To “heal” simply means to become whole - that is, to meet, accept, and integrate all the parts of our selves that we learned to deny or disown because of familial or cultural pressures.
Many of us are stuck in patterns of nervous system dysregulation, and move through the world completely dissociated from our bodies. Perhaps we even see our body as a problem to solve, rather than a part of our whole self.
I believe that there is more to you than your brain, and even more than your physical body: health is found in a balanced state between all facets of the self.
My healing work combines contemplative practices with coaching and bodywork to help you drop beneath the stress to tap into your true essence. Whether you're dealing with anxiety, burnout, or overwhelm, I can help you find your way to the life you were meant to love.
Polyvagal Therapy : Coming out of Fight / Flight / Freeze / Fawn
The Vagus Nerve is at the core of your built-in alarm system. When your nervous system is working as designed, you are able to sense and adapt to threat, and then return to a state of rest and digest once the threat is past.
Unfortunately, most of us feel like we are always under threat. We move through our lives dealing with symptoms of an activated nervous system: insomnia, gut and digestion issues, jaw tension and chronic TMJ pain.
A Polyvagal Therapy session guides you through a meditative body scan to learn where you are holding patterns of dysregulation and to release them. To quote my teacher, Janet Evergreen, it is in the state of “rest and digest” that we access the “health that is never lost.”
Energy Work
Anything that affects the physical affects the energetic (and vice versa) so your energy system can be an effective way to get to the root of an issue. We'll discuss your current challenges and then you can relax into a deep meditative state while I address the issue in your system.
I offer two forms of energy work:
Reiki (great for gentle, nourishing shifts)
VortexHealing (a powerful tool for releasing issues and energizing your system)
My goal is always to meet you where you are and offer you the support you most need in that moment.
In my toolbox:
Reiki I (Usui Shiki Ryoho) (2023)
VortexHealing® Divine Energy Work practitioner (2017-2023), Core Veil level
Polyvagal Therapy training with Janet Evergreen (2018-2019)
Craniosacral Therapy training with Wisdom Healing Arts (2019)
Death Doula Training and Work Through Hospice of the Piedmont (2022 - Present)
Life Coach training through Martha Beck’s Wayfinder Program (2017-2018)
More than a decade of experience with meditation and contemplative practices, including Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield’s Power of Awareness teacher training (2017)
Photo courtesy of Jeremy Jones, 2023
I don’t know the answers to your life’s big questions: you are the only one who does. Consider me a guide: one who walked the paths of healing for more than a decade, and who can provide company and the wisdom of experience along the way. We’ll find what you’re seeking together.
If you’re interested in learning more about what a session with me is like, or if you want to explore what kind of session is right for you, don’t hesitate to reach out. I offer free 30-minute consultation sessions to potential new clients to help us discover if my work is the right fit for you.
What clients are saying:
I sought Dana out because I knew something wasn’t working. My job paid well enough but was consuming so much energy that I had little left for family and friends, and none for myself. Through a series of focused conversations, in which Dana listened intently and challenged gently, I gradually gained enough distance to understand why the job that paid so well cost so much. By her own career example, Dana helped me recognize that risk-taking isn’t contrary to responsibility. As a genuine and caring person who has lived the corporate life and taken significant risks of her own, Dana is a believable and compassionate guide.
-S.G.
Dana is a great coach for me because she cares about taking a rational, scientific approach to understanding how our brains deal with challenge, emotions and feeling stuck. I trust her, and I feel like she genuinely likes listening and solving problems, it comes naturally to her.
— E.L.H.
“Dana has a unique capacity to offer the right words at the right moment that deepen clarity and understanding. I believe her capacity to reach me in the precise ways I need, result from a humility to receive wisdom as it is offered her; intellectual acuity; an open and kind heart willing to grapple with the struggles of others; a commitment to continually engage in her own practices of introspection and awareness; and a profound strength that can offer others solidity, wisdom, and peace. Dana’s presence and gifts truly go beyond words.” - A.M.
Experience My Work: No Session Required
Experience guided meditations right away, with a free account on Insight Timer. Body scans, grounding exercises, visualizations and other techniques used in my client sessions and workshops are available at insig.ht/deerhawk.
My podcast is a great way to get a sense of my meditations and coaching style. On Ask a Wayfinder, I answer questions from listeners and offer free guided meditations tailored to the issue we explore. It’s completely free and available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and anywhere you get your podcasts.