My offerings are  grounded in interdisciplinary resources that come from a wide range of sources.

I believe it is important to honor and name the teachers and lineages who I have learned from, and to continue to stay in relationship with their evolving work, advocacy and perspectives.

A foundation for me weaving together ritual, spiritual practice and social activism comes from the leadership and mentorship of Ibrahim Farajaje and Rev. Dr. Rebecca Parker.

These days I am inspired by the spiritual teachings of Sebene Selassie and Tara Brach.  

In my chaplaincy and facilitation work, I focus on trauma-aware, culturally -responsive tools for grounding and self-connection, largely drawing from the writings and teachings of adrienne maree brown and Resma Menakem.

I first learned to facilitate group process from Hanif Fazal in Portland, Oregon in 2007,  During this time I also  learned and studied with LaShelle Charde in Mindful Compassionate Dialogue.

Support and teachings from Jake Morrill in Bowen family systems profoundly shaped my understanding of how people and system change (or resist change!).

Teachings and practices from InterPlay and improv as a way of life have helped me to not take life too seriously. 

In 2011, I first studied the history of substance use in religious and secular contexts with Ayize Jama-Everett in a grad school course “The Sacred and the Substance.”

Ten years later I followed the thread of this learning again in 2021, as a student in the graduate certificate program at CIIS in Psychedelic Therapies and Research, which included training in MDMA-assisted therapy from MAPS.

Since first understanding the racist history of how the US has defined and controlled substances, I am passionate about addressing the harm and injustice of this legacy and its current oppressive manifestation.

I am a member and donate monthly to the Drug Policy Alliance and strive to be involved and active in the movement to end the unjust war on drugs.

I love a good conversation about how to shift the narrative that “drugs are bad” to a more expansive, kind and inclusive understanding of the many ways people use substances, and for a wide range of reasons: to relief pain, heal, deal with stress, get in touch with our bodies, connect deeply with Source, and expanding our hearts and minds.

My work is grounded in sharing  accurate information, honest questions, and compassionate care for drug users.

When you consider everything from ayahuasca to caffeine and ibuprofen — all of us are drug users!

If you are interested in a conversation with me about my offerings, or inviting me to speak in your community, please reach out and let’s find a time to chat.