Yes — most people I work with are new to it. You don't need any prior experience, training, or particular flexibility. Curiosity is the only prerequisite.

Yes, I am trauma informed. I have an understanding of how trauma lives in the body, am trained to respond to it when and if it arises in our work, and I can offer nervous system education that reinforces your felt sense of safety, connection, and resilience. However, I am not a licensed medical professional. If you are seeking a more clinical approach to trauma healing, I am happy to refer you to those who specialize in it, and collaborate with these or other therapists you work with.

I explain my approach more in-depth here.

In the Discovery Call, we clarify which modalities fit your needs—Feldenkrais, the Tamalpa Life/Art Process, or an organic weaving of the two. Regardless of the modality, sessions are collaborations between the two of us, based on what interests you. We begin with a check-in to see what feels important to explore together. Then we attune to what’s here in the body, and let the session unfold as an emergent conversation between you, me, and the fullness of your embodied experience.

If we’re primarily doing Feldenkrais together, you’ll usually be lying or sitting comfortably, with occasional activities in standing or walking. Sometimes I’ll use my hands to initiate movement or show you how you’re moving; sometimes I’ll guide you through small, gentle movements that you make yourself. Near the end of our session, you’ll have time to rest, transition to standing, and integrate what you and your body learned.

If we’re primarily working through the Tamalpa Life/Art Process, I help you clarify a central theme, intention, or question after our initial check-in. We might do a short presencing activity to help you land in your body, and then we open up your personal material through an embodied creative activity, such as expressive movement, poetry, or drawing. We let the session take on a life of its own, based on how you creatively engage with what emerges. We end with some reflection on the arc of your session, and sometimes invitations for how you want to bring the insights gained into your life.

Ultimately, this work is about building a trusting partnership with the unknown and your body’s direct experience. Because this takes time and consistency, I recommend meeting on an ongoing basis, weekly or biweekly, for however long this work aligns with your needs.

That said, I do also welcome folks who intend to come for a finite period, or who want to try out the work over a few sessions before making a longer commitment.

In person at my studio in Berkeley, or over Zoom. Both work well, though they're different experiences — in-person allows for hands-on Feldenkrais work, whil Zoom sessions lean more on guided movement, creative activities, and verbal conversation.

Somatic learning isn't aimed at fixing a problem or treating a diagnosis — it's about developing a new relationship with your own body. There's no manipulation, no exercise prescription, no analysis of what's wrong. We start with what's actually here, and the body's own intelligence does most of the work. Many people choose to use this work alongside more clinical care.