Greetings.

Like many others, my holistic health journey began with searching for relief from physical suffering. Multiple injuries and major illnesses I endured at a young age had wreaked havoc in my body. The cumulative effects manifested as constant pain and sickness. I reached a "tipping" point and had the realization that if I didn't take better care of my body, I wasn't going to be able to live a long (let alone healthy) life. After this epiphany, I began a daily yoga practice and received bodywork consistently to learn to trust and regain strength in my body. It transformed my life.

My initial work as a somatic therapist began with a job at the United Way providing yoga instruction and breath therapy to children on the Autism Spectrum. This amazing opportunity lead me to the decision to go back to school to pursue a career in bodywork. I wanted to help other people enact positive change in their bodies, and hopefully,
in turn, their lives.

After my initial schooling, I was privileged to work with Hospice treating patients and their caregivers with compassionate touch therapy. During this period, I also opened my own private practice primarily specializing in fascial work. After a relocation, my business expanded and grew to include olympians and professional athletes as clients. As the physical demands of my practice increased,
I began searching for relief from my own pain and fascial constrictions. This is when I discovered Chavutti Thirummal, known to the western world as Ashiatsu. After receiving my first session, I knew I had to learn and integrate this profound method into my work. I went to the source and trained with the founder of Ashiatsu DeepFeet Bar Therapy. Since that time, I have gone on to master and incorporate advanced techniques from this discipline into my practice.

In the twenty plus years that I have been a practitioner, learning has been my constant as I strive to provide the best care possible. To gain further insight into the physiological changes that can occur during bodywork, I attended the renowned Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California to study advanced manual techniques born out of the human potential movement. To acquire a more comprehensive and in-depth understanding of anatomical structure and human movement,  I trained in Structural Integration, aka "Rolfing". My unending fascination with "how" and "why" of our body-brain-breath connection inspired me to learn under the co-director of the Global Professional Breathwork Alliance and become certified in therapeutic breathwork studies. As an avid yoga practitioner for over 25 years, implementing both the eastern and western constructs of mindful breathing has deepened my own ability to heal and guide my clients. 

While I have been honored over the past two decades to support others on their healing journey, I have stayed steadfast in sustaining my own well-being. The knowledge, awareness and insight I have gained becoming a professionally certified instructor in the disciplines of Ashtanga Vinyasa, Yin Yoga and Yoga Nidra have greatly enriched my professional practice, both strengthening and reinforcing my devotion to assisting others in maintaining optimal health. I have also been fortunate to attain professional certification in Arogya Therapy (Yoga Therapy and Ayurvedic medicine) and became a member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT).

Currently I am in the process of completing a certification in Polyvagal Theory through Polyvagal Institute under the tutelage of Dr. Stephen Porges. This ground-breaking scientific theory centered around our autonomic nervous system informs every aspect of my work. I have also recently trained in natural vagus nerve stimulation and become a provider of the Safe & Sound protocol (SSP) and the
Rest & Restore protocol (RRP) through Unyte. 

Exploring different ways to help facilitate healing in our bodies is my life's work. I hope you will consider allowing me to be a part of your journey towards abundant health.

With Gratitude,
AC