Meet Bonnie
Welcome! I am glad you have found me, and I hope we can work together to create the change you want to see in your life. Together we can explore and nurture your authentic self by offering safety, insight, acceptance, self-love, empowerment, and channels for expression.
Work-Life Balance Support: By supporting a career break, or holistic health in your current roles, we can nurture your authentic self through offering safety, acceptance, attunement, nurturing, empowerment, and clarity.
I am originally from Berkeley, CA, and have cultivated a commitment to social justice and diversity, inspired by my upbringing there (I also served as a TA for multicultural and diversity courses throughout graduate school).
In sessions, I create an atmosphere of non-judgment, warmth, and safety, and believe that compassionate attention is necessary for growth. I facilitate your insight and clarity to access your body's knowing and inner wisdom- you are the expert of your own experience! Together we attune to your system to find how best to gently encourage freedom from conscious or subconscious limiting beliefs and patterns.
My Career Break
After experiencing some burnout myself from 10+ years in the mental health field (exacerbated by the intensity of providing psychotherapy during the COVID-19 pandemic), I planned a 6 week Career Break. I included time at home along with solo travel, with the aim of re-inspiring myself, creating space for new growth and ideas, and feeling nourished by fun and focusing on myself. I opened the possibility of finding a new career path, or pivoting in my current field.
After traveling to Thailand (somewhere I had always wanted to go!) and filling my cup with a plethora of new experiences and sights, peeking into many other ways of life, and resurrecting my courage and competence to navigate the world, I came home feeling grateful for my career and my life in Oregon. I am also fully committed to regular practices of self-care, inspiration, and breaks and vacations, to keep what I do sustainable!
I feel passionate about tailoring one aspect of my psychotherapy practice to support those struggling with burnout who are ready to interrupt the cycle by taking a break and/or creating more work/life balance. The right balance of work, play, rest, growth etc. is different for all of us, and I would love to support you to find the unique mix that helps you thrive!
I feel deeply that holistic care for ourselves is the way to healthier, happier, more productive, and more sustainable
lives
relationships
families
communities
workplaces
and to healing our planet so it can thrive!
My pronouns are "she/her" and I identify as a white, heterosexual female. I am welcoming of however you identify and honor the intersectionality of identities and that identity can also be fluid. I am sensitive to the power and privilege that comes with different identities, like my being white, and to the oppression and systematic racism, homophobia, xenophobia, transphobia, sexism, classism, prejudice that exist in our country. I endeavor to make a safe space for these issues to be explored and for clients to be supported in the effects these issues have on them. I am always learning how to be a better ally.
I am inspired by the sacred, spiritual, and existential aspects of life, have taught meditation and yoga, studied Gestalt Process during my year and a half working at at Esalen Institute (Big Sur, CA), and majored in Comparative Religion as an undergraduate (Vassar College, N.Y.) focusing on Feminist Spirituality.
I live in Milwaukie, Oregon with my partner and 2 kitties, Karma and Cleo!
Education
I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Oregon.
I hold a Provisional Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner Certification (PSEP), which will become a complete SEP Certification when I complete a Two Day In Person Training in April 2025
I have an M.A. in Somatic Counseling Psychology, Emphasis in Body Psychotherapy from Naropa University in Boulder, CO
I am a Certified Holistic Feng Shui Consultant
I have a B.A. in Comparative Religion from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, NY
I am a trained yoga teacher through Yandara Yoga Institute in Baja, Mexico
Experience
I have worked as a therapist in private practice for 10+ years, and before that at several community mental health & addiction recovery organizations, seeing a range of diverse clients, both children and adults, as well as families and couples. I have taught Creative Arts & Body-Mindfulness groups (incorporating art therapy, somatic regulation, and meditation) for over a year.
Licenses & Professional Experience
Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) with the Oregon Board of Licensed Professional Counselors & Therapists: Since 2016, License # C4362
Provisional Somatic Experiencing ® Practitioner Certification: Since 2022
Somatic Experiencing® (I have completed my third year of a 3 year training program for certification, have been granted my Provisional Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner Certification (PSEP) and am in the final stages of full certification (expected April 2025))
Hakomi [training in couples work and character strategies/attachment wounding maps]
Self-Regulation & Intimacy (Integrative Body Psychotherapy)
Core Energetics
Gestalt Awareness Practice
Sensorimotor Processing
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
Pre & Perinatal Psychology
Applied Suicide Intervention Skills
Related Personal Experience
Holistic Feng Shui Certification with Laura Benko
Yoga and meditation/mindfulness teacher (Rhinebeck, NY; Big Sur, CA; Vancouver, WA)
Graduate Teaching Assistant, Multiculturalism & Diversity Undergraduate Courses at Naropa University (Boulder, Co)
Workshop Presenter of "Cultivating Your Joy While Changing the World" at Omega Institute (Rhinebeck, NY)
Personal Development
I have lived and worked at several retreat centers including Omega Institute (NY), Esalen Institute (CA), Hollyhock Retreat Center (Canada), Earthdance (MA), Sivananda Ashram (CA & India), Land of Medicine Buddha (CA), & Breitenbush Hotsprings (OR)
10-Day Vipassana Silent Meditation Retreat & several meditation and karma yoga work retreats throughout the U.S. and India
Yoga Teacher Training (Baja, Mexico)
Author & Spoken Word Poet: Self-published 4 poetry chapbooks and book on travels in India; performed poetry for workshop and concert audiences of 100+ people and featured as a poet in cafes across the US; author of a poetry blog
Choreographer & Dancer: Naropa University Somatic Arts Concert & Vassar Repertory Dance Theater
The Medicine Buddha inspires my work as a symbol and support for healing and insight into both our suffering and our healing. While I am not a Buddhist, I draw on Buddhist practices, including mindfulness and compassion practices, to inform my work. I welcome all spiritual and religious traditions in my clients, including atheist and agnostic, and work with you within your own worldview.
Bonnie Singman, MA, LPC, PSEP