Unburdened Bodywork Therapeutic Services

If you identify as a member of the transgender, nonbinary, gender-queer or nonconforming community, and cannot afford regular treatments, please call me to make arrangements for affordable or free care.

In general

My bodywork is based in polarity-informed craniosacral therapy, combined with visceral mobilization and somatic experiencing. It is an integrative whole-body treatment. By allowing the body to unwind in its own way and at its own pace, the client feels unhurried. Most people come out of a session feeling a strong decrease in pain and tension, with a relaxed mind and a lighter spirit. My sessions are scheduled for two hours. Most other therapists work on the "50-minute hour," so why do I allow so much time? Experience has shown me that people and their bodies need time to unfurl and reveal themselves. They need a break from all the hurry-up. I believe that giving my clients the gift of time allows them to develop trust and feel safe enough to let go. As John Upledger put it, craniosacral therapy is “...a process of self-healing by the client that is facilitated by the therapist.” I work with you, not on you. As such I do not do Swedish massage, sports-type massage, deep-tissue, reflexology, or spa treatments.

Please note that all clients may download and complete the appropriate form(s) on the intake forms page and bring to their next appointment.

Craniosacral and Birth

Craniosacral work is a peaceful and gentle way to give newborns and older children a wonderful start in life, and can help them resolve difficulties that arise from the birthing process. Babies can get twisted, wrenched around, and stuck in odd positions all while under the intense pressure of the labor contractions. Even the most natural and easy childbirth molds the child's head, and the cranial bones may get overlapped. Misalignment of the spine and cranial bones can lead to poor nursing, respiratory and digestive upsets, colic, uneasiness, and trouble sleeping; older children may manifest with behavioural problems, poor coordination, asthma, nervous stomach, or other issues. The birthing parent also experiences physical forces way beyond the normal range. The pelvic alignment changes, the lumbar spine becomes compressed, and many aches and pains are nearly ubiquitous. Sometimes childbirth is experienced as a traumatic process for both parent and child. A difficult pregnancy and birth, particularly in a very medicalized setting, or with surgical intervention, can be hard to recover from. Craniosacral therapy is the most gentle way to correct the stresses of the birth. It allows your baby to experience their life with greater ease and contentment, and can easily relieve some of those common problems as well as opening both child and parent to a greater loving presence.

Intuitive, Shamanic, and Ceremonial Work

Rapid changes can sometimes be facilitated in the healing journey by “tuning in” to the intuitive side. Energy can become congested in certain areas of the body that may have to do with injuries, unresolved trauma, past life issues, or soul fragmentation, producing focused pain, tension, stiffness, or a ‘stuck‘ feeling. At times it feels as if the opposite has happened, in that the client feels enervated, confused, “spaced out,” or listless. By the use of channeling, guided visualizations, breath work, dialog, and other methods, the practitioner can sometimes provide insight to the client that will aid their reflections along their personal journey. Ceremonial and intuitive work available upon request. Psychic mediumship service is available remotely, by telephone, for people who are interested in strengthening their connection to their deepest selves, receiving meaningful guidance, or who wish to hear from loved ones who have passed through the veil. I cannot guarantee that any particular person will show up for you, but the ones who feel strongly enough to show up will always have something significant to say to you. Additionally, as a ULC minister, I am qualified and happy to assist with and perform weddings, funerals, change-of-life ceremonies, naming ceremonies, and many other celebrations.

Unburdening Yourself Takes Many Forms - Swedish Death Cleaning

As you know, the motto of my bodywork practice is “Let Go and Be Free.” In bodywork, that means getting in touch with your emotional body, and allowing yourself to let go of beliefs and traumas that affect your physicality. In craniosacral work, we “practice dying” by recognizing the things that are most important to us, resolving relationships, figuring out what we still feel we need to do, and letting go of our fears. As we move forward in these times, I would like to offer a different service, one that is lower contact and possibly more useful and affordable to a wider variety of people. Swedish Death Cleaning is a way to both make your life easier in the present as well as prepare for your own eventual passing. Despite its name, death cleaning is not to be undertaken in sadness. Death cleaning makes your life easier and less crowded. It is not about dusting and mopping, but about taking the time to realistically appraise what you have and what you need. When you are anxious about what is happening in the world at large, death cleaning can offer you a sense of control in your living space that feels good and right. It allows you an opportunity to decide what to do with your belongings right now, instead of waiting until someone else has to deal with it. I can help you sort through and prioritize your possessions, recommend appraisers and carry your items to them, clean your yard or your shed (or your storage unit!), haul things to the dump or to the thrift shop, and give some advice on just what to do with all that stuff. It's a great thing to do at least once a year, whether you are recognizing that all your drawers and closets are too full, you are down-sizing in preparation for a move, or you just want to become more aware of your belongings. It helps you maintain a healthier relationship with the things you own so that you are not overwhelmed by them and all the care they need. By “letting go” of the physical items that may be weighing you down physically, emotionally, or even financially, you will be able to move around in your own space with more freedom and peace of mind.