Meet Paula
My journey into this work has been a very personal one of recovering from my own experiences with Trauma and moving beyond fear into a life of greater peace and authenticity. I am also a visual artist, long time meditator and Yoga practitioner. In combination with my extensive training in the field of Psychotherapy; Art, Yoga & Mediation have further fine tuned my capacity for deep seeing, deep listening, embodiment and perceiving the networks of patterns that underlie our internal experience, our behavior, our relationship with ourselves and our relationship with others.
As an integrative psychotherapist, trained across multiple modalities, I have a wide array of tools in my toolbox. As a result, I am able to customize treatment plans and my approach to best fit the specific needs, challenges and goals of each individual client. This is where therapy becomes as much art as science- every client calls forth a unique flavor of each modality and the dance of healing that takes place is as unique as each human being I get to facilitate for. I practice deep attunement to the demands of each moment and continuously sharpen my intuition and skills for recognizing what is needed and when. I prioritize serving you in a way that honors your consent and calls forth YOUR inner wisdom every step of this journey.
My approach to Therapyr honors the Mind-Body-Spirit connection and integrates Western Psychology & Somatic Therapy with Eastern Contemplative & Mindfulness practices. My work is also informed by the wisdom teachings of the Indigenous and Shamanic cultures of our planet that honor the profound interconnectedness between humans beings and all of Nature as well as Yogic Psychology via the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda. Therefore, I offer a unique approach that is informed by the most cutting edge evidence-based modalities from the West, the sciences of Consciousness of the East and Psychedelic Medicine traditions that that have been around for thousands of years.
Values
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I am devoted to providing honest services and being a real practitioner of the healing work I invite clients into.
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I believe that at our center lies our own greatest healer and that it's possible for all of us to gain access to that. We are equals in this work. Although I am generous in sharing the tools and wisdom that my own journey and training have given me, I prioritize cultivating an environment of safety where you will be empowered to access YOUR authentic truth and come home to your own inner guidance system.
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Every pattern and part of us that keeps us looped in cycles of suffering has within it a golden nugget of wisdom that carries medicine for our liberation. If we are able to meet this pain with compassionate, non-judgmental inquiry and presence, this medicine begins to reveal itself. Thus, through the gateway of curiosity, that which hurts within us, can become our greatest teacher and ally.
My Training and Background
Prior to creating my own practice I spent 4 years working for a large group practice in the Atlanta area specializing in Anxiety Disorders and Stress management under the supervision of Dr. Becky Beaton. I also led Mindfulness training & support groups, OCD support groups, and DBT groups for teens.
I am an EMBARK certified Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapist and I had the honor of being trained and receiving direct supervision in this work by leaders in the field Alex Belser PhD and Bill Brennan PhD.
I have also received additional related training in this work through courses with Psychedelics Today.
I completed my training in Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy via The Ketamine Training Center where I had the great privilege of learning directly from other deeply respected leaders in the field including Phil Wolfson, MD; Gita Vaid, MD; Licia Sky and Bessel Van Der Kolk, MD.
In addition to working with clients in a private practice setting, I am a Facilitator in FDA approved research trials for Psychedelic Medicine. I have facilitated for research on Psilocybin compounds, LSD and DMT for the treatment of Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Major Depressive Disorder.
I am a Licensed Professional Counselor, a Somatic EMDR Practitioner, a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist, Certified Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapist and a National Board Certified Counselor. I hold a Masters degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Georgia State University and a Bachelors of Science in Psychology from The University of Georgia. My post-bacc experience includes 200+ hours of mindfulness meditation training through the Vipassana meditation tradition (a somatic based mindfulness practice) and one year of research and training in Mindfulness Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with a primary focus on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. I was extensively trained in Exposure and Response Prevention and Clinical Hypnotherapy by Dr. Becky Beaton (a nationally recognized Anxiety and Exposure specialist, Psychologist and Educator). I have also received additional training in Internal Family systems through the IFS Institute and Somatic Experiencing through Somatic Experiencing International.
As seen in
Podcast
You can find my podcast on Apple and Spotify!
If you are ready to commit to healing and personal growth and feel called to learn more about working with me I welcome you to reach out! I would love to learn more about how I may support and empower you on your journey.
