Worklife
As an independent creative professional, it's clear that all of my life experiences to date have informed my work. For this reason I am pretty passionate about what I do and am so grateful I get to share this passion.
The common thread of my work revolves around the spirit of creativity, personal leadership and a self directed life. I practice from the belief that we each innately posses openness and curiosity, the building blocks of creativity and growth. In addition to my private coaching practice, I'm the Founder & Director of the Portland Coaching Collective.
Worklife
The common thread of my work revolves around the spirit of creativity, Personal Ownership and a self directed life. I practice from the belief that we are each innately whole and possess the foundational qualities of resilience and possibility. When we are centered in our most healthy selves these innate qualities happily and gently guide us in our flow of life. Commonly however our life experiences can prevent us from fully embodying our healthiest selves keeping us stuck in joyless unconscious survival mode often created from exposure to stress or even traumatic experiences. Unfortunately, any experience perceived as traumatic in the moment, whether it’s big ‘T’ or little ‘t’ trauma, can have lasting impacts on our growth and development. Fortunately however, it is also within these very same life struggles that our most profound growth opportunities arise. I work from the understanding that when we are stuck we must, slow down and pay close attention to where we are at and to what may have lead to being stuck in this place. After this compassionate acknowledgement you can begin the stretch forward into all your positive possibilities.
It is within this positive pivot that our work together will becomes oriented around what is right in life, what is alive and where your strengths are as well as what you visualize your future strengths to look like. We’ll build energy around all that is good in your life and all that you’ve got going for you as a gentle and delightful path to exploring ways to support you in growing this energy and the power of these strengths. As it is within the natural home of our character strengths that we are set free to flourish.
The mindfulness aspect of my work allows us to create powerful change by working in the present moment experience with the mind-body connection. The nature of my practice comes from a trauma informed perspective combined with the studies of neurobiology and attachment, I operate from a belief in the inherent power of human resilience and with the understanding of the brains natural desire to go toward healing and growth.
Journey to Here
I grew up in a highly communicative Italian family in Chicago, during the free-spirited decade of the 1970s. My parents were upbeat and encouraged me to freely cultivate a strong sense of humor and of self. The two are handy together.
As life evolved, I was fortunate to continue to cultivate the creativity and intuition that had shown itself in my childhood. In high school I was exposed to the teachings of David D. Burns M.D.’s philosophy of “Feeling Good” combined with the body centered practice of dance by my dance instructor. Later, in college, I had the good fortune of studying under Julia Cameron as she was writing and developing her personal practices which later became the book 'The Artist's Way'. I took these lessons and practices to heart and they have continued to influence and impact my life!
Later, working as a producer of commercial photography, in high-pressure situations, for such clients as Citibank, Nike, and Coca-Cola, I further developed my professional executive skills of being an efficient decision maker, while proactively adapting my role as leader to cultivate energy and expanded engagement with everyone on the team in order to reliably deliver celebrated outcomes. It this professional experience which informs my work with executives and independent professionals alike.
These experiences along with the mysterious adventure of later becoming a parent by way of open adoption, informed my decision to become a coach. Parenting is a naturally life changing experience; it is all new, unknown, sometimes scary territory. Then, the path to parenthood through open adoption adds extra layers of challenge. It is through all of these unique life relationships that I have been exposed to the wonderment of fearlessly exploring and embracing all the many ways that life can grow you. I have grown to understand that is relationships in our lives that hold the most profound opportunities for personal reflection, inspiration and expansion. As a mindfulness-based somatic coach, I feel honored to be in these expansive relationships with each of my clients as they bravely explore their growth opportunities!
Formal Education, Clinical Training & More.
2010 -Completed the International Coaching Federation’s accredited program at the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching, with a Professional Certified Coach credential through the ICF.
As an iPEC Certified Professional Coach, I hold a Master Practitioner Certificate in the Energy Leadership Index Assessment.
2012 -Completed the Hakomi Method of Experiential Body-Centered Psychotherapy from Mindful Experiential Therapy Approaches Institute (M.E.T.A Institute) Professional Skills Training.
2013 -Completed R-CS, Re-Creation of the Self technique through Mindful Experiential Therapy Approaches Institute with Founder Jon Eisman (M.E.T.A Institute).
2014 -Completed Attachment Training through Mindful Experiential Therapy Approaches Institute (M.E.T.A Institute).
2016 -Completed CIMBS (Complex Integration Of Multiple Brain Systems) Introductory to Neuro-Physiopsycho Therapy.
2019 -Completed Introductory to Integrative NLP Practitioner Training.
2020 -In process The Dynamic Trio; EMDR, Positive Psychology & Somatic Coaching Training at Mindfulness Coaching School.
My practice is rooted in body centered mindful-awareness and ‘somatic listening’ both of which I find to be key elements in accessing and shifting the repressive impact of any life experience we have found to be traumatic. This combined with the energetic tool of ‘future-casting’ or creative visualization makes for powerful personal freedom & transformation. I am currently studying Bilateral Experiencing & Positive Psychology Applications as additional tools to enhance personal strengths and well being and to enable my clients to flourish in their lives.
Additionally; I hold a bachelor of arts in communication from Columbia College; sit on the board of directors for Open Adoption & Family Services and have been honored to serve the Oregon legislature as part of an Oregon Law Commission work group, working to rewrite Oregon adoption law and reshape Oregon adoption practice. I have had the pleasure of being a regular contributing guest speaker at NUNM the oldest accredited naturopathic medical university in North America and a leader in natural medicine education and training; and I'm the Founder & Director of the Portland Coaching Collective.
Journey to Here
I grew up in a highly communicative Italian family in Chicago, during the free-spirited decade of the 1970s. My parents were upbeat and encouraged me to freely cultivate a strong sense of humor and of self. The two are handy together.
As life evolved, and I was fortunate to continue to cultivate the creativity and intuition that had shown itself in my childhood. In college, I had the good fortune of studying under Julia Cameron as she was writing and developing her personal practices which later became the book 'The Artist's Way'. I took these lessons and practices to heart and they have continued to influence my life. ~Thanks Julia!.
Later, working as a freelance stylist and producer of commercial photography, in high-pressure situations, for such clients as Citibank, Nike, and Coca-Cola, I found myself in the delicate role of creative, mediator and leader. Co-creating along side my crew, I worked to spark motivation and inspiration in them, to show up, deliver their best and grow themselves as independent creative professionals.
These adventures along with the mysterious adventure of later becoming a parent by way of open adoption, informed my decision to become a coach. Parenting is a naturally life changing experience; it is all new, unknown, sometimes scary territory. Then, the path to parenthood through open adoption adds extra layers of challenge. It was this additional challenge that was also my gift. I was exposed to the wonderment of fearlessly exploring and embracing all the many ways that life can grow you. These days as a coach and consultant, I get to work with talented, inspired clients who are wanting and willing to do the same!
Credentials & More.
A graduate of the International Coaching Federation’s accredited program at the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching, I am a certified professional coach. I hold a Master Practitioner Certificate in the Energy Leadership Index Assessment and am a professional member of the International Coach Federation since 2010, with a Professional Certified Coach credential. Additionally, I've completed training in Attachment, Hakomi Method and R-CS, Re-Creation of the Self technique through META. To learn more about these techniques, please visit meta-trainings.com. I hold a bachelor of arts in communication from Columbia College in Chicago; sit on the board of directors for Open Adoption & Family Services and serve the Oregon legislature as part of an Oregon Law Commission work group, working to rewrite Oregon adoption law and reshape Oregon adoption practice. Additionally, I am honored to be a contributing guest speaker at NUNM.
