Founding Director of Empowered Spaces, Psychotherapist, Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, Group Facilitator, Community Weaver

I am a clinical social worker, somatic trauma psychotherapist, embodiment practitioner, community builder, group facilitator, space holder for transformational growth and healing, and a forever student.

Through my private practice, Empowered Therapy, I offer both individual and group therapy while specializing in working with women, female adolescents, gender diverse individuals, and parents. My holistic, integrative approach is rooted in somatic healing, parts work, mindfulness and self-compassion, empowerment, attachment theory, neurobiology, and a deep and reverent understanding of the nervous system.

As a white-bodied, heterosexual, cisgender, able-bodied woman of mixed class, I am also deeply committed to holding brave space for the cultivation of compassionate, accountable, anti-oppressive and equitable communities .

Since January 2009, I have been offering therapeutic empowerment groups for girls in middle school, Girls with Strength, and girls in high school, Quieting the Storm.

In addition, I facilitate workshops and trainings for the community on an array of topics that center personal and collective healing and transformation from a trauma-informed, resilience-focused, and justice driven lens.

It is my dedication to personal and collective healing that sparked the beginnings of Empowered Spaces. I opened Empowered Spaces in April 2018 with the primary mission to hold space for deepening connections, co-creating community rooted in care and belonging, and transformational healing. I deeply believe that healing happens in community, and that co-creating intentional spaces that support us in showing up as our whole selves is foundational for personal and collective transformation and liberation.

Education & Training

As a trauma-sensitive clinician, I have been trained in several different approaches for healing that are rooted in mindfulness, self-compassion and acceptance, attachment theory, neurobiology and a deep understanding of the nervous system:

• Masters in Social Work (MSW) from Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis (2006), and received my LCSW from the state of Missouri in 2008

• Internal Family Systems – IFS (Level 1)

• Integrative Somatic Parts Work Certificate with Frances D Booth, LICSW (25 hour Master Training)

• Somatic Experiencing Practitioner- SEP

• Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing - EMDR

• Trauma-Informed Leadership Course with Thomas Hubl

• Working with Racism, Sexism, Homophobia and Other Forms of Unconscious Bias: An Internal Family Systems Approach with Percy Ballard, MD & Kate Lingren, LICSW

• The Art of Skillful Facilitation: Presencing Race, Gender, & Collective Healing with Michelle C. Johnson, Stephanie Ghoston Paul, & Tristan Katz

• The Practice of Collective Care with Michelle C. Johnson and RW Alves

• Off the Mat, Into the World Yoga, Purpose, & Action Leadership Intensive with Seane Corn, Hala Khouri, and Suzanne Sterling

• Remembering, Responsibility, Reverence, & Reconciliation: An Anti-Racism Training for People Who Hold Space for Healing with Michelle C Johnson, Vivette Jeffries-Logan, & Kerri Kelly

• Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga(20HR training)

• Specialization in Trauma-Informed Yoga with Zabie Yamasaki, Transcending Sexual Trauma Through Yoga

• Treating Complex Trauma with Internal Family Systems: A comprehensive certificate training course with Frank G. Anderson, MD

• Dr. Bessel A. van der Kolk's Intensive Trauma Treatment Course

• IFS Continuity Program

• Accessing and Living from the Self, - Meditation, Mindfulness, & IFS Psychotherapy with Richard Schwartz and Loch Kelly

• The Living Brave Semester with Dr. Brene Brown

• Certificate in Mean Girls: Strategies and Resources in Identifying and Helping Relationally Aggressive Girls and Empowering Their Victims

• Trained in Nonviolent Crisis Intervention through the Crisis Prevention Institute, Inc.