Background & Training

Liza has been providing care for over 25 years. She holds a doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the California Institute for Integral Studies and an undergraduate degree in Interdisciplinary Art from the former Inter-Arts Center at San Francisco State University. Wild at heart, Liza grew up in Berkeley CA, moved to NYC at 18, danced her way back to San Francisco where she had her own art gallery and served on the curatorial board at the San Francisco Art Institute but eventually found her gifts were in the alchemy and artistry of the heart.

Liza worked for many years in community mental health where she saw hundreds of clients (Haight Ashbury Psychological Services, the Marina Counseling Center, Access Institute for Psychological Services and the Lomi Clinic) and developed a unique capacity for sustaining intimate therapeutic-healing relationships in settings where people were used to being moved through quickly. She was a houseparent in a children’s shelter, trained in end of life counseling from Lifelong Medical Care Clinic in Berkeley, CA, has certificates in the shamanic and Buddhist practice of Depth Hypnosis from the Sacred Stream Institute, and formal research in pre and perinatal psychology, childhood spirituality, Steiner pedagogy and mystical streams of consciousness.

Mentored by CBT experts, leading thinkers in contemporary psychoanalysis, Yogic and Buddhist philosophers, and Somatic healers she learned that more than any tool or system of thought, therapeutic healing happens when the chemistry of a relationship is aligned and that trust emerges when Truth, difficult or not, is the agreement; Witnessing the expansive aspects of a person and their most hidden shadows is requires therapeutic courage in both the practitioner and the client. Furthermore, therapeutic alignment in relationship grows to the extent that the practitioner knows themselves intimately, honestly and is committed to their own ongoing expansion.

For the past 30 years, Liza has deepened in Buddhist practices, esoteric arts, mediation, energy medicine, and Toltec teachings. She has been a student at the Foundation for Spiritual Development in San Rafael, CA for many years and is currently completing a cross-cultural spiritual education with Celebrating Life Ministries.

In 2020, Liza took a leap and put her therapy license aside to integrate this breath of wisdom-experience into a unique, channeled stream of care. Since then has been providing Inner Work and Spiritual Guidance to creatives, mystics, medical providers, therapists and those whose relationship to Spirit is their primary commitment. Now, in a pool cottage at Sophia’s Garden and Healing Arts Sanctuary, she welcomes clients onto the healing lands to expand into their most authentic being.

Liza’s greatest relational teachers have been her almost adult, triple scorpio twins, who have taught her that no amount of education prepares you for spiritual fire and humility of parenthood. Liza is an adventurer, traveller, earth tender, water keeper, and delights in the playfulness of her friendships and family. Sagittarius Sun, Capricorn Rising, Pisces moon- she is built to dive into the deep-deep, shepherd others up the cosmic mountain, all while dancing through the intuitive ethers, sourcing collective wisdom, laughter and joy.