About Me
I'm an art therapist, consultant, educator, and artist. My passion, focus, experience, and talent is in offering compassionate creative processes and deep inquiry to those courageous enough to pursue a wholehearted life.
For over twenty years, I've been educating, supporting, and counseling expectant and new families as they transition from conception through birth and into parenthood (as a lactation counselor, doula, and childbirth educator). As former senior trainer and managing director for Birthing From Within for ten years, I've developed and led many trainings and programs, giving me the amazing gift of traveling the world and working with thousands of parents and birth professionals. Now, I work as a trauma-focused clinical art therapist in private practice, supporting adults and couples with my integrative approach to healing and growth. I have a Master's Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with a specialization in Art Therapy and am a registered APCC in California.*
My approach is trauma-aware, LGBTIA+ inclusive, collaborative, compassionate, and nonjudgmental. I look forward to getting to know you.
- Virginia
MY OFFERINGS
Traumatic Birth
Birth Trauma Prevention, Processing, Recovery
Give yourself the gift of beginning or continuing the process of emotional recovery, processing, and healing from a difficult, disappointing, or confusing birth experience. I’ll help you feel lighter, more whole, and more at ease in your body, relationships, and sense of self. Whatever your connection to birth (new parent, couple, birth professional, grandparent), together we’ll explore your experience of birth with courage, compassion, and insight.
+ Short-term (1-3 sessions) education & support for people anywhere in the world.
+ Short- and long-term counseling, psychotherapy, and art therapy for California residents.
These sessions are particularly valuable for expectant parents who have had a previous loss or traumatic birth and want to feel more confidence and joy as they prepare to welcome a new baby
Birth Professionals
Training, Coaching, Counseling
For new and experienced birth professionals, I offer continuing education, nourishing retreats, master classes, and private coaching/mentoring. For over 15 years, I’ve trained and mentored midwives, nurses, childbirth educators, doulas, therapists, and other perinatal health professionals around the world.
My focus is on helping professionals manage their own stress, burn-out, and trauma through:
+ Short-term support, coaching, and consulting.
+ Longer-term therapy and counseling for residents of California.
Other areas of expertise include: mindful & somatic approaches; effective, nonjudgmental client education (especially re: fears/ trauma); creative self-expression (art, journaling, visualization).
I’m available as an experienced, dynamic public speaker for podcasts, conferences, and summits.
Life Transitions
Art Therapy & Counseling
I provide effective, creative, caring, personalized guidance for anyone seeking support, compassion, and a shift in perspective, especially those struggling with challenges, big decisions, loss & grief, or significant life transitions. My compassionate, integrative approach & practices include: art therapy, solution-focused inquiry, mindfulness, journaling, narrative therapy, guided visualization, dream-work, somatic awareness, and EMDR.
Therapy services are available to residents of California: in-person at my office in Santa Barbara, and via telehealth throughout the state. Both short-term and long-term therapy are available.
If you’re preparing for or overwhelmed by significant changes in your life, work, or relationships (including divorce, illness/disability, loss, grief, etc.), please reach out.
Let's Begin
Share concerns or comments. Ask questions. Request or inquire about an event. Tell me how I can be of service. I look forward to hearing from you and will be in touch soon!
- Virginia
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