AN EXPERIENCED THERAPIST WHO CARES...

I am so grateful you found me. I would love the opportunity to work with you! 

I have a passion for helping those who suffer from chronic pain, physical dysfunction, stress, anxiety, depression, PTSD, emotional dysregulation and trauma - conditions that may be difficult to treat with traditional medicine or talk therapies that do not address the mind-body connection. 

Through a combination of proprioception (body awareness), dialogue, movement and gentle touch, I will help you explore the root cause(s) of tension, pain, emotional distress and patterns that do not support your well-being. In a safe, comfortable and supported environment, you will learn to connect with your body and its inner wisdom. Together we will alleviate pain, regulate your nervous system, release stored trauma and allow your body and mind to truly heal.

HOW CAN I HELP?

Through my extensive training and the development of my natural intuitive abilities, I am able to pick up on subtle energies in and around the body. I am also able to connect with the part of you that "knows the answers" - your inner wisdom.  I am able to see, feel and sense physical dysfunction, adverse energy patterns and congested areas where negative emotional energy may be present. This allows us to focus on the parts that matter most, the parts where your body is holding on to your "stuff". 

I am a Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT), Craniosacral Therapist (CST), Reiki Master/Teacher (RMT) and Safe and Sound Protocol Certified Provider.

I have advanced training in Craniosacral Therapy (CST) and SomatoEmotional Release (SER) through the Upledger Institute.

My CST training includes:

• CranioSacral Therapy 1: Assessment of Central Nervous System and Fascia for Full Body Treatment Protocol (CS1)
• CranioSacral Therapy 2: Moving Beyond the Dura for Assessing Acute and Chronic Conditions (CS2)
• SomatoEmotional Release 1: Full Range of CranioSacral Therapy Tools for Gentle Trauma Resolution (SER1)
• SomatoEmotional Release 2: Intention, Inner Physician and Dialogue - Deepening Principles and Practice of Upledger CranioSacral Therapy (SER2)
• Advanced CranioSacral Therapy 1 (ADV1)

I continue my training in Craniosacral Therapy through the Upledger Institute, specializing in SomatoEmotional Release. I plan to take my second Advanced Craniosacral class (ADV2) next year and I am pursuing my techniques certification through the Upledger Institute.

I also have training in Healing Touch, Positional Release, Kinesiology, Reflexology, Medical Intuition and Mediumship. 

I am a member of the IAHP (International Association of Healthcare Practitioners) and ABMP (American Bodywork and Massage Professionals). In addition, I am a Health at Every Size (HAES) professional. As a HAES professional I pledge to celebrate body diversity, honor differences in size, age, race, ethnicity, gender, dis/ability, sexual orientation, religion, class, and other human attributes. I challenge scientific and cultural assumptions about weight and encourage clients to focus on what feels right for them. I value and trust my client's body knowledge and lived experiences. 

I believe all bodies are amazing and have the capacity to heal when given the resources to do so.

I HAVE BEEN THERE TOO...

I grew up a very sensitive child in a very volatile household. I had one parent who was erratic and had an explosive temper and another parent who was distant and a codependent people pleaser. I felt from a very young age that I was not safe and it was not okay to express my emotions. I was always anxious and afraid. I developed an eating disorder by the age of 8 (which was not diagnosed or treated until I was 49 years old). I was bullied throughout my childhood, both at home and at school. I always felt like I was not good enough, like there was something fundamentally wrong with me, like I did not belong. I felt scared, alone, unloved and unwanted.

As I got older, I developed more unhealthy coping mechanisms. I continued to struggle in my life, always feeling anxious and afraid. I struggled with my relationships. I ended up recreating the same stressful home environment I knew growing up. When it's all you know, dysfunction seems normal.

By the time I was 35 years old I was stressed out and still suffering with anxiety, depression and my eating disorder. I was working full time at an office job I hated, fighting rush hour traffic with a long commute, shuttling my kids back and forth to daycare, school and latchkey. My relationship with my husband was stressful, emotionally abusive and unfulfilling. I was struggling to take care of our house, our family and keep up with the day-to-day obligations. I was trying desperately keep it all together... I was completely exhausted. I didn't know where to turn for help. I was at my breaking point. I knew that I had to change my life.

One day I was at a metaphysical shop and a book with a brightly colored cover caught my eye. The book was by a woman named Louise Hay called "You Can Heal Your Life". I skimmed through the pages of chapter one and found it fascinating! The book talked about the mind-body connection and how negative thoughts can create dysfunction in the body. Louise also talked about how self-approval, self-acceptance and self-love are the keys to healing. I bought the book and read it immediately. 

Reading that book was the first step in my journey toward releasing the trauma of my past, cultivating self-love and the life I wanted. Over the next several years I got therapy and took all sorts of classes - yoga, reiki, reflexology, massage therapy and many others. I left my office job to pursue a more fulfilling career. My relationships changed. I learned to hold boundaries and how to express my needs and feelings. I finally felt loved, validated and accepted. But I still struggled with anxiety and an underlying feeling of "something is wrong" in my body that I couldn't identify.

In 2018 I took my first Craniosacral therapy class. I was so amazed by this gentle yet profound healing modality. Through Craniosacral therapy and SomatoEmotional Release, I learned how to tune in to my body and really pay attention to the way my thoughts made me feel. I also stopped trying to ignore my emotions or push them away with dissociation and distraction. Though the process was not easy, it was life changing. I have learned so much about myself, my body and my mind through somatic therapy. I have let go of most of the conditioning from my past and can finally say I love myself and truly mean it. I believe that everything I have gone through in my life has made me the therapist I am today - able to really help others who are struggling because I have been there too.

I hope to see you soon!

Maria Asbel, LMT, CST, RMT

*DISCLAIMER: I am not a licensed mental health therapist. I am a licensed massage therapist, bodyworker, energy worker and coach. I do not work beyond my scope of practice. I do not diagnose any illness or prescribe any treatment.