Breath, Biofeedback, Holistic Health

I have approached the breath from many angles: first as a flute player, then for 7 years as a respiratory therapist, later as a health educator for the American Lung Association. With the Brown Lung Association, I helped cotton mill workers advocate for both workers’ compensation and better protection against cotton dust. After getting a Master’s in Public Health at UC Berkeley, I taught holistic health and stress management classes using the breath to calm the nervous system and relax chronic tension. Then I studied to become a biofeedback therapist, and assisted people to stop their panic attacks, heal asthma, lower their heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tension through slow diaphragmatic breathing. Study and practice of yoga and pranayama added another dimension.

Guided Imagery

I became certified in guided imagery for healing with Martin Rossman, MD, and have helped many patients gain insights through imagery. Using Peggy Huddleston’s Prepare for Surgery method, I taught guided imagery for better health outcomes to patients facing surgery at San Francisco General Hospital.

Communication

Realizing the importance of emotional health brought me to study Non-Violent Communication with Dr. Marshall Rosenberg, and later The Connection Practice with Rita Marie Johnson. I’ve taught classes in both.

HeartMath

Fascinated with the power of heart coherence, I became a certified coach-mentor with the HeartMath Institute in 2018, and have coached many people in increasing their heart coherence for health and insights. Further studies included two years of learning hands-on healing practices with Wilderness Fusion.

Publications

With Dr. Erik Peper, I co-authored Creating Wholeness: A Self-Healing Workbook Using Dynamic Relaxation, Images, and Thoughts (1993, Plenum Press). I’ve taught classes on self-healing using this workbook. My second book, The Circle of Healing: Deepening Our Connections with Self, Others, and Nature, was published in 2000 (Talking Birds Press).

Classes & Coaching

I offer online classes as well as 1:1 coaching, and specialize in anxiety and stress-related conditions. My goal is to help you heal!