“I was experiencing overwhelming grief, shame, anger and fatigue. I did not know who I was anymore. I couldn't picture my life without my loved ones. I had not only lost them but pieces of me also. I had seen many types of mental health professionals, but sometimes just talking about things was not enough. It wasn't just my mind that needed attention, but also my body. I needed my mind to notice and listen to my body.
After working with Richelle, I am able to tune in and feel my body. I have the ability to sit with uncomfortable feelings and emotions. I can make space for them by acknowledging my body's response. I come back to me, to center. I feel shame, loss, fear, and anger; while at the same time having self-compassion. Self-compassion invites curiosity and with curiosity comes possibility. I am not broken, unlovable, or lost. I am right where I need to be.
I would recommend working with Richelle because her passion and compassion for helping others provides a safe place to be vulnerable. I could fully open up and express emotion without judgement. Every session left me tools that I use during moments of emotional overload. This allowed a sliver of light through the darkness and brought me back to the here and now. My body is the tool and learning how to tune into it has changed my life.
Thank you for your kindness and compassion.”
-C.H., 1:1 online client
“Before working with Richelle I was going through my recovery from shoulder surgery and running into major roadblocks. I was struggling to complete basic physio exercises because every time I tried to move my arm and shoulder in new ways I would suffer from a minor panic attack or get so stuck I wouldn't be able to move. I came to Richelle feeling overwhelmed, confused and frustrated - not understanding why my nervous system was getting so aggravated by my recovery exercises or how to deal with it.
Richelle listened to me describe everything I was dealing with in my life, and the context in which I had experienced my injury, and she brought so much clarity and understanding to what I was really experiencing. Richelle gently informed me that a lot of what I was experiencing were symptoms of post-traumatic stress due to both physical and emotional trauma. In teaching me more about what my body's reactions meant, Richelle also provided an incredibly safe and supportive space for me to process the effects of what I had experienced on my body. I rediscovered the connection between my mind and body which for me was one of the most healing components of working with Richelle. As soon as I was able to access and release stuck emotions, the physical demands of my recovery felt immensely more accessible to me. Through working with Richelle I also gained a wide array of new tools for accessing these healing modalities in the future.
I would recommend working with Richelle because I find that she bridged a gap for me within the work I had done with my healthcare team until that point. The practitioners I was working with prior to seeing Richelle dealt strictly with the emotional or physical side of my recovery but never both at the same time. She also has a lovely and safe presence which allowed me to feel comfortable showing up exactly as I am in sessions with her. This ultimately benefited me in the work we did together. I really and truly think that the work Richelle does is so meaningful, and if anyone is pondering the usefulness of somatic work in their healing - I highly recommend working with Richelle.”
— S.B., 1:1 client
“Richelle changed my life through trauma-informed yoga therapy. At the time of working with her, I had been diagnosed with PTSD and was experiencing intrusive thoughts, nightmares, night tremors, avoidant behaviour, anxiety, and depression. I had also developed a stammer/stutter when I would talk about the events. Richelle taught me about the nervous system and how I could work with “settling” the areas, so my symptoms would be alleviated. I had not experienced true happiness for years due to my condition. Because Richelle was kind, calm, compassionate, and patient, trust was built between us. My trauma is not over yet; however, I know how to handle it when the outer influences and my symptoms appear. I feel in control of my life and no matter what comes, I know I can handle it and I am no longer fearful. Richelle changed my life and I cannot thank her enough for that – she has a special gift and gave me tools that I use every day.”
— W.S., 1:1 client
“Before I started working with Richelle I was experiencing high levels of anxiety and disruptive PTSD symptoms. Working with Richelle has given be a broader toolkit with which to help me regulate my nervous system and understand how trauma affects the body. She has been instrumental in normalizing my experience and helping me shift me from a place where I felt like I was failing to "handle things" to a place of understanding that allowed me to give myself time and space to begin to heal.”
— E.M., 1:1 client
Before coming to see Richelle I was experiencing joint pain, back tightness, depression, and social anxiety. Over the course of a couple of months, I have experienced a large relief in day-to-day pain and have come to a better understanding of how the pain originates and how I hold on to it. She has given me tools to work through anxiety and depression that have had an incredibly positive impact on my life. I would highly recommend working with Richelle. She is an expert at creating a safe and compassionate space for delving deeper into the root causes of pain and working through them. Her dual approach of looking at both the physical and emotional sides of pain is highly intuitive and has been very effective. She is always very present in our sessions and comes prepared with the knowledge and passion to work through any issues.”
— A.R., 1:1 client
“Before working with Richelle I was suffering from anxiety and panic attacks due to a concussion. Through our work together, I learned that I have more control over how I’m feeling than I realized. I’ve become a lot more self-aware and have picked up some very useful tools. And I learned how to breathe again! I would highly recommend Richelle. She is very knowledgeable, non-judgemental, and very easy to work with.”
— K.P., 1:1 client
“Before seeing Richelle I was experiencing a lot of anxiety. She made me feel at ease straight away. She never made me feel judged and I always felt comfortable expressing myself. She is always very aware of my emotional and physical state and checks in regularly during sessions. Her accessible advice for meditation and breathing techniques have been very helpful in my life.”
— A.N., 1:1 client
“Richelle has had such an inspirational ability to hold space for me and I felt that so deeply and will be eternally grateful for that. I always felt so welcome in her company and that feeling of meeting each other half way. Her knowledge of the nervous system is intricate and detailed, both theoretically and at the body level. I believe that Richelle has the ability to meet you wherever you are at in your mind, body or spirit and to me, that is everything.”
— A.N., 1:1 client
