MY JOURNEY
My journey into the mind/body/innate connection thoughtfully expressed itself during my undergraduate career studying anatomy and bodywork under the guidance of Professor Andrea Olsen (my mentor at Middlebury College). This experience guided my graduate program at Northeastern University, where I had the opportunity to work with Dr. Herbert Benson, Cardiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, at the Mind Body Medical Institute, in conjunction with Harvard University.
Then life took me in a beautiful and challenging new direction with the birth of my first son. He was tongue-tied (TT) and Upper Frenulum, lip-tied (LT). He exclusively breastfed until he self-weened at 19 months, just prior to the birth of my second son. Colic, reflux, heartburn, sleeplessness, slow to gain, constant nursing (every 1-3 hrs), excessive tension in the body and the need to be constantly held; these chronic symptoms affected the whole family.
I overproduced and recovered from mastitis numerous times during our nursing relationship. It was a painful and arduous road with constant misinformation from the professionals I trusted. I had limited answers from my pediatrician, chiropractors, lactation consultants and nursing support groups (TT & LT training was just not part of the pediatric protocol yet and very few professionals were trained in assessing it properly). Eventually, the more I learned via self-research and through mothering/lactation support groups, the more I realized I wanted to pursue lactation training. As a result, I earned my Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC) in 2012. Through this process I actively attended various lactation support groups under the guidance of Sherry Spacco, IBCLC at Newton Wellesley Hospital and Dana Paris Mahoney, IBCLC at Norwood Hospital. I co-lead a BACE-NMC group with Linda Winslow, IBCLC and became an active member of the Massachusetts Breastfeeding Coalition (http://massbreastfeeding.org/about/). As a volunteer I captured photographs for several of their campaigns targeting MA legislature, some of which are on a permanent lactation exhibit at the Museum of Science and Technology (MOSI.org) in Tampa, FL.
It was during this process that I figured out how the majority of my son's symptoms were related to Tethered Oral Tissue (TOT) and at this point, both of my children were revised by Dr. Kotlow in Albany, NY.
As a result of this journey, I learned the importance of Craniosacral bodywork & Craniosacral Fascial bodywork for pre & post care and furthermore gained insight into the larger spectrum of the epigenetic profile for future growth and development.
My path in bodywork evolved organically through the struggles that I encountered and through helping my children continue to be nourished and to flourish.
It is my goal to help the individuals and families that I work with integrate towards the best version of themselves while honoring and following their innate wisdom. I focus on reducing fascial strain and increasing the function of the Central Nervous System in adults, children and newborns. I offer hope to every mother that I work with whose baby has tethered oral tissue and help reduce overall fascial strain in their child while supporting their breastfeeding relationship and their breastfeeding goals. I collaborate with other lactation professionals that are working with my clients, to create an optimal care plan.
I am humbled by the individuals that I work with and by the great healing potential of the human body.
Aside from my work, I am thankful to share my journey in life with my three amazing sons, Benjamin, Luke & Linc and my loving daughter Boston Rose; who help me grow in ways I could not have imagined. I am also passionate about yoga, skiing, sailing, kayaking, nutrient dense cooking, fermentation, gardening, immersing myself in nature, and gathering energy by the ocean. Born and raised near Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
Photography compliments of http://www.sweetdreams-photography.com/