I began practicing mindfulness meditation at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Northern California in 1996 to gain inner peace but found that it provided profound inner and outer alignment in all areas of my life. Over the years, mindfulness meditation has continued to provide a range of deepening and transformative benefits that have served every aspect of my life.

As a psychotherapist over the last several decades, I found that my clients often experienced a greater connection, trust, resilience, openness, and aliveness within themselves when I incorporated mindfulness strategies into their therapy sessions. Because of these therapeutic benefits and my personal passion for mindfulness meditation, I became certified as a Mindfulness Meditation Teacher through UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center and the Awareness Training Institute with Tara Brach, PhD and Jack Kornfield, PhD to provide mindfulness sessions, classes, and workshops to serve individuals’ unique needs and goals.

When we practice mindfulness, we bring our attention inward and slow down the process of seeing how our body, perceptions, and emotions affect one another to create distress - tension, worry, stress, fear, inattention, self-doubt, resentment, stuck-ness, and contraction. When we see the inner process in action, we have the choice to respond skillfully, bringing forth greater presence, connection, peacefulness, spaciousness, alertness, focus, joy, aliveness, wisdom, and compassion.

A mindful pause can be as short as a few moments or for longer periods, as in formal meditation practice in which we develop increasing capacity to allow what is arising and respond in respond ways that serve us and others, which creates resilience and trust in ourselves to handle discomfort and adversity.

I specialize in working with those who are new to meditation or have experience in meditation and experience one or more of the following:

• Anxiety and stress: Frequent worrying, catastrophizing, physical tension, restlessness, and over-thinking. Wanting greater inner peace and capacity to allow fear to arise without resisting it or getting caught up in it.

• Resistant and stuck-ness: Lacking motivation, having problems concentrating, procrastinating, and being easily overwhelmed. Wanting greater flow, focus, ease, and productivity.

• Self-criticism and resentment: Perfectionism, fear of failure, fear of meeting up to standards or not being good enough, self-judgment, or resentment toward others. Wanting greater inner freedom, acceptance, connection, and compassion towards one’s self and others

• A desire for personal growth and well-being: Wanting greater inner alignment, clarity, presence, inspiration, and trust in decision-making.

• A desire for integration and embodiment of mindfulness: Beginning or experienced meditators who have practiced mindfulness meditation and want to integrate their practice more fully into daily living or apply it to a specific challenge in life.

• Beginning check-ins to discuss the process of incorporating mindfulness into day to day life, including obstacles and questions

• Talks about a mindfulness concept or theme

• Practices involving mindfulness exercises and meditations

• Questions and answers

• Discussion about upcoming homework practices to integrate mindfulness into daily life

Many people have told me that they have tried mindfulness meditation apps, videos, or drop-in classes with varying degrees of effectiveness and benefits but find that it difficult to integrate the practices into their day to day lives. In addition, the talks and meditation practices often do not address their specific needs, goals, or questions.

Because of these challenges, I work with individuals and groups to create sessions that address their specific needs, goals, challenges, and lifestyles, as well as addressing the questions and issues that may arise when doing the practices or integrating them into their day to day lives. Sessions involve mindfulness talks, exercises, meditations, discussions, and homework practices that are uniquely created for the individual or group.

Although mental and emotional well-being is anticipated in mindfulness meditation, it is not intended as counseling, psychotherapy, or treatment of any mental health conditions. In this regard, my relationship with mindfulness students does not include clinical treatment or assessment. If you are interested in psychotherapy that also incorporates mindfulness-based strategies, please inquire about my services as a psychotherapist.