Why the Titles Changed
People sometimes ask why I use different titles - therapist, teacher, coach, guide, healer. The truth is, this shift has been about alignment and authenticity.
When I first considered adding “coach” to my work, I hesitated. The title requires little formal qualification, and that didn’t sit well with me. What I realized, though, is that I would only feel comfortable using it because of my decades of experience as a therapist, somatic specialist, yoga therapist, and guide. Without that foundation, it wouldn’t feel true.
So why expand beyond therapist?
As a therapist, I was required to diagnose, work within the limits of insurance, follow the DSM, and practice only within certain state boundaries. While structure has value, much of it felt restrictive. Diagnosing never fully aligned with how I see people - as whole humans, not labels. Insurance dictated rates. Regulations limited how I could show up, especially in group spaces.
Coaching or guiding allows more flexibility - globally, financially, and creatively. I can offer packages, work across state lines, and create circles, retreats, and gatherings without filtering parts of myself. I can be more action-oriented when appropriate, empower clients from the start, and avoid fostering dependency.
Most importantly, I can fully integrate the spiritual and somatic practices that have always been central to my work: breathwork, yoga, sound healing, chakra alignment, acupressure, and other “woo” modalities that I’ve seen create profound healing.
What this really means is simple:
My work has evolved. My titles may vary, but my foundation is the same - lived experience, ongoing education, and decades of guiding others through mind, body, and spirit healing.
Whether I call myself a therapist, coach, guide, teacher, healer, or even a witch, what matters most is that I now feel free to show up fully and authentically in service of those I support.