My certifications and qualifications include:

• Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP) - A 3-Year Advanced Level Embodied Trauma Training

• Somatic Experiencing International - Teaching Assistant

• Volunteer Rape Crisis Counselor in IL (Trained and led by Resilience)

• Integral Somatic Psychology from Dr Raja Selvam [Current student]

• Integrative Somatic Parts Work via Embody Lab

• Peer support training from MAPS' Zendo Project (providing support for difficult psychedelic experiences)

• SMART recovery and SMART recovery friends & family group facilitator

• Train the trainer designation for Narcan (opioid overdose identification and reversal)

• Mental Health First Aid

• Impactful career in the non profit sector, including serving as the associate director of a non profit

Hey! I'm Bella (they/she), an autistic "later in life" queer nonbinary person who slowly titrated into my queer identity over the course of many years. It took me another ten years after scribbling "I might be gay" into a journal to feel comfortable living fully in my queer light. Those years included a lot of support and affirming from my own queer coach, becoming a parent, developing my career and a big ole dose of trial, error and humility. And guess what? I was right on time.

Living happily Autistic, I seek to honor and uplift neurodiverse experiences, not contort or hide them. I see neurodivergence as an integral and beautiful part of who we are and how we show up in the world. In session, you might see me sitting in different positions, with a fidget cube in my palm or my acupressure mat tucked beneath my feet to deeply ground me.

My glimmers in life include spending time with my little one and partner, finding a new "happy food", sharing meaningful experiences with my loved ones, checking off every box on my to-do list, and sing-shouting my heart out in crowds.

I’m equal parts playful, intense and nurturing. I believe in your innate wisdom and I take a curious, compassionate and joyful approach to understanding you. I say fuck - a lot. I ask hard questions and I expect you to try your hand at exploring them within your limits, and at asking me hard ones right back. I believe in you endlessly, even in the moments you don’t believe in yourself - especially then.

My approach to coaching usually includes talking about joy as much as we talk about despair, connecting with your body, laughing a lot and most importantly, honoring all the many weird, silly, and downright beautiful parts of yourself.

I am trauma informed and “nervous system respectful”, as I like to say. I have a deep familiarity with somatic experiencing and parts work, and a professional background in harm reduction and peer support, with a focus on supporting people through pivotal life changes. My experience includes providing peer support and harm reduction services to people who use drugs, treatment support and navigation for people seeking to enter recovery, and providing guidance to incoming higher education students.

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