More about me
Hi, I’m Amy. I am an imperfect human doing my best to live and love in a world that can feel hard to be in at times. I identify as a cis-gender, white, Jewish woman, and a mother of three young kids. I am a cacao and plant medicine enthusiast, a singer and a lover of movement and dance. I’m a proud member of the Seattle Ladies Choir. I consider life to be one big journey of discovery and healing and we are all in it together.
My Personal Journey
When I became a mother, it became really important to me that I truly know myself and live as authentically as possible. It was too painful to move through life numb and afraid. I had kids depending on me, looking up to me, trusting me to guide them. For me, this was my call to heal, to know myself fully so my kids could know themselves. How would my kids ever be fully alive if they didn’t have a mom that was?
It was through my own healing journey that I discovered powerful embodiment practices that allowed me to truly see myself clearly and understand what’s important to me and how I want to live. Through somatic practices like movement, singing, breathwork and with the support of plant medicines, including cacao, I began to access different parts of myself, comfort and heal my inner child, listen deeply to the wisdom of my body and begin to trust my own inner knowing. Through these practices I have come alive, I am more present, I feel at home in my own body, and I Iike myself!
It is my sincere wish for everyone to experience their own healing journey. I have personally experienced how effective these practices are and I want to share them with others.
My Approach
My counseling approach is compassionate and client-centered. I believe that you are the expert of yourself. I am here to help support your exploration and hold a safe and loving space for you to be seen, to lay down your burdens, to explore your truest self, listen to your body’s messages, and learn to trust in your own innate capacity to care for yourself. I pull from Internal Family Systems (IFS) to help you explore and heal different parts of yourself and I uniquely incorporate somatic practices including movement, vocalization, breathwork sound healing and cacao ritual to deepen exploration.
My interests and specialties
Becoming a mother can illuminate family patterns and the ways in which we were hurt as children and throughout our lives. I’ve noticed a desire in mothers to do their own healing work to shift generational patterns for their families and children. I love working with mothers in this stage of life, as well during pregnancy and postpartum transitions.
Perinatal, Postpartum, Motherhood
Sadly, most women in the modern world have a complicated and stressful relationship with food and don’t feel good enough when it comes to weight and body image. I have had my own food and body struggles and I know how limiting it can feel to be ruled by the relentless “shoulds” and “should nots”. Eating does not have to be so complicated and it does not have to be loaded with guilt and shame. I work from a non-diet, Health at Every Size perspective to help women develop more positive relationships with food and their bodies. I enjoy helping people feel more comfortable in their own skin and learn to trust their own ability to nourish themselves.
Relationship with Food and Body
My Experience
In 2012 I received my Master of Science in Nutrition and Clinical Health Psychology from Bastyr University, a leading institution for natural health education. I worked for the next 4 years in an Eating Disorder Treatment Center working as a primary therapist, milieu therapist, nutrition educator and Health At Every Size group facilitator.
In 2017 I began my training in Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMAD) through Perinatal Support Washington, and have been supporting women and moms ever since.
In 2020 I co-founded Mama Bar, a nutrition bar brand supporting the needs of pregnant and postpartum people.
Specialized training:
Breathwork Facilitator Training Lvl 1
Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders
Eating Disorders
Health At Every Size Facilitator Training
Gottman Certified Bringing Baby Home Educator
Credentials:
Licensed Mental Health Counselor, LH60439747
Certified Nutritionist, NU60298350