Your Consult With Me

Working with the body as a Pilates instructor, I couldn't help but notice the interconnectedness of lifestyle choices, nutrition, exercise, physical and emotional stress, and one's health. Unresolved trauma can manifest into an pervasive obstacle in a survivor's life, creating, for example: unexplained physical pain and health diagnoses; attention and focus issues; and irrational, restrictive fear. The limitations that can arise post-trauma do not discriminate, and may permeate any of the "rooms" (from Rumer Godden's above quote) in one's life.

I offer the service of consulting to survivors of trauma, fitness professionals who would like to incorporate trauma-informed practices, and any members of a survivor's support system.

For survivors, our consultation may be about how to locate trauma-informed services (including, but not limited to exercise facilities, classes, and instructors/teachers) in their community and then evaluating identified resources, prior to booking and paying for their services.

In October 2023, I will be launching a training on trauma-informed practices for fitness professionals. Presently, for those who might be interested in such training, I offer my time to discuss how you can better serve clients who survived trauma, especially sexual trauma. Whether you are a physician or a soccer coach, you bear significant responsibility to those who entrust you with the safety of their body. Understanding what a "trigger" is, how to communicate verbally and non-verbally so as not to trigger a survivor, and how to manage the situation if a survivor you are working with is triggered: this knowledge is as vital to you as CPR. Since, 1 in 6 women and 1 in 33 men will be the victim of rape or attempted rape in their lifetime, if your full-time profession is body-based, it is certain that you will instruct, teach, coach, guide, treat someone who has been sexually victimized.

With me, you can discuss how to manage a specific situation or we can go over general safe practices so that your actions do not compound someone's suffering or cause old wounds to open. This information may be the focus when consulting with members of a survivor's support system, too. Revictimization, also called "second rape," is when the actions of others, while responding to the knowledge of a survivor's past trauma, perpetuate the trauma. For those close to a survivor of rape, we can discuss how you can be of support. Often times, being supportive of sexual assault survivor hinges on what you don't do.

MY SERVICES VS. THERAPY

As a consultant or coach, my role is that of a catalyst. Coaching is different from therapy in that it is collaborative, egalitarian, and focuses on process and action. As your coach, I will support you in connecting with your unique potential - potential that you innately possess, but has been buried underneath trauma and its derivatives. We will work together to align you with your instincts and trust in yourself. While I, as your coach, will be able to offer resources to promote change where needed, choosing which to utilize will be for you to decide, as action taken by one's accord - as opposed to at the advice of another - is proven to create more enduring, sustained change. I will be at your side as you set goals and map out the plan to reach them. In me you will have a non-judgmental ally and advocate. Recovery from trauma cannot be done in isolation and survivors are not served if they are pathologized and seen as broken. You are not damaged. You have been inhumanely challenged and you're still standing. Through our coaching alliance you can go from standing to finally moving forward.

FREE CONSULTATION + RESOURCES

For all of my clients, I make myself available via email and text should issues crop up between sessions. However, one of my goals is for you to eventually manage your own wellness independently, including trauma resolution, with confidence. Please feel free to visit my Resources page for examples on the integrative wellness approaches I utilize and refer to for guidance. Fitness and/or coaching consultations are always free of charge and related inquiries can be made by emailing me HERE or below. A consultation and any subsequent coaching can be done in person, over the phone, via FaceTime, Google Hangouts, Skype, or Zoom.