There’s a particular kind of burnout no one talks about in grad school. It’s not from too many clients or the emotional weight of holding others’ pain. It’s the burnout of always feeling like you’re not quite enough.

Polyvagal Theory gives us a map. It shows us that the nervous system isn’t just reactive—it follows predictable states. And once you learn to recognize where your system is on this “ladder,” you can start to work with it, rather than feel hijacked by it.

Even after years of deep therapy—whether that’s parts work, somatic trauma healing, or cognitive-emotional insight—some nervous systems still don’t feel fully settled. Why?

Many of my clients are highly self-aware, deeply committed to healing, and have worked with parts, patterns, and trauma for years. But something in the body still doesn’t settle.

This article explores why that might be. And what your nervous system might still be waiting for.

As a therapist, I often find myself sitting across from other therapists—bright, deeply caring clinicians who nonetheless struggle with self-doubt, confusion about which modalities to use, and anxiety over whether they're "doing therapy right."

When beginning Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, the early work of identifying parts, gaining trust, and mapping the internal system is foundational. However, it can feel overwhelming to navigate.

Let’s put these ideas into practice with my 5-Step SE/Enneagram Essence Embodiment Model. In this post, I’ll offer a general overview of these five steps and then illustrate how they might look for Type One, though the model can be adapted for any Enneagram type.

Now, let’s take a closer look at the Nine Types and what I like to call their “medicine”—the universal, sacred ingredients that each type brings to life when we embody their core essence.

Over the years, I’ve explored countless ways to bring the Enneagram to life in a more profound, holistic manner. I quickly realized that many of us can talk about the Nine Types all day—yet still struggle to make real, lasting changes in our everyday behaviors and relationships.

Grief is not something to "fix" or "overcome." It’s a journey of integrating loss into the wholeness of your being. Mandala-making, paired with somatic awareness, offers a gentle and meaningful way to honor this process.

Are you interested in a simple tool that you can use on your own to supplement your deeper work in between sessions? Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), also known as tapping, is a simple yet effective practice you can do anywhere. It involves tapping on specific acupressure points while focusing on your feelings, helping to release emotional tension and restore balance.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a powerful therapeutic tool that has transformed the way many people process emotions and manage stress. Although traditionally guided by a therapist, there are EMDR-inspired techniques you can incorporate into your self-care routine to bring calm and balance to your mind and body.

Rhythm, a universal force, shapes both our inner and outer worlds, restoring balance and promoting healing when life’s natural flow is disrupted. In this post, I’ll share practical ways to bring rhythm into your daily life, helping you reconnect with your body’s innate wisdom and cultivate resilience.

Rhythm is fundamental to life. From the beating of our hearts to the cycle of day and night, rhythm creates the structure within which life flows. Modalities that use rhythmic sensory stimulation (RSS), simulate natural alternating patterns—gentle, rhythmic inputs—that help the brain and nervous system return to their inherent state of balance.

It’s often said that 70% of communication is non-verbal. In therapy, this truth becomes a doorway to deeper understanding and healing.

As therapists, we strive to create a space where our clients feel truly seen, heard, and held. This requires more than technical skill or intellectual understanding; it calls for our ability to embody Self-energy.

Did you know your body holds the stories of your emotions and inner dynamics—even your personality?

Somatic archetypal work integrates bodily awareness with frameworks like the Enneagram, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Jungian analysis. At its core are three types of self-awareness: interoception, exteroception, and proprioception.

In the rush of daily life, most of us unknowingly fall into one of two patterns with our emotional pain: it either blends with us so completely that it becomes overwhelming and all-consuming, or it becomes suppressed, pushed deep within until it feels blocked off and unreachable.

In Internal Family Systems (IFS), Self-energy is known as the calm, compassionate, and wise essence that resides within each of us. It is the core of who we are—unburdened, authentic, and capable of leading our inner system with clarity and care.

Therapy is often seen as a finite process—something that starts when you feel stuck and ends when you’ve healed or made progress.

Therapy is often seen as a finite process—something that starts when you feel stuck and ends when you’ve healed or made progress.

At the heart of my work is a passion for helping others connect with and embody their truest Self—the calm, compassionate, and wise essence that resides within all of us.