SHAMANIC DEATHS AND REBIRTHS

Environmental Illness

In 2003, my partner and I moved into a house that had toxic mold and other problems that affected the indoor air quality. I immediately became quite ill. We eventually found a mold-free rental but nearly every room contained a deodorizer. We threw these away, but the place was furnished and had absorbed the harmful chemicals of the sprays. I crashed. I came down with biotoxin illness/environmental illness, also known as multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS). Even low doses of certain molds, fragrances, diesel, pesticides, paint fumes, new carpet smells, and the like triggered severe and debilitating symptoms.

Lost and without a safe home: I had no map and no clear way out. Allopathic doctors often denied the reality of my suite of symptoms, and many alternative healers didn't know where to begin to untangle the raging, complex, multi-system shutdown I was experiencing. We found ourselves on a mysterious and horrifying journey.

I found my way through: We were able to build a healthy home, and through holistic medicine, shamanic healing, functional medicine, acupuncture, meditation, yoga, and many other modalities, I have been discovering what I need to heal. By peeling back and releasing the layers of toxicity and ill health, I have claimed a sacred life of wellness, health, and connection. I am deeply and humbly grateful to the many people and helping spirits who have helped and supported me on this journey. 

Cancer

For seven years, I was a caregiver and advocate for my mom through her incredible battle-dance with multiple myeloma, a blood cancer that affects the bones. I became proficient at navigating health care systems, care centers, insurance and informational systems, and on and on, but the deeper layers that spoke to my soul were what I shared with my mom.

My mom and I grew close. I broke and I grew by stepping in to meet whatever came our way on that intense roller coaster. And my mom—my teacher, guide, and best friend—showed me how to live well in the midst of it all. I was by her side when she passed on May 25, 2014. I stand in her legacy and am surrounded by and imbued with her love, strength, wisdom, and humor.

Each day is a precious gift.

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

Since 2012, I have received training from the Foundation for Shamanic Studies, which teaches core shamanic practices—universal and common features of shamanism. I have been trained in core shamanic practices; death, dying, and beyond; dreamwork; extraction healing; divination; and soul retrieval. As developed by founder Michael Harner, “the principles of core shamanism are not bound to any specific cultural group or perspective.” Classic, non-drug techniques are used to seek information and healing from compassionate spirits.
 
For more information, see:
http://www.shamanism.org

WORKING WITH ANIMALS

Living in the mountains has meant I witness injured birds, coyotes, and other animals—or see animals right after they've been killed. Shamanic work with animals both domesticated and wild can include healing, soul retrieval, psychopomp (assistance to after-death realms), or other types of work. Domesticated animals can also benefit from flower essences.

ACADEMIC BACKGROUND

I have a master’s degree in cultural anthropology,
a graduate certificate in women’s studies, and a bachelor’s in English literature and philosophy.

CREATIVE WRITING

I have been writing since fourth grade, when I crafted my first play with my best friend and performed it for the neighborhood. I write poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and songs. My poetry chapbook In the Understory of Her Being was published in 2018 by Finishing Line Press. I published Sastrugi, my first poetry chapbook, in 2009. My poetry and prose have appeared in the Wild Roof Journal, Wild Gods: The Ecstatic in Contemporary Poetry and Prose, the Kyoto Journal, Solo: On Her Own Adventure, and other publications.  

VISUAL ART

"Self in Portrait Wild" appeared in The Fourth River. 

EDITING

I am the copy editor, fact-checker, and poetry editor at SAPIENS,
a digital magazine that illuminates the world of anthropology for general audiences.

I helped shape an ethical style guide by incorporating guidance from
Elements of Indigenous Style, the Conscious Style Guide, and many others.

I co-edited special themed poetry projects:
2025 “Poets Resist, Refuse, and Find a Way Through” (co-edited with Grace Zhou and Alma Simba)
2024 “Poems of Witness and Possibility: Inside Zones of Conflict” (with Ather Zia and Toiba Naseema)
2023 “Indigenizing What It Means to be Human”  (with Margaret Noodin and Jason Vasser-Elong)
2021 “Lead Me to Life: Voices of the African Diaspora” (with Leah Zani and Justin D. Wright)
2020 SAPIENS Poetry Contest: "Why Poetry + Anthropology?"

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Q&A with Predrag Vlatkovic at MysticMag: "Building Health and Harmony"
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