I am a trained somatic mind body coach and certified Freedom From Chronic Pain Neuroplasticity Practitioner as well as a certified practitioner of therapeutic play.

I grew up in Ireland and now live with my family in Nevada City, California. For more than 20 years I struggled with almost daily migraines and many other symptoms including body pain, digestive issues, food sensitivities and chronic stress. I went down the medical route looking for solutions and got no answers from the countless tests, all while being told I had a healthy body and that there was nothing wrong with me. I was diagnosed by a neurologist with migraines and prescribed medication which I was advised to take daily for the rest of my life. Believing in a holistic way of treating the body I said no to the pills and spent many years after that on a search for an alternative way to ‘heal’ myself. I tried every treatment I came across. Naturopathy, Ayurveda, Chinese medicine, homeopathy, various forms of body work, meditation and diet are to name a few modalities on that list! Although I believe that all these paths benefited me in some way I did not find the answer to my problems. At many points I felt like giving up and thought there was no more effort that I could put forth. But the pain kept driving that inner yearning to find an answer to why I was suffering. I even questioned if my symptoms were in my head.

It was after more than two decades when I came across the work of Dr Sarno and subsequently Dr Howard Schubiner and the study of neuroplasticity and the mind body connection when I finally found my answers. My pain was not in my head, the pain was real but there was a cure! When the nervous system does not feel safe, the brain can interpret this as danger and send pain signals to the body. The mind-body connection happens for us all. Has your face ever flushed when you are embarrassed? Or have you felt queasy before giving a talk? This is our brain sending a signal to our body resulting in a physical bodily reaction. Sometimes we can have a period of stress in our lives which may happen due to illness, trauma or other events, and the brain, body and nervous system go into a fight, flight or freeze state in order to protect us. But what happens when this danger signal operates even after the danger has passed? Many people are living in this ‘threat’ state long after the period of stress has passed which may result in the brain sending signals of pain, stress, anxiety and depression to the body. The pain is real but the cause for it is not!

Discovering and applying the knowledge of neuroplasticity will not only bring healing to your pain but will flow to all areas in your life empowering you to banish fear with the knowledge that you are in reality safe in this body and your life. This discovery of this newly emerging field of neuroscience, backed up by science will help you to use cutting edge approaches to understand and overcome your pain by empowering you to embrace a life free of fear and to feel the joy again!

Please see the resources page of this website to explore more of the fascinating science and book a complimentary consultation with me to see if the mind/body approach is right for you.