About Therapy

94263022Racing thoughts keep you up at night…

There’s the constant worry about what needs to get done.

You feel hopeless that change is possible.

Being a parent is great, but the pressures of ensuring everyone’s needs are met have gotten overwhelming.

Your relationship with your partner is suffering. You used to get along… you think you remember that. But now it’s just sharing a to-do list and falling asleep on the couch. The connection you desire is nowhere to be found.

Your life has begun to feel purposeless, and you aren’t even sure how you got here.

190261007You’ve tried to realize your dreams…

But they keep slipping through your fingers.

A career with purpose, a healthy marriage, and children with whom you can have fun seem like simple goals.

Your friends seem to have their life in order.

You can’t get the worry and hopelessness to go away, impacting your relationships.

Why haven’t your efforts worked?

You’ve read self-help books and consulted with your closest friends.

You’ve Googled, researched, meditated, and breathed deeply.

You’ve tried exercising more and eating the “right” foods.

You’ve gone to bed early and tried to get the day started using a well-thought-out plan and your new planner.

But nothing’s worked. So… what do you do?

753438538You’re probably stuck in survival mode.

Frustrated, lost, alone, and afraid, you keep repeating the patterns laid out for you by family, culture, and other systems.

You do what you need to do to get by or to get the job done. You have just enough energy to make it to the next day. You are emotionally and physically exhausted.

It feels easier to avoid conflict, but you wonder if you are just people-pleasing.

Eating, drinking, or scrolling the Internet helps you avoid your feelings.

Losing your cool with your kids was something you swore not to repeat, but it has become frequent.

You got a good education and found a happy relationship.

You show up professionally and follow the rules at work.

You’ve worked harder and harder to be successful, a good partner, and a good parent.

You are doing all the “right” things, but it doesn’t feel like it’s working. The pressure to keep up the façade is intense.

Ever anxious, you keep busy and distracted from what lies beneath.

1988387750Misunderstood, scapegoated, and ostracized…

Every time you have attempted to step outside the status quo and make some changes, the reactions of others feel scary.

The feeling that you are doing something wrong or letting others down overwhelms you.

Your parents don’t understand why you can’t get it together, and sometimes neither can your partner.

You’ve been judged enough times to know to keep your “crazy” ideas to yourself at work, too. Despite all the skeptics, you can’t shake the feeling that life doesn’t have to be like this.

The path less traveled can be lonely and scary.

You are the trailblazer – the pattern breaker.

You see what the past has been like and want better for yourself and your loved ones.

I know you are experiencing discomfort and suffering, and I know it’s not pleasant. Our bodies have an intelligent design and adapt to survive even the most difficult circumstances. The anxiety, anger, aimlessness, and fear you feel… all have their roots in survival.

These things can feel terrible, but they’re also a sign that you’re ready for a transformation.

1918654541We are at a pivotal time in history.

We have access to joy and creativity that’s deeper than anything we’ve been able to realize in the past.

But it involves releasing these old patterns and survival mechanisms.

Our work together will uncover the patterns inside and outside.

I will listen deeply to your story and help you rewrite it with love and understanding.

We will explore ways to support your mind, body, and spirit as you make this journey of transformation.

Your healing will result in tangible shifts that create a new future for those you love most.

Hi… I’m Heather!

Dsc09139I’ve spent my whole life in search of understanding…

… of myself, other people, and the systems around me.

I have studied biology, religion, psychology, energy medicine, shamanic healing, holistic healing, and natural health. Healing comes by creating connections across all these systems in all time and space.

While studying family systems theory, I’ve found explanations for the unhealthy patterns in my own family.

I’ve often felt alone, misunderstood, and stuck in life. When I connected feelings in my body to past trauma – my past and the past of my culture and its systems – I could make life-changing shifts.

When I saw that systems were falling short of their mission…

I got involved in community organizing and activism.

Community organizing is the process of building power through relationships. It is a way of making change involving bringing people together to understand problems, develop solutions, and influence structural change.

I’ve always been inspired by the civil rights movement and how the power of the people and love can bring forth much more powerful change than any one leader.

We can unknowingly surrender that power to others or systems. Community organizing helps us find that power within again.

The principles of community organizing also apply to my work as a therapist as I work to bring forth the sovereign power that is the birthright of each human.

A quick look at my educational and professional background…

  • Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW, New Jersey license # 44SC05326400)
  • Master of Social Work (MSW) – Rutgers University
  • Bachelor’s degrees in biology and religion – Bucknell University
  • Twenty-two (22) years of experience working with individuals, children, and families who have experienced significant trauma and abuse
  • Twenty-five (25) years of experience in community organizing, starting with founding the Student Coalition for Equal Justice and working with the People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond
  • Field instructor for graduate social work interns
  • Clinical supervisor for social work licensure
  • Post-graduate training in complex developmental trauma
  • Certified trainer in the “Nurtured Heart Approach”
  • Reiki Level II certified
  • Experience with shamanic healing

Some things I enjoy in my personal life…

I am a mom and love learning from the amazing tiny human I have been blessed to guide in this life.

Cheese might be my favorite food, so I’ll order almost anything with cheese or potatoes. Besides being delicious, these foods make me feel more connected to my Norwegian and Irish ancestors. I consider it part of healing my relationship with my ancestral lineage.

Finding natural and holistic remedies for common illnesses is dear to my heart. My dream is to write down and organize my knowledge on the subject and have a dedicated space in my home for all my holistic remedies.

I love astrology. My Sun is in Sagittarius, Moon in Cancer, and Ascendant is in Scorpio. I’d love to know yours, too!

You’re no longer alone!

I am excited to combine all my work and studies to guide others in their transformation.

We are all interconnected and need each other to grow and love. This is a pivotal time for us all.

I can’t wait to connect with you!

Ready to move toward a better life? Call today, and let’s schedule your free consultation: (862) 505-1717.