides holistic care to reclaim your wholeness.
Therapeutic Yoga
So what is Therapeutic Yoga? For some this time is a safe and quiet retreat from their chaotic life. For other's it is an opportunity for their body and mind to heal and to re-remember what a calm baseline feels like. Yoga means to "yog" or "yoke" the mind to the body using the breath. The body's natural soothing mechanism and the common language between the mind and the body. With today's world we are constantly and consistently exposed to external stressors in an overstimulated and sometimes harsh environment. I believe the practice of yoga can be used as an art form to reclaim your space from a busy mind, heal physical and soulful traumas, detoxify emotional and environmental stress, improve healthy organ function, balance heart rate, and support overall well being. When we have especially unpleasant experiences the body subconsciously encodes the information from the senses (what we physically felt, heard, saw, smelled, tasted, or even perceived) and continues to keep alert for similar situations. Overtime, this build up leads to burnout creating illness, fatigue, poor digestion, cognitive impairs, emotional distress, and more. Our bodies need nourishing rest so they can process and heal the experiences and information we are constantly receiving. The key is within the parasympathetic nervous system, awakening our body's natural ability to heal itself. Often, we get caught up the sympathetic branch, better known as our "fight, flight, or freeze" response. A state of constant stress becomes our new baseline. Our work is to understand your sources of stress and how they are creating symptoms in your body (relationships, significant events, family systems, and personal history are often starting points).
The degree to which yoga is used in each session is dependent on you. For example, this could be 15-30 minutes of therapeutic conversation and the remaining time is spent breathing in postures or mostly talk therapy and we briefly discuss and explore various poses that could be beneficial to your goals. The choice is always yours.
Psychotherapy
I believe validation and empathy are essential to wellbeing and connection. My therapeutic approach is client-centered, meaning, you as the client are in control of the direction, speed, and focus of your treatment. Together, we will explore your journey of how you came to be and examine the various aspects of your life that shape your current experience. You may already have insight into what the issues are. Or, perhaps you are experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depression, and are struggling to make sense of it. Together, we will create realistic goals and examine what gets in the way. Often, the barriers we live within are only stories we mistakingly believe to be true. If we observe our thoughts closely, we create an awareness of our habitual ways of being in this world. Awareness creates choice, and I believe that choice belongs to you.
My clinical techniques draw from Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavorial Therapy (TF-CBT), Family Systems Theory, Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), and Narrative Therapy, to create a comprehensive and individualized approach to your care based off your unique needs.
Throughout my educational and professional experiences, I have worked closely with sexual trauma, depression, anxiety, intimate partner violence, post trauma symptoms, personal growth, and a variety of other issues.
Are you ready to share your story?
