Hello, I'm Paura
I believe healing begins with curiosity rather than judgment. Sometimes healing happens through words, and sometimes it happens by noticing a breath, an emotion, a sensation, or the quiet realization that your nervous system no longer has to carry everything alone.
Often, our symptoms are not signs that something is wrong with us—they are signs that our minds and bodies have been doing their best to protect us.
I enjoy helping people reconnect with the parts of themselves that have been buried beneath survival, expectations, and life's inevitable hardships.
I believe every person carries a unique story shaped by relationships, culture, community, and the environments they've lived in. Therapy should honor those experiences rather than separate them from who you are.
Nature has become one of my greatest teachers. Whether we're sitting in an office and looking out the window or walking beneath the trees, I believe the natural world can remind us of resilience, seasons of change, and the possibility of growth after difficult times.
I value authenticity over perfection, connection over performance, and compassion over criticism. My hope is to create a space where every part of you feels welcome including the parts that have learned to hide, protect, or simply survive.
Healing isn't about becoming someone different. It's about cultivating the safety, confidence, and freedom to live more fully as the person you've always been.
A bit about my work
Many of the people I work with have been to therapy before. They may have gained insight and coping skills, yet still find themselves struggling with persistent patterns, feeling "stuck," or sensing that something is missing. Together, we’ll explore not only the symptoms but also the deeper experiences, beliefs, and nervous system responses that may be keeping those patterns in place.
I work with adolescents (ages 10+) and adults navigating anxiety, trauma, including medical or religious traumas,chronic illness and recovery from illness, relationship challenges, grief, burnout, identity exploration, and neurodivergence, including ADHD, AuDHD, and autism spectrum differences. I also enjoy working with young people through developmentally appropriate, play-based interventions when beneficial.
My approach is integrative, trauma-informed, and grounded in the belief that healing happens when both the mind and body are included in the therapeutic process. Depending on your needs, I draw from evidence-based and experiential approaches including Brainspotting, EMDR-informed techniques, Internal Family Systems (IFS)-informed interventions, mindfulness, somatic practices, art- and ecotherapy. Rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach, I tailor therapy to your unique strengths, goals, and lived experiences, creating a space where you can feel understood, supported, and empowered to move toward lasting change.
More about me
I've been a seeker for as long as I can remember. Growing up in a bicultural home sparked an early curiosity about culture, identity, resilience, and the ways folks make meaning of their lives.
In my twenties and thirties, that curiosity took me around the world. I spent years researching and writing about how people in different places lived, working with nonprofits, and participating in disaster relief efforts. I also spent time living in Bali and in South Korea, where I backpacked extensively. I visited ancient monasteries and have sat in over 10,000 hours of meditation. Along the way, my own spiritual path evolved from traditional religious practice toward mindfulness, meditation, and attunement.
These experiences have profoundly shaped my understanding of healing, community, and the human search for meaning. They continue to inform me of how I show up as a somatic therapist, reminding me that healing is rarely about pushing harder or simply thinking differently.
Contact
Feel free to reach out and see if we are a good fit!
919-229-9001