Frequently asked questions

What if my overwhelm is caused by real problems that won’t go away?
Then those problems need focused attention - and this work supports that. You can’t think clearly about what needs to change when you’re flooded. The emotional release work creates the internal space to see your situation more clearly and act more effectively. We work on both: the inner emotional load, and the outer circumstances that are contributing to it. One feeds the other. Address both and you gain ground.
Does plant medicine have a role in overwhelm work?
Plant medicine is always optional - and when it is included, most of my clients and students find that it can be a potent tool. Used with clear intention and skilled support, it can accelerate access to what’s been buried. Cannabis and psilocybin are the medicines I work with. We cover everything you need to know before we begin. Cannabis in particular can quiet the hyperactive mind that overwhelm produces - the spinning thoughts, the catastrophizing, the inability to be present. In the right setting and with the right support, it creates enough stillness to feel what’s actually there. Psilocybin, in therapeutic research, has consistently opened people to a felt sense of connection and compassion - including toward themselves and those they love. For people carrying the weight of chronic overwhelm, that experience can be profoundly reorienting.
How is this different from talk therapy?
Emotional Liberation works at a different level than traditional therapy - and for many people, it goes where other modalities haven’t been able to. Talk therapy tends to work at the level of understanding, and understanding why you’re overwhelmed, while useful, rarely resolves the overwhelm itself. This work engages the emotions directly, helping unwind the patterns that keep the system flooded even when the immediate pressure has passed. The result is change you can measure in how you handle stress and how quickly you recover. I’m a credentialed Emotional Liberation practitioner, plant medicine facilitator, and Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist - not a licensed psychotherapist. What I offer is a distinct method, and it works at a different level.
I’ve been overwhelmed for so long it feels normal. Is that a problem?
Yes - and it’s a common one. When overwhelm persists long enough, the body recalibrates to it. It stops feeling like a signal and starts feeling like just how things are. But the cost is accumulating: in your health, your relationships, your capacity for joy, your ability to think clearly under pressure. The fact that it feels normal doesn’t mean it is normal. It means the baseline has shifted but our work together can shift it back. If you’re wondering whether working with me is a good fit, the best next step is a complimentary Discovery Session. You’ll complete a client intake form first, then we’ll meet on Zoom to explore what’s possible.
Is this the same as burnout?
Overwhelm and burnout are related but distinct. Overwhelm is a state; burnout is what chronic overwhelm eventually becomes. Read about burnout →

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