Meet Amelia.
I am deeply rooted in what is now called Kansas City, which has been home to many beings including the Osage, Kanza, Otoe and Missouria people long before my ancestors made home in this place 5 generations ago.
I enjoy going for walks with my partner and dogs, gardening, singing, and being with loved ones. I hold a BA from Regis University, where I studied Sociology, Community Food Systems, and Spanish. I am also a Certified Somatic Therapist through The Somatic Therapy Center in Philadelphia.
Before embarking on the journey of becoming a Somatic Therapist, my experiences have been in the non-profit and community organizing world. These experiences continue to shape and teach me. To me, therapy is an act of personal and collective liberation - going to the root to heal the sickness and pain that permeate our society through so many injustices.
My Experience with Somatic Therapy
When I was in my early 20s, I spent 2 years living in Oregon. In the midst of navigating chronic pain, unstable living situations, intense anxiety and limited financial means, I stumbled across a somatic therapist who was offering free sessions while she was in training. These handful of sessions were transformative for me.
I had been in talk therapy for years, I had seen many psychotherapists with all sorts of training. Getting to talk through my life was helpful, but something was missing, for me it was the somatic piece.
The sessions were very different from anything I had experienced before. I learned what it felt like in my body to be grounded, to be with emotions without them overwhelming or overtaking me, to start to trust myself. I was able to experience the subconscious realm of my body’s communication, a very welcome balance to my mind that was well versed in overanalyzing. I was always drawn to the healing arts, considering the paths of social work, counseling, spiritual direction, massage therapy. With Transformative Touch Somatic Therapy, I found something distinct from each of these professions, yet that incorporates aspects of each, working with the interconnectedness of mind, body and spirit.