Integrative Healing
California
"My work is about guiding people back to a wisdom that already exists inside them. I see healing as reconnecting with this ancient wisdom, older than our own vessels."
How would you describe the work that you do?
Over the years, I’ve started to see the “golden threads” that run through all the modalities I practice: Chinese medicine, acupuncture, the study of qi and the five elements, Reiki, Taoism, Buddhism, and most recently Kabbalah. They all point to the same truth: everything is interconnected. Whether it’s spiritual counseling, gentle or energetic touch, or needles, my work is about guiding people back to a wisdom that already exists inside them. I see healing as reconnecting with this ancient wisdom, older than our own vessels..
What is a session with you like?
My sessions often blend acupuncture with craniosacral therapy, Reiki, gentle energetic touch, breathwork, bodywork, womb healing, Mayan abdominal massage, facial acupuncture, herbal remedies, and emotional release work. Each session is tailored intuitively to each person’s needs, cycles, and rhythms. It is a complete integration of these modalities, and I allow a lot of creative freedom in sessions so that I can work intuitively with someone.
What do you hope someone receives from a session?
Whether through spiritual counseling, gentle touch, energetic work, or acupuncture, my goal is always to help people return to trust, gratitude, and love for the gift of life itself. I hope that the person I'm working with will embrace, reconnect and come back to a renewed trust. And have gratitude for this gift that we are, that our heart is, that our body is regardless of what imbalance there might be. I like to call it imbalance rather than disease because that gives us more room for harmonizing.
How did you find this path?
My parents traveled a lot and had a deep love for Eastern culture, so from a young age I was exposed to Hinduism and Buddhism through trips to Asia, India and Nepal, and Asia. We went walking in the Himalayas when I was eight or nine and spent ten days visiting temples, which left a real imprint on me. I started out as a fashion designer in New York, which I really enjoyed. But curiosity and self-inquiry have also always been part of my path and I remember asking myself, “What do I really want to do?” I had recently read an article on Vitamin B12 deficiency and realized that I was more fascinated with this than what I was doing. This led me to study health coaching at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition while still working in fashion. And that was the gateway into this whole journey.
Who are your teachers?
I’ve had many teachers and I feel deeply grateful for each of them. My greatest teachers are my daughter, my parents, and anyone who challenges me. My husband, David Elliott, has been a central influence. In Chinese medicine, I studied with Dr. Dao in California, and Laurie Dechar, whose books and teachings on Daoism and healing have been profoundly inspiring. I’ve also studied under Kiiko Matsumoto, a Japanese acupuncturist with a unique style, and with Frans Stiene and Lisa Levine for Reiki. Morgann Francesca has been a tea teacher as has Wu De, the founder of Global Tea Hut. I have followed Jack Kornfield’s Dharma talks for two decades. I’ve been fortunate to learn from many others along the way and my education is ongoing.
What are the different ways people can work with you?
I work with people both one-on-one and in groups, offering personalised sessions from my healing space in Ojai as well as online. I also lead weekly breathwork classes at Light and Space, a local yoga studio, as well as do an online three-month breathwork and integrative healing journey. I also teach Reiki, and offer certification trainings as well as a masters retreat, that combines palm reading, Zen practice, and immersive ceremonies with the elements, including fire ceremonies at the local hot springs.
What do you think personal growth has to do with collective change?
When we cultivate compassion for ourselves, it naturally extends to others. Personal growth isn’t just about improving your own life, it ripples outward. By understanding our own judgments and responding with awareness and care, we can break cycles of harm and contribute to a more compassionate, conscious world. In that sense, individual growth becomes a form of collective transformation.
What are some of your daily rituals and practices?
Since having my daughter eight years ago, my daily practice has shifted. I’ve learned to integrate practice into the life I have and tending to my home as a temple. I chant, move my body, walk my dog, and even infuse daily acts with intention, seeing them as sacred. My work is also a meditation, bringing me fully into presence and connection.
What do you keep on your bedside table or on your altar?
A beeswax candle in front of Lakshmi and Buddha.
What words of wisdom do you always find yourself sharing?
That we are so incredible, created by creation. And if we just remember this and each other, this journey becomes a lot more blissful.
Images by Lara Elliot
