Rediscover your true nature

Helping you do the deep work so you can stop turning against yourself and build a life you love

If beating up on ourselves worked,
we’d probably all be doing great by now

Beneath all the self doubt, self judgement and anxiety, there is a version of you which is calm. Curious. Clear. Connected.

Let’s find her.

Offerings

Feel more alive in your body and mind

Individuals

  • Healing happens in relationship. This includes the relationship to our selves and to our problems.

    All of your strategies and coping skills that are messing up your life now? At one time they made sense and helped you in various ways. Until we know how to see them for what they are, and how to change our relationship to them, they often run our lives.

    Together, we look with compassion and curiosity at the life experiences that brought you to this point. We untangle knots of confusion about what’s going on and why these patterns keep showing up. We learn what to do with all those dang emotions (hint: it’s not about keeping on pushing them down until they explode). And we practice the art of befriending yourself.

Couples

  • In the 9 years I have spent with my husband, we have built a marriage that deeply supports and nourishes both of us, where eros is flowing and love is abundant. But it took walking through a lot of fires and challenging landscapes to get here. In doing so, we’ve learned a lot about the nature of love and intimate relationships, what makes them work and what makes them falter.

    Along the way, we have developed a set of skills, tools and practices that have helped us learn how to come back together when we are feeling distant, tend to old wounds that real love can bring to the surface, and create a container of safety and connection where can grow and flourish both individually and together.

    I love working with couples and helping them learn how to tend to the love between them in new ways, get back in touch with their hearts, or feed the flames of their desire.

Psychedelic Support

  • For many people, the intentional and mindful use of psychedelic medicines can open access to deep layers of the psyche that feel impossible to fully reach through ordinary states of consciousness. They can get to the root of patterns that don’t seem to budge and open the heart to deeper connection with yourself and others

    After working with these expanded states professionally since 2015, I remain forever in awe of their capacity to catalyze insight, healing, and profound transformation.

    You can work with me to gain practical support before and after your journey, no matter where or with who that happens. This includes helping you clarify your intentions, prepare emotionally and practically, and integrate the insights or challenges that arise so they can be woven into your daily life for lasting change.

    For those who feel called to work in a guided and facilitated setting, in-person ceremonial support is also available for individuals located in or willing to travel to the Silicon Valley / San Francisco Bay Area.

Approaches

A few of the modalities that may get woven into a session with me

  • Parts Work

    Parts Work, also called Internal Family Systems, is a therapeutic tool that encourages us think of certain emotions, thoughts or behaviors as personified “parts” in our psyche. This allows us to separate from them just enough that we can see them more clearly, but this time with a sense of curiosity instead of self-judgement.

    As we learn to work with our parts from this vantage point, a new version of you naturally begins to emerge. Your psyche reorganizes itself to allow for more inner peace, self-compassion and clarity about your true self.

  • Connecting to Nature

    Using the metaphor of “inner seasons” we re-establish a framework of intimate connection and attachment to the natural world. Just like a parent and child, we start to see our resemblance to this planet that made us. We are made in her image, with seasons and cycles inside of us that mirror the wider ones all around us. We belong here.

    We use this to orient ourselves like a map. With practice, this slowly helps us stop fighting against the natural ebbs and flows of our lives and learn what each “inner season” actually asks of us.

  • Body Practices

    The primal brain, also called the reptilian brain, is what makes us feel either safe or in danger. The language of this part of the brain is sensation. By getting in touch with what trauma therapist Peter Levine calls “the felt sense” of our bodies, we begin to heal trauma and enjoy life more.

    In a session we may employ exercises like simply putting your attention on body to see what sensations - if any - you notice there. Or maybe a little gently touching your scalp with your fingertips while taking deep breath. Such practices often seem simple, but their effect can be profound and help us get back to the root of what life is all about.

  • Mindfulness & Visualization

    I think of mindfulness as the art of being present to what’s actually happening. It’s tuning into the subtle realms of our direct experience.

    Visualization, including the use of Active Imagination is an approach that helps bridge the conscious and unconscious mind.

    Together these tools help build a relationship with your own inner guidance system and create an inner world that is a refuge, where deep safety can be found.

Some of the things I love supporting my clients with:

  • Self-acceptance and self-worth

  • Difficulty relaxing or enjoying life

  • What to do with all those dang emotions

  • Rediscovering vitality after emotional numbness

  • That vague sense of dissatisfaction with life

  • Feeling more at ease in your body

  • Becoming a friend to yourself

  • Improving intimate relationships

  • Personal exploration and growth

  • Spiritual initiations and integrations

  • Finding your own inner wisdom and trusting your intuition

  • Inner child and inner re-parenting work

  • Healing after abusive dynamics

  • Recovery from high control groups and cults

Hi, I’m Olivia. And I’m really glad you’re here.

Think of me as a wilderness guide for the psyche.

My professional background includes a BA in Anthropology from UC Berkeley and an MA in Counseling Psychology from The Wright Institute.

But truthfully my real education has come more from 15 years of being utterly dedicated to my own journey of health, healing and wholeness rather than any theory or ideas I learned in school.

For me the journey of self growth was not optional. I had suffered enough major traumas and their resulting array of chronic shame, self sabotage and dissociation that if I was to survive, I needed to devote myself to the art of healing.

I know the territory of the deep psyche because I have traveled through it so many times, eventually learning how to be less afraid of the sounds and shadows and then finding the skills needed to not only help you make your way through, but connect deeply to something greater while you do. 

What you will feel when you work with me is not the energy of someone dispensing theoretically good advice from their intellectual knowing. Instead, you will feel a depth of compassion, an embodied wisdom and a keen intuition that has been sculpted by walking through many challenges with eyes wide open.

Choose the rhythm that works for you

  • Ongoing Depth Work

    Ongoing weekly sessions allow for steady, in-depth work over time. With this rhythm we meet for as long as it feels helpful to you, going deeper as trust and knowledge builds between us. This approach supports long-term transformation and is especially helpful when you're navigating complex patterns, ongoing life changes, or when in need of a steady container for self-inquiry and growth.

  • Focused Support Series

    If you are drawn to a more defined and time-limited approach, the Focused Support Series offers a defined number of sessions,  typically 3-9, decided upon up front. These are ideal when you’d like to focus on a specific theme or area of growth. We will work with depth and intensity over several weeks then pause to allow space for integration and reflection on your own. 

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How it works:

  • We start with a free 15 minute phone call. This is a no-pressure space where I will ask you about the issues you want to work on and answer any questions you have.

  • If it feels like a good fit to both of us, we’ll schedule your first session.

  • Your initial session is offered at a reduced rate of $80. This gives you the opportunity to experience my style of work more fully and see how it feels for you without as significant of an upfront commitment.

  • Ongoing sessions are $165 for 60 minutes.

  • I also offer extended sessions of between 75-120 minutes if you would like more spacious time to go deeper.

  • Sessions take place over Zoom or in person in Los Gatos, CA

  • A limited number of reduced fee/sliding scale spots are available for those who need financial flexibility.

Testimonals

  • Gets to What's Really Important

    “I felt a deep connection to Olivia very quickly. I feel incredibly seen when working with her. I feel like there’s a wise woman holding me in a warm, connected, safe container. She has great attention to detail and helps me to slow things down so we can get to what’s really important and clear away the B.S. She’s a powerful guide who helps create an energetic container for big healing work to get done.”

    Nicole Garrison

  • All My Relationships Have Improved

    “Since working with Olivia, I am way less afraid of my own feelings. She seems to ask just the right questions. My relationships feel stronger and deeper and more satisfying as a direct result of the work we’ve been doing. There’s been a ripple effect in my life, and it’s inspiring other people around me to want to work on themselves too, because they can see all the positive effects it’s been having on me and how much happier I’ve been.”

    Monica R.

  • Major Shifts in Foundational Patterns

    “Olivia helped me shift some very deep, foundational pieces in my healing. The way she weaves somatic awareness, pattern recognition, and parts work led to many meaningful “a-ha” moments— leading to clarity and empowerment. It was easy to settle into our sessions from the very beginning, and the intensive format—meeting consistently over a few weeks—allowed my system to truly relax into her steady support.

    Our work together has influenced the way I can show up for myself, my boyfriend, and my family.

    Brianna Grace

  • Different Than Any Other Therapy

    “Olivia has been instrumental in my healing journey over the past year. Despite seeing many therapists, none have provided the tools, clarity, and insight that she has. Her ability to listen, understand, and provide insightful guidance is truly remarkable. She makes me feel heard, seen, and validated. I am immensely grateful for her wisdom and guidance.”

    Kailey W.

  • Found My Inner Power Again in Just One Session

    “I came to my first session super anxious about having to set a boundary at work. Within that one hour, Olivia helped me understand what was underneath that anxiety as well as visualize an archetype that helped me find my inner power again. The next day I went into work calm and confident and said exactly what I needed! Without guilt or apology. It felt like a major shift in what was possible for me and has continued to open up new doors.”

    R.K.

  • Restored Balance to my Nervous System

    “In just one session, Olivia helped me frame and then cope with a period of overwhelm which had really impacted my nervous system.

    “Her kind and calm way of being allowed me to settle, and immediately created a sense of trust and safety. The session helped me restore a sense of balance to my nervous system and I also discovered a new insight into why I was being overwhelmed in the first place.”

    Mike Kelly
    Founder, The Heart of Living

  • What I've Always Needed

    “Olivia has guided me in the awakenings and realizations I’ve hungered for my whole life. The person I am now is unimaginable to the person I was before working with her. Olivia has patiently and precisely guided me in every session in my journey of unearthing myself. Her awareness is fine tuned in seeing the subtleties of my answers and body language. Her ability to create personalized meditations brought me deeper into learning about myself. There is my life before and after I worked with Olivia.”

    Lauren Bangerter

  • Everything I Had Been Searching For

    I noticed right away in our first session that Olivia was completely present, professional, authentic and candid, and that’s everything I had been searching for. I’ve done a lot of inner work and it’s surprisingly hard to find anyone in the various practitioner spaces I’ve come across that expresses all of those qualities.

    Emma

Let’s connect

To set up a free 15 minute phone call use the Book Now button to go to my booking page.

If you prefer to send an email, its olivia@theessentialself.org or simply use the form below

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