My Story

Hi, I’m Rachel, and I’m a Somatic and Mindfulness Coach based in Portland, Oregon. My coaching style is rooted in the cultivation of kindness, compassion, and curiosity. I work with these qualities to foster a deep sense of support from which to explore new perspectives and ways of being in the world. My practice integrates years of training in body-mind awareness disciplines including somatic coaching, yoga, meditation, and body-based improvisation.

In college I studied science, because I was curious about the world around me. Science gave me a way to understand the world that was based in observation, evidence, and thorough testing. At a time when my inner life was filled with chaos, and I didn’t have any practices to help me stay centered, science gave me a stable place to ground myself.  It was a place where my curiosity could run free, and at the same time, where there seemed to be a deep order underlying all of existence.   However, as I delved deeper into my studies, I quickly learned that even in the world of science, certainty starts to fade away when you look closely.  This revelation marked the beginning of an existential crisis that would stay with me for many years.  I longed for something stable and certain, and that longing became a driving force in the early part of my life’s journey. 

After a few  years of struggling with bouts of depression, I eventually discovered the power of stillness and the ability of the heart, the body, and the mind to spontaneously heal.  It was the beginning of a new journey, one that was at times filled with suffering but was also steeped in joy, creativity, connection and love.   I discovered yoga, Buddhism, and mindfulness.   I learned to let go again and again and again.  And I learned how to stay present with uncomfortable feelings and sensations.  During that time, I found myself drawn to the improvisational performance arts.  While studying with performance art guru Scott Kelman,  I began to embrace the reality that we never know what will happen next.  When we lean into the fear of the unknown, we get to witness our ability to respond in the moment; we get to experience our innate creativity at work.

I am grateful to the many teachers, coaches, and guides that I’ve encountered throughout my life who have helped me to hold myself with compassion and kindness while opening to new possibilities and ways of being. My personal journey has led me to studies and certifications in somatic coaching and holistic coaching, where now I help people tune into mind-body awareness, reconnect to themselves at their core, and move towards more peaceful, fulfilled lives.

Formal Education and Training