About Jillian

I’ve been an explorer of human consciousness and Eastern and Western spirituality and psychology for over 30 years. Driven by a desire to discover my inner self, relieve my own pain and suffering, and eventually, support others in doing the same, I immersed myself in spiritual practices like yoga and meditation and became passionate about the human capacity to overcome suffering. I got an M.A. in Transpersonal Counseling Psychology from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, a mindfulness-based counseling program that integrates clinical training and academics with deep introspection and experiential learning to support a grounded, holistic and dynamic approach to therapy. 

It was during a clinical internship counseling combat veterans at The Boulder Vet Center that I became determined to discover the most effective, accessible and powerful ways to restore the essence of health and goodness that I so vividly experienced in my clients, many of them severely traumatized. Since this time, I’ve been motivated by the questions, “How can we recover our essential wellness through the soul loss of trauma?” “How can we best access our own wise, self-actualizing intelligence?”  I had conviction that this was possible from what I was experiencing in my sessions with clients and I’ve been committed to this quest ever since.

In pursuit of these answers, following my Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology, I obtained certifications in Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), Hypnosis, the Energy Psychology modalities of Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) and Matrix Reimprinting (MR), the body-based trauma resolution model of Dr. Peter Levine, Somatic Experiencing, and the neurologically informed, attachment-based models of Dynamic Attachment Repatterning (DARe), NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM) and NeuroAffective Touch (NaTouch). I was also trained in Internal Family Systems (IFS)  during my internship with Veterans- it was the primary modality we used and I have incorporated it in my work ever since, also being IFS-informed through further training with the IFS Institute.

Before landing in full-time private practice, I worked for over a decade in mental health and addiction treatment agencies as a Counselor, Mental Health Specialist, Director of Outpatient Services, Mindfulness Educator and Specialist in stress and trauma. I co-created, directed, and served as a Primary Therapist at a successful and innovative outpatient addiction treatment program in the North Bay with a holistic approach to recovery. I’ve had the privilege of introducing Mindfulness, Energy Psychology (EFT), Somatic Experiencing and other stress management and transformation strategies to a diverse range of populations in the Bay Area.  I’m part of the teacher’s training assistant team for The Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute and the NARM and NaTouch Training Institutes, for professional therapists. 

My clients have been my greatest teachers and have deepened my understanding that by tapping into the innate intelligence of the psyche, body and soul, we discover freedom from past conditioning, survival strategies, and unconscious patterns. We are wired to optimize our own potential and blueprint for well-being, but often require support and guidance to connect with this inherent capacity.

I offer an empowering, holistic option to traditional psychotherapy. 

Please note, that while I have the education, training and supervision hours of a licensed therapist, including many years of clinical supervision by licensed therapists and professional counseling experience in agencies, I am not a licensed therapist by choice. This is mostly because my work includes healing modalities outside of the scope of practice of traditional psychotherapy. For example, at times, with permission, I employ the use of safe, appropriate therapeutic touch, which may include use of a massage table. I have found that the diversity of the modalities I use supports a wide spectrum of clients to benefit from my work. Both in my own healing journey and my work with others, I have experienced that we may need different doors at different times to access the treasures of the deeper self, which each of these modalities offer in their own unique way.

It is my hope to facilitate the emergence of your most authentic expression in a safe and supportive environment where the truth of who you are can be welcomed back home!