meet jen

I’m glad you are here.

I have spent decades of practice, study, and teaching of ancient and deep somatic psychology and meditation practices. I aim to make even the most esoteric modalities accessible for the modern practitioner. Through my ability to synthesize the depth of concepts, I aim to explain what I have learned quite simply, and make it immediately applicable to your everyday life.

I hope to reveal the true purpose of the body to regain resiliency and restorative healing for all who wish to engage in the experience with me.

My Life-Changing Moment

In 1993 I quite literally merged with the Storm of the Century (also known as the 93 Superstorm, The No Name Storm, or the Great Blizzard of '93/1993).

It was a large cyclonic storm that formed over the Gulf of Mexico on March 12, 1993, and covered the entire Eastern Seaboard with snow. Some areas of Georgia reported up to 35 inches of snow! (For comparison, even in 2014 in Atlanta during the Snowpocalypse/Snowmageddon the city only received 2.6 inches of snow.)

At that time, in 1993, I was an undergraduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a member of the Hoofer’s Sailing Club. During that storm I was adrift somewhere between the Dry Tortugas, the Florida Keys, and Naples, FL on a 27’ sailboat, with a mainsail torn to shreds.

Sometime later, upon crashing into an upscale hotel on the Naples coastline, sans sails, we were besieged by a buzzing swarm of news reporters and a handful of hospitable hotel staffers. The storm took 318 people’s lives and according to Wikipedia caused 2$ billion (1993 USD) in damages.

Somehow, on this small sailboat in the larger than life swells of mother nature, lightning electrocuting my eyes, salt-stung face, and gashed wounds, I survived. Thank you from the bottom of my heart Captain Barry!

But miraculously, in that swirling moment of chaotic energy upon colliding into land, I felt more alive and connected to my Self than I ever had before. Nothing else superfluous in the whole world mattered at that point. Especially not my upcoming spring semester finals.

It was as if Life itself had reached into my ribcage and squeezed my heart into full vitality allowing me to let go of my grip on everything inconsequential — even my very own straight jacket of anxiety. I felt clear and calm. I could hear sounds harmoniously. I could smell the vast bouquet of the ocean air. I could taste the salt and sweat as if it were Life itself. I could see so vividly and memorably. All of my senses and all of my perceptions integrated and became multidimensional, and the space around me and within me was still. I felt luminous bliss, happiness and joy. I know for certain I was not dissociating. I’ve been through shock before, and this wasn’t shock either. I felt very present. Alive. Without fear. Fully embodied. Calm. Feet on the ground, rooted. I felt balanced. Balanced on the inside of me WITH the outside space surrounding me. Disentangled and free from anything that might have been constricting me before. I felt lucky, and alive.

A Tom Hank’s moment after Cast Away. Or my own personal micro moment of Life of Pi.

Even now, I can’t get my thinking mind to pin down this experience, nor can any words describe or capture it well. I have since learned through the Realization Process that this balanced space is referred to as: Fundamental Consciousness. A full body awakening of sorts. And we all have the ability to discover this, thankfully without having to go through a storm to get there.

Shortly after that profound somatic experience, my first question directing my new path forward formed in that crucible moment:

Why did trauma, shock trauma, of a horrendous, scary, near death, and life-altering experience, bring my body-mind-soul fully into a unified awakening?

A Deep Unfolding of Recovery, and An Emerging from A Lot of Stuff

THE PIVOTAL EVENT OF BEING CAUGHT IN THAT STORM UNEXPECTEDLY PLACED ME ON A NEW LIFE TRAJECTORY.

I went to graduate school for psychology at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. It was there that my ego was battled to the ground. I tried to reason and attempt to control, limit and interpret my experience. During that process, I furiously dug through my life, examining the whole gamut of undisclosed “proper” familial secrets. I busted the door wide open exposing:

Overwhelm by expectations of self and others
Disconnection from people and life
Feelings of abandonment and deep, life-altering betrayal again and again from loved ones
Continuous struggle: financial, educational, relational, not knowing what comes next
Losing that feeling of complete embodied awakening and craving the experience with a tight grip….most of the time teetering on the brink of truly foolish actions
Losing sense of Self, finding sense of Self, only to lose sense of Self
Self-talk, self-sabotage, self-fear
Running, running, running to the grass that is greener
Discovering a depth of life that opened pandora’s box of bewilderment, an insatiable curiosity, and a lifetime quest for experiences with meaning

By dint of patience, my great teachers at ASU challenged my left brain junkie self; full of ramshackled, unformed, furious thoughts, and they shaped the hubris of my young mind. How did they do it? Well, they gave it a body, or at least gave it their best shot. When I was considering quitting the entire endeavor, they opened the doors to meditation, embodiment, and depth psychology.

It was here my somatic meditation and body psychotherapy practice began.

A small group of us began a meditation group where we met once a week in an old, tiny back room filled with archived AV equipment. We squeezed ourselves between the metal carts holding retro CRT TVs and Beta Video Recorders and we test piloted a spectrum of meditation practices with each other. We didn’t have manuals, or workbooks, webinars, or workshop retreats, we had our practice, our single serving discoveries, and our shared experiences. Something was working, the haze of our traumas were lifting; and we soon discovered the body, rather than the mind was the fundamental arena for peace, tranquility, and steadiness. So, we began teaching our practicum trauma patients from our own somatic meditation practices.

It is with great pleasure and enthusiasm that I share with you what I have learned through my experience. I hope my perspective will be helpful, and that I can sit with you just as my many great teachers have done for me. With an open heart, a deep commitment to non-judgment, and a steady, unflappable, resilient, mountain of embodiment to hold ALL of YOU, ALL at ONCE.

Personal growth work through the body has been the key for me to live comfortably in the envelope of my skin. This deep, essential work took me from freeze to flight to fight to flourish and freedom. The grass is now greener, right under my own two feet, where they are standing firmly.

And if I can get here, so can you.

Why Choose Me?

For the past 20+ years, I have supported 1000s of individuals overcome their biggest health/mental health challenges so they can return to their lives strong, steady, resilient and with vitality and life force.

Inside my profession:

I am a private practitioner, owner of Be Here Now Mindfulness, LLC, an educator on career influenced topics, a public speaker, a workshop/curriculum creator, a coach for somatic meditation, breathing and nervous system regulation, Senior Realization Process instructor, an avid researcher, an enthusiastic reader, and an occasional author and thinker of big ideas.

Outside of my profession:

I am a mom, a wife, a friend, a creator, outdoor wanderer, an almost artist but not really, a quasi photographer, a pug lover, an experimenter, a kitchen dancer, a hula-hooping wannabe, a mistake maker, a make shift golfer, an ocean/pool floater, a music lover and an avid music concert and festival goer.

Let's Work Together →

My Approach:

I weave together a broad perspective of cutting-edge neuroscience, somatic + nondual meditation, compassion practices, practical common sense gained from life experience, Bowen’s systems theory, neurobiology, and a deep understanding and foundational root approach of somatic modalities such as Somatic Experiencing™ and Realization Process®. Body-mind Integration is the beginning, the middle, and the end of wholeness. More words on My Somatic Methods Here

The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places.
—Ernest Hemingway, A Farewell to Arms

My emphasis is on health and growth rather than pathology. I have discovered that even the absence of pathology does not create the type of relationships and life people think they want. Learning to dance with life intimately is an adult developmental task. Therefore, I shift from the deficit focus pervading many treatment approaches to asset models of Realization Process® and Somatic Experiencing™. These models also reflect my faith in human capacity, and the ability to reach our fullest potential no matter what our past or current life has delivered.

My Experience:

As the catchy commercial tagline suggests, “I have learned a thing or two, because I have seen a thing or two.”

After years of working in: Hospital Systems, Emergency Rooms, Inpatient Psychiatric Centers, Jails, Perinatal Home Health, Homeless Shelters, Addiction Intensive Outpatient Residential Programs, Court Ordered Care, Community Mental Health Centers and Several Brand Name Universities, I have been verbally challenged, spat on, punched, kicked, screamed at, wrangled, physically challenged, confused, enlightened, impressed, hopeful of people, let down, illuminated, baffled, burned out, sabotaged, systemically crushed, collapsed and now fully revived and absolutely, unquestionably convinced, that people can change to better themselves and their lives. Even against all odds.

After one day helping a client trap the devil in a mason jar and hiding it in my boss’ office closet, I thought I had seen it all. But surprisingly, every day, people continue to keep me on my toes. So I’ve learned to dance with life, and hope to teach from that place of resiliency. I’m willing to lean into whatever arises. And even though sometimes it is ugly, dark and intimidating, I remain hopeful that there is a way out. This is what draws me to the work of trauma. Most every single trauma survivor I have worked with doesn’t care if the path out is easy, they just want it to work!

In 2012, I founded my private practice, Be Here Now Mindfulness, LLC. I have nestled here in a small boutique private practice and teach courses and retreats mainly utilizing the effective work of Realization Process®.

Be Here Now Mindfulness, LLC is a landing place where clients can come to experience all of the areas of expertise that I have extensively trained in and what I value to be the essential ingredients to restoring sustainable health, and creating meaningful change.

Specialties:

Trauma is the lens that gives us the Hubble Telescope view of ourselves. Trauma can be both seen and unseen. It can leave visible scars and physical injuries, AND invisible scars and psychological injuries. I treat both.

I am open to working with all sorts of trauma, and stress disorders, here are a few of my areas of expertise:

Although most of us have had trauma, it is not a requirement to work with me. Some clients come simply to explore somatic meditation practices, Realization Process®, and to discover how to live richer and fuller lives through embodiment.

My Hard-Earned Credentials:

Completed 2001: M.A., LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor) State of GA License #LPC004375

2024: Selected by Dr. Judith Blackstone to be a Realization Process Senior Teacher

Completed 2024: Realization Process Trauma Repair Therapist

Completed 2023: Fully Certified Realization Process® Teacher A 2-3 year Post-Graduate Instruction

Completed 2023: Certified Realization Process® Meditation Teacher

Completed 2021: Certified Healing Ground + Embodiment Instructor of the Realization Process®

Completed 2021: SEP (Somatic Experiencing Practitioner) A 3 -year Post-Graduate Instruction

Completed 2021: Certified Conscious Breathing™ Instructor with Anders Olsson

Completed 2017: CBCT® Certified Instructor (Cognitively Based Compassion Training®) - Emory University - Center for Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics. A 2-year Post-Graduate Instruction

CCMHC Since 2013: Certified Clinical Mental Health Counselor

NCC Since 2001: National Certified Counselor

NBCC Since 2001: National Board Certified Counselor

Completed 2001: M.A., LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor) Appalachian State University, Boone, NC. Graduated Summa Cum Laude

State of GA License #LPC004375

2023 Best of roswell award—psychotherapist

Recognition of exemplary achievements and positive contributions in the business community and general public.

Additional Certifications & Meaningful Teacher Trainings:

2023: Fully Certified Realization Process® Teacher with Dr. Judith Blackstone

2023: Certified Realization Process® Meditation Teacher with Dr. Judith Blackstone

2021:Certified Realization Process® Healing Ground + Embodiment Teacher with Dr. Judith Blackstone

2021: Smart Body Smart Mind 12 week Nervous System Regulation with Irene Lyons

2020: 12 Week Book Study with Deb Dana an in-depth look at Polyvagal Theory in Therapy Practice

2014: Certified Meditation Instructor—Open Heart Project with Susan Piver (Was in the First Piloted Cohort)

2014: .b Mindfulness in Schools Certified Instructor - Mindfulness in Schools Project

2015: The Still Quiet Place Meditation Training

2015: Sitting Still Like a Frog Meditation Training

Professional Extracurriculars:

2019-2021: Ethics Chair LPCA of GA Board of Directors

Member—Society for Psychophysiological Research

Member- American Counseling Association

Member- American Psychological Association

Member- Licensed Professional Counselors Association--Georgia

Full Resume: Click Here

A few thoughts on Jen

“It is RARE I go to a training and feel CHANGED. I FEEL CHANGED. I feel like a new skill has just been given that was inside of me all along. The way (Jennifer) articulated compassion is remarkable. you made the material so understandable and easy to relate. Your teaching style was SUPERB. The way you set up the class and gave everyone the freedom to be who they are. I think, made participants MORE compliant. Very unique in a trainer. Thanks again...this was a life changing course. I will be spreading the word to everyone I know!”