What I do, and what I don't. And, What I am committed to.
What I do and what I don't....
When talking to people about my work, I often hear them ask, "So you're like a therapist?" Or, because I teach programs at UCSF, a world renowned teaching hospital and research institution, sometimes people also ask "You're a doctor, or medical professional?" To both of these questions I answer: No. But, I would be lying if I said that what offer is not therapeutic to many of the women I work with, in that it supports emotional, physical, spiritual and psychological well being and personal growth.
I am a certified professional mindfulness teacher and coach (CMT-P) and I am currently in training to also become a Somatic Experiencing practitioner (SEP). SE is a therapeutic modality for resolving and healing trauma. I have degrees in psychology, education and the arts, and I have additional training in counseling, mentoring and expressive arts instruction. I am not a licensed medical doctor (MD) or licensed therapist (LMFT). That being said I do collaborate with and work along side clinicians, doctors, psychologists, psychotherapists and other licensed health care providers. I have also contributed to several NIH (National Institute of Health) funded medical research studies through reputed medical research institutions.
I am a woman, just like any of you, who has been highly motivated by my own suffering and health challenges to get well and help others. My intention is to support my clients as they navigate their own healing and awakening journey. What I write, teach, facilitate and advocate is based on my own education, research, and direct lived experience. What I offer to clients is based on the above expertise and are suggestions and invitations, and should in no way be taken as medical or psychological treatment or diagnosis.
My intention is to offer resources, education and direct mentoring in the realms of mindfulness, trauma, creativity and other practices which encourage awakening, wellness and personal growth. In choosing to work with me and make use of the practices, suggestions and insight I offer, then you assert your own agency and affirm the responsibility is yours, in that I am merely a guide and support person. I see each woman I work with as the most powerful agent in her healing journey. Because of the practices and invitations I offer to you, my own life has been enriched and am I now living a life of greater health, wealth and personal awareness. That being said, in working together, you do so willingly, and are responsible for the choices you make. As your guide and mentor, I will encourage and support your own empowered decision making.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What I am committed to....
Also, I have been privileged to work with and learn from many women of color, people in the LGBTQ community, and women from other commonly marginalized and underrepresented communities. As a white, cis gendered woman, I acknowledge that many of my offerings may not represent or resonate with all women. I can only offer what I know, in a way that is true to who I am, based on my own lived experience. That being said, I welcome the opportunity to expand my awareness of how my offerings harm or include women from other communities. I am committed to bringing awareness to how I benefit from systems of oppression and how to dismantle those systems in my own thinking and actions, as well as in how I work with women whose lives are impacted daily by systemic oppression. My intention is to welcome all women who feel called to this work, and, in doing so, I recognize that the responsibility to create a welcoming and safe container for women whose lives are different than my own, is on my shoulders. As a teacher, mentor and guide, it is my responsibility to look at my own internalized racism and oppression, and to be accountable when my actions have in any way caused harm. I will, no doubt, make mistakes and struggle to understand things that are beyond the range of my lived experience. I cannot assume to understand or represent the direct lived experience of women whose lives are radically different than my own. I also have to acknowledge that I am human, with my own traumas and vulnerabilities, and while those are at the core of why I feel capable of working with women in this way, they are also also what make me fallible. I also recognize that I am not writing this post to merely give lip service to real life issues, nor does it exempt me from actually doing the work of becoming a a more skillful ally. To that end, I am committed to my ongoing education about diversity, identity, understanding intention vs. impact, systems of oppression and healing my own wounds, so I can be accountable to and fully present for the needs of the women I am privileged to support.
I offer my deepest bow to all women who are personally engaged in dismantling and healing trauma and systems of oppression within their own hearts and minds, and the world around us!
When talking to people about my work, I often hear them ask, "So you're like a therapist?" Or, because I teach programs at UCSF, a world renowned teaching hospital and research institution, sometimes people also ask "You're a doctor, or medical professional?" To both of these questions I answer: No. But, I would be lying if I said that what offer is not therapeutic to many of the women I work with, in that it supports emotional, physical, spiritual and psychological well being and personal growth.
I am a certified professional mindfulness teacher and coach (CMT-P) and I am currently in training to also become a Somatic Experiencing practitioner (SEP). SE is a therapeutic modality for resolving and healing trauma. I have degrees in psychology, education and the arts, and I have additional training in counseling, mentoring and expressive arts instruction. I am not a licensed medical doctor (MD) or licensed therapist (LMFT). That being said I do collaborate with and work along side clinicians, doctors, psychologists, psychotherapists and other licensed health care providers. I have also contributed to several NIH (National Institute of Health) funded medical research studies through reputed medical research institutions.
I am a woman, just like any of you, who has been highly motivated by my own suffering and health challenges to get well and help others. My intention is to support my clients as they navigate their own healing and awakening journey. What I write, teach, facilitate and advocate is based on my own education, research, and direct lived experience. What I offer to clients is based on the above expertise and are suggestions and invitations, and should in no way be taken as medical or psychological treatment or diagnosis.
My intention is to offer resources, education and direct mentoring in the realms of mindfulness, trauma, creativity and other practices which encourage awakening, wellness and personal growth. In choosing to work with me and make use of the practices, suggestions and insight I offer, then you assert your own agency and affirm the responsibility is yours, in that I am merely a guide and support person. I see each woman I work with as the most powerful agent in her healing journey. Because of the practices and invitations I offer to you, my own life has been enriched and am I now living a life of greater health, wealth and personal awareness. That being said, in working together, you do so willingly, and are responsible for the choices you make. As your guide and mentor, I will encourage and support your own empowered decision making.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What I am committed to....
Also, I have been privileged to work with and learn from many women of color, people in the LGBTQ community, and women from other commonly marginalized and underrepresented communities. As a white, cis gendered woman, I acknowledge that many of my offerings may not represent or resonate with all women. I can only offer what I know, in a way that is true to who I am, based on my own lived experience. That being said, I welcome the opportunity to expand my awareness of how my offerings harm or include women from other communities. I am committed to bringing awareness to how I benefit from systems of oppression and how to dismantle those systems in my own thinking and actions, as well as in how I work with women whose lives are impacted daily by systemic oppression. My intention is to welcome all women who feel called to this work, and, in doing so, I recognize that the responsibility to create a welcoming and safe container for women whose lives are different than my own, is on my shoulders. As a teacher, mentor and guide, it is my responsibility to look at my own internalized racism and oppression, and to be accountable when my actions have in any way caused harm. I will, no doubt, make mistakes and struggle to understand things that are beyond the range of my lived experience. I cannot assume to understand or represent the direct lived experience of women whose lives are radically different than my own. I also have to acknowledge that I am human, with my own traumas and vulnerabilities, and while those are at the core of why I feel capable of working with women in this way, they are also also what make me fallible. I also recognize that I am not writing this post to merely give lip service to real life issues, nor does it exempt me from actually doing the work of becoming a a more skillful ally. To that end, I am committed to my ongoing education about diversity, identity, understanding intention vs. impact, systems of oppression and healing my own wounds, so I can be accountable to and fully present for the needs of the women I am privileged to support.
I offer my deepest bow to all women who are personally engaged in dismantling and healing trauma and systems of oppression within their own hearts and minds, and the world around us!
Become a woman of presence!
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PRESENCE Mindfulness & Coaching . Nichole Proffitt . [email protected] . 510-612-6211
