about James

My Approach

I draw on training in Somatic Experiencing®, Dynamic Attachment Re-Patterning (DARe), Mindfulness-Based Mind Fitness Training (MMFT), trauma-sensitive mindfulness, and men’s embodied leadership — but my work is never just about techniques. At the heart of it is a simple truth: the body knows how to heal.

Together, we slow down, listen deeply, and follow the intelligence of your nervous system. This process helps old survival energy complete, trauma resolve, and a deeper capacity for joy, intimacy, and resilience emerge.

My style is compassionate, direct, and unwavering. I trust the body, I trust the process, and I’ll walk with you through whatever arises.

Why Men’s Work Matters

I have a special place in my heart for men’s work. Too many men carry wounds silently — unsure how to connect, afraid of vulnerability, or stuck in cycles of shame, anger, or avoidance.

The men’s groups and one-on-one work I lead are spaces for men to reclaim grounded strength, authentic intimacy, and relational trust. Power not as bravado, but as presence. Love not as performance, but as truth.

My Training & Experience

My path has been shaped by both formal training and real-world experience:

• Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner (SEP) – Trauma Healing Institute

• Dynamic Attachment Re-Patterning (DARe) – Dr. Diane Poole Heller

• Mindfulness-Based Mind Fitness Training (MMFT) – Trainer & Facilitator

• Engaged Mindfulness Teacher (CMT-P) – Engaged Mindfulness Institute

• Bachelor’s Degree in Contemplative Engagement – UMass Amherst

I also serve as Faculty with the Engaged Mindfulness Institute, Lead Trainer in Crisis Safety & Stabilization with Somatic Experiencing International, and as a Trainer for MMFT’s Ukraine Project.

Beyond certifications, my learning has come through crisis response (Hurricane Ian relief), men’s facilitation (ManKind Project, Brother’s Hearth, Young Men Awake), and ongoing dharma study with Rodney Smith.

These experiences have taught me not just how trauma heals, but how people awaken — how we reclaim our aliveness, our purpose, and our ability to serve something larger than ourselves.

My Commitment

I do this work because I’ve seen what happens when people remember who they are. Their nervous system steadies, their relationships open, their creativity flows, and they start living with strength and love.

That’s what drives me: helping people move from suffering to freedom, from disconnection to presence, from surviving to truly living.