About
“If the world is to be healed through human efforts, I am convinced it will be by ordinary people, people whose love for this life is even greater than their fear. People who can open to the web of life that called us into being.” -Joanna Macy
Hi, I’m Serra!
I’ve explored various mindfulness techniques, somatic counseling modalities and have engaged the creative processes for over a decade. Now I get to share these tools and support clients in cultivating greater awareness, equanimity and trust through life’s challenges that may arise in relationships, career changes, life transitions, the grief of losing someone, finding their life purpose, deepening into their authentic selves and expand their capacity to create.
I came from a family where all art forms were celebrated and practiced by many. Most of my grandparents took to painting and making music in their later years after raising children and working various blue collar careers. Many of my cousins, aunts and uncles are also infused with the creative spirit and express themselves in a myriad of colorful ways.
Painting and creating took shape in my own life and inspired most of my work as a young adult. I was curious about many different topics and pursued a variety of career paths as a young adult such as: midwifery, transpersonal psychology and elementary education. I eventually came back to what I had been most passionate about all along…painting!
For a number of years I worked as a large scale public mural artist and creative facilitator for communities and organizations. That eventually led to me taking on clients as a life coach with a focus on creativity and mindfulness.
For the last five years I have been working as a somatic and mindfulness based counselor. My passion is evoking the creative spirit in others, supporting more of their authenticity to shine through, and stewarding sacred thresholds of death, transformation and transition through the art of ritual and ceremony.
George Addair once said, "Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.”
We all experience internal resistance in different parts of our lives. It usually comes up as procrastination or avoidance, especially when we start something new or want to make a change. Fear keeps us safe. It’s a healthy emotion, as long as it doesn’t hold us back from taking action on opportunities. But when it does, there are ways to metabolize, work through it without triggering the resistance and ultimately, move through it to discover the prize that’s waiting for you on the other side.
...so, what’s the prize on the other side?
It’s YOU. It’s your confidence, your joy, your unique best self that’s ready to join you in the life that deep down, you know is waiting to happen.
Areas of focus and training experience:
- Legal Psychedelic Somatic Psychotherapy Modality (Utilizing Cannabis)
- Guided Breath-work
- Soul Collage- art therapy modality
- Hakomi Year 2 (Hakomi trained not certified)
- Internal Family Systems
- Ceremonial Ritualist
- Creative Facilitation
- Psychedelic Preparation and Integration
- Intuitive development
- Ancestral connection and healing
Description of Hakomi:
https://positivepsychology.com/hakomi-therapy/
Internal Family Systems:
Description of NARM:
https://narmtraining.com/what-is-narm/
Private office located in Astoria, Oregon
Training & Continued education
Current Training(s) and mentorship: shamanic and energy healing (with mentors) and Ancestral Lineage Healing Practitioner training (2022-2023)
- NARM level 1 training spring of 2022
- Awakening the Archetype of the Death Walker, Grief and Loss as an Initiation, Crossing the Veil and The Soul's Journey 2022 (death doula continued education)
- Psychedelic Somatic Institute- Psychedelic Somatic Interactional Psychotherapy Certificate 2021
**Legal psychedelic therapy using cannabis**
- Conscious Dying Institute- Sacred Passage Death Doula Certificate 2021
- The Circle Way facilitation for groups- online training 2021
- End of Life Rituals through Be Ceremonial, 2021
- Rhythm of Regulation (polyvagal practices) with Deb Dana 2020
- Ancestral Healing and Ritual continuing education 2020-present
- Hakomi (Seattle Hakomi Education Network) Level 1 and Level 2
- Internal Family Systems Therapy 6 month Foundation Course, continuing education 2019
- Compassionate Listening with Gabor Mate, continuing education 2019
- Psychedelic Integration Training, continuing education 2018
- Ordained Minister through the Unitarian Universalist Church of Life 2018
- Authentic Relating Games Facilitation Training, Level 1 2017
- Shamanic Dearmoring training 2017
- Creative Facilitation Training, Level 1 2017
- Alchemy of Breath breathwork training 2017
- Transformational Life Coach Certificate, Seattle 2016
- Professional Artist and Muralist 2007-present
Commitment to Social Justice and Anti-Racism education
- Creating Safer Spaces with Shelby Leigh 2019
- How to be Less Harmful: Training White Helpers to be Less Harmful through ar-tic.org 2020
- Parenting and White Supremacy by Layla Saad 2020
- The Ancestor Project- Psychedelic Anti-Racism course 2020
I am committed to unpacking privilege and doing less harm and am committed to creating safer spaces for people to heal. If you would like a referral to a BIPOC LGBTQ+ provider and integration therapist, please reach out I am happy to refer you.
**I am not a licensed mental health professional, I am trained in several therapeutic modalities.
*Artist CV @ www.sarasnedeker.com (for public art consultation)
