
Bio & Background
I am an active member of ISMETA, registered RSMT/E (Registered Somatic Movement Therapist & Educator) living and creating in Onguiaahra, the traditional shared lands of the Chonnonton, Anishnaabe, and Haudenosaunee peoples, also known as the Niagara Region of Ontario, Canada. I am a first-generation Canadian of Irish heritage.
I can't remember a time when I wasn't insatiably curious about movement, art and the experience of being human. I danced and played sports as a child, but rolling around on the floor, flailing, falling and wiggling was my favourite way to move and explore "what was this body...and what could it do?"
I first started coaching and teaching athletics in my teens, and have been an educator of contemplative practices for over 20 years. I've worked within various pedagogical systems, from yoga (RYT500), meditation and Pilates to flow arts, dance, creative writing and somatics, whether in the studio system, one-on-one, or volunteering with underserved populations.
Trauma-responsible methodologies have been part of my teaching practice since 2005. I have been studying Somatics since 2009 and began professional training and graduate research in the field in 2015 (York University Dance MA, Laban-Bartenieff, Body-Mind Centering).
Being alive on this planet exposes us to a vast range of possible encounters, and while our experiences may be defining, they don't define us. We are not a list of labels, diagnoses or demographics, and we don't belong in little boxes.
Some of the experiences I've known that don't define me include neurodivergence, developmental trauma, TBI, DV, major illness, NDE and complex musculoskeletal injuries. My healing journey began over three decades ago, and while I've worked with an extensive range of beneficial practices and modalities, movement-based Somatics has made the most profound impact. Not just for my physical health and well-being, but for my personal growth and becoming. It reminds me why I came to this beautiful blue marble, and it galvanizes my sense of purpose every day.
I began working as an Embodiment Coach in 2010, focusing on female fertility and trauma recovery. Even back then, it was clear to me that nervous system health was the foundation for all health and well-being. I was fortunate to be ahead of the curve, but that also gave me an early look into one of the shadow sides of trauma treatment, both for practitioners and clients, which is that we can get stuck, reinforcing attachments to old stories and old wounds, and creating illusions around identity and selfhood.
We never stop growing, but there comes a time when our vitality asks us to step away from "healing" so we can live the lives we came here for. So we can create from joy and aliveness instead of rupture. During COVID, I turned my focus towards offerings that support somatically-oriented living and embodied creativity. Offerings that build more integrity into who we are as whole human beings, not just people who've lived through hard things.
While I do offer one-on-one sessions, my real passion is group work. There are so few places we can gather to move freely with one another, so it inspires me a great deal to facilitate experiences that allow us to explore the possibilities of inhabiting human form, together.
If what I've shared resonates, I'd love to connect with you.

Lineage
Any Somatics professional working today is standing on the shoulders of countless visionaries and innovators. Claiming our lineage honours those who have pioneered this field and traces a line through our research.
The field is an enormous tree of knowledge and embodied wisdom, and claiming my lineage gives a sense of place both for myself and for those interested in my work.
I have undertaken dedicated study of Body-Mind Centering and Laban-Bartenieff for nearly 20 years in workshops, conferences, professional certification modules (Kinesthetic Learning Center, Sonder Movement Project) and at the graduate level (York University MA Dance). While these two systems are at the foundation of my somatic training, I have also studied extensively in Phenomenology, Experiential Pedagogy, Yoga, Continuum, Conscious Dance, Qi Gong, Eastern philosophy, and Energy Medicine.
In addition to formal training modules, I've sought out private training to support my professional acumen and undertake deeper research in areas not offered publicly, specifically the somatics of neurodivergence, experiential pedagogy and applied phenomenology.
I am grateful for all my teachers and the generosity with which they've shared their embodied knowledge. Those who've had the greatest impact (and with whom I still work) are Myra Avedon, Naomi Sparrow and Walburga Glatz. These brilliant women are all Somatics pioneers and prominent figures in the field who are first-generation students of Bonnie Bainbridge-Cohen.
Myra Avedon, BMC Teacher & Practitioner, Osteopath, Cranio-sacral therapist, Registered Psychotherapist. Director of The School for Body Mind Centering (1989-1999) played an instrumental role in developing BMC pedagogy and programming.
Walburga Glatz, BMC Teacher, Practitioner & Program Director, Phenomenologist
Naomi Sparrow, BMC Teacher & Practitioner, Master Herbalist and Qi Gong Teacher
Education & Qualifications
I am deeply committed to my professional and personal development, constantly growing my skills and knowledge. This list is not exhaustive but represents core programs and certifications (50hrs+)
ISMETA | Registered Somatic Movement Therapist & Educator (BMC, Laban-Bartenieff)
York University | Masters Dance Studies
York University | BAH Literature & Creative Writing
First Nations University | 4 Seasons Reconciliation Ed.
UBC | Reconciliation Through Indigenous Education Cert.
Lakehead University | Ontario Master Naturalist Cert.
Sentler & Batson | Embodied Art-making
Embody Lab | Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy Cert.
NeurOptimal | Neurofeedback Practitioner Cert.
Justice Research Institute | Trauma Sensitive Yoga Cert.
New Leaf Yoga Foundation | Trauma-Informed Yoga & Meditation for Youth
Moksha Yoga Intl. | 500RYT (Hatha, hot, yin, flow, pranayama)
Body Harmonics | Pilates 200 hr TTC
Contemporary Hoop Dance | 100hr TTC.
Vipassana | 10 Day Silent Meditation Course
Various | Circus Arts Training 500hr+
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) | Level 1-4
Bioenergetic Emotional Access Method (BEAM) | Practitioner Cert.