GAIA SOMASCA HOLISTIC PSYCHOTHERAPY
Supporting the Santa Cruz Mountains and San Lorenzo Valley communities in person and online.
Starting your therapy journey takes effort, and the search for a therapist who truly understands your experience is a crucial part of that process. Our relationship is of primary importance, and I offer a welcoming space, bringing curiosity and empathy towards your experience, wherever you are.
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Whether we meet in person here in Scotts Valley, or online, I am here to support the exploration of your inner landscape. Together we can cultivate the pathways that sustain your vitality and authenticity at the pace that feels most resonant to you.
3 Ways to Work Together:
In-Person in my office in Scotts Valley
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My office is in the serene settings of Scotts Valley, centrally located on Scotts Valley Drive, just a couple of minutes from the Kings Village Shopping Center. The office is conveniently and centrally positioned for those living throughout the Santa Cruz Mountains and falls on the path for some of those who commute to the valley or to the coast. It is just 2 minutes from the Granite Creek exit on Highway 17 and only 10 minutes from Highway 9 and Graham Hill Road in Felton.
Whether you live in Boulder Creek, Ben Lomond, Brookdale, Felton along the Highway 9 corridor, or in Happy Valley, and along the Highway 17, you will find the office easily reachable as part of your regular travels or as a dedicated space for your healing.
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Once you arrive, you`ll find ample, stress-free parking in the lot directly in front of the building. As you step inside the office, you will find a cozy space filled with natural light. You are welcome to sit or lie on the couch, perhaps covered by a weighted blanket to help you feel grounded and at ease during our time together.
Online Therapy throughout California
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Online therapy is a great option if you live outside the Santa Cruz area, or simply prefer meeting from the comfort of a space of your choice. I provide secure online sessions for anyone located in California, ensuring privacy and confidentiality as begin this work together.
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Adjunct: Ecotherapy sessions in Scotts Valley, and Santa Cruz county.
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Whether we regularly meet online or in person, we can choose to meet outdoors for Ecotherapy sessions. Together, we will collaborate to find a location that feels most supportive– perhaps locally in Scotts Valley under the welcoming branches of the ancient oaks, or on the coast, by blue expanse of the ocean.
​Recognizing the Need for a Change
The journey toward healing often begins with a quiet acknowledgment that something needs to shift. Naming your struggles, even just to yourself, is a powerful act that opens the door to transformation. Some carry burdens that feel invisible to others, from the lingering echoes of past trauma to the daily weight of not feeling good enough. Recognizing these patterns is a step toward reclaiming your vitality and strength.
Does Any of This Resonate With You?
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Feeling stuck in patterns of people-pleasing or caretaking, leaving you feeling drained and unappreciated
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Navigating the painful aftermath of narcissistic abuse or toxic relationships, making it hard to trust yourself or others.
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Struggling with the weight of systemic oppression, discrimination, or rejection because of your gender, identity, sexual orientation, and culture.
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Feeling a persistent sense of low self-esteem or shame that quiets your voice and dims your inner light.
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Carrying the weight of past trauma, which can show up as anxiety, depression, or a feeling of being disconnected from your body and your life.
If these experiences feel familiar, please know there is a path toward healing.
I am here to support you in reclaiming your voice and rediscovering your purpose.
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Healing That Goes Beyond the Surface
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My holistic approach honors the profound relationship between mind, body, and spirit, recognizing that our well-being is deeply shaped by the world around us. Grounded in cultural humility and a commitment to social justice, I work to support your innate capacity for healing.
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Even when that capacity has been stunted by trauma, loss, and oppression, I have seen how therapy can be a catalyst for reconnecting with the body’s innate knowing. In our work together, we will explore your experiences, support the healing of your body and nervous system, and move toward restoring your vitality and wholeness
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How I Work
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No two paths to healing look the same. I integrate various modalities — from attachment theory to somatic approaches and Brainspotting — to create a collaborative partnership where each session is oriented toward what feels most alive and relevant for you.
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What We Can Work On
Life's challenges rarely exist in isolation — difficulty in one area often ripples into others. The work we do together looks at the whole picture, whether we are gently untangling the roots of trauma, fostering healthier ways of being in relationships, or supporting you in stepping more fully into your identity. My practice focuses on creating meaningful shifts in the following areas:​
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Healing from Trauma
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Childhood Trauma
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Complex Developmental Trauma
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PTSD and Traumatic Experiences
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Sexual Trauma
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Relational Trauma
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Navigating Relationships
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Relationship Issues
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People-Pleasing
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Caretaking Patterns
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Narcissistic Abuse
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Embracing Your Identity
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Immigrants and Multicultural Identities
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LGBQT+ Identities
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Women’s Issues
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Neurodivergence
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Managing Life's Challenges
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Anxiety
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Depression
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Grief and Loss
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Life Transitions
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Low Self-Esteem
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Shame
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Anger
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You can learn more about how I work with many of these concerns on my dedicated Trauma therapy, Anxiety therapy, Somatic therapy, Brainspotting, and Internal Family Systems pages.​
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The Tools I Bring to Our Work
I draw from a range of effective approaches, choosing what best serves you in each moment of our work:
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Somatic Approaches: gentle body-centered methods that help regulate your nervous system and release pain held in your body — restoring a felt sense of ease and presence.
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Brainspotting: A brain-body therapy that helps locate and release the core sources of emotional pain, often reaching what talk alone cannot.
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Internal Family Systems (IFS): A respectful way of building relationship with the different parts within you — the inner critics, the scared parts, the angry parts — so that every part feels heard and you can lead your life with a newfound sense of clarity and agency.
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Jungian Psychology: Working with dreams, symbols, and the deep psyche to illuminate unconscious patterns and reconnect you with sources of meaning and inner guidance.
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Ecotherapy: Bringing the healing presence of the natural world directly into our therapeutic work — a particularly fitting approach for those of us living among the forests and coastlines of Santa Cruz County.
The natural world holds a special place in how I practice and live.
Nature as Part of the Healing Process
Living in Scotts Valley means the beauty of the land is right outside your door — in the wise oaks, the old resilient redwoods, and the vast Pacific coastline just minutes away. Ecotherapy invites us to tend to the relationship with this living landscape, reconnecting with the deep sense of belonging that tending to the natural world can foster.
My own relationship with nature — from photographing moonrises to walking forest paths — has been a profound source of nourishment and personal healing. For clients who feel drawn to this, I offer outdoor ecotherapy sessions in the Scotts Valley and greater Santa Cruz area.
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Who This Work Is For
The right therapeutic fit matters deeply. I am committed to creating a safe, affirming space where you feel genuinely seen and heard. I tend to work with individuals who are ready to engage in the kind of deep work that leads to lasting change, including:
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Adults and young adults navigating life's complexities.
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Women recovering from the impacts of narcissistic abuse, systemic oppression, and draining patterns of caretaking.
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LGBQT+ individuals seeking an affirming and understanding therapeutic space.
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Immigrants, expatriates, and bicultural or multicultural individuals navigating the complex dynamics of identity.
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Therapists, healers, and anyone dedicated to a deep and transformative healing journey.
If you see yourself in this description, I warmly invite you to take the next step.
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Take the First Step
Change is possible, and you do not have to navigate your path alone.
A new way of being is waiting — one with more ease, vitality, and authentic connection to yourself and others.
Reach out today to schedule your complimentary 15–20 minute consultation.
This is a chance for us to connect, for you to share what is bringing you to therapy, and to ask any questions. Together, we can decide if we are a good fit to begin your journey toward wholeness.