About Me
A Skilled Professional Here to Guide You
My name is Linn Aosjia-Heart, and I welcome you to join me in mindfully exploring your life and perspectives, patterns and issues to discover insightful tools for addressing life's challenges. I find it a blessing and honor to be invited to witness and assist you in discovering and strengthening navigation tools for negotiating life's challenges.
I am currently an Associate, complete with clinical hours and requirements, in the queue for licensure. Clinical supervision is provided by Mr. James Cunningham, LMFT.
I've been working across the life spectrum as an Early Childhood Educator and Mental Health Rehabilitation Specialist since 1986.
Beginning in 2002, combining my love of people and place-based inquiry, I worked in developing communities in Latin America for over a decade, teaching farmers and students ways to live with more resilience in relation to land, food, health, and with each other. Together we discovered ways to consciously design whole hearted, balanced living, even in the most subsistence of conditions. I've been a traveler, seeker, and lover of learning all my life, and I find deep satisfaction in inspiring others to become curious about their inner and outer nature, and finding their own "True North."
My evidence-based therapeutic offerings were borne out of my own journey to discovering a sense of wholeness and lasting happiness, along with developing practical skills to navigate whatever life may bring. I have been deeply moved and changed by spending time with master teachers in Native American cultures in Canada and the USA for the majority of my life, and about 20 years with Shamanic teachers from Peru, Columbia, Costa Rica and the Brazilian Amazon.
Marrying Shamanic experiences with a decades-long practice of Vipassana has deeply enriched my life and perspectives. As such, I bring mindfulness, somatic and "parts"-centered therapies such as Internal Family Systems, Gestalt, Peter Levine's sensory work, Authentic Movement and psychodynamic exploration to sessions with clients of any age to discover together how the inner world reflects our outer conditions.
Learning to "track" reactions in the body, and the thoughts and actions that habitually accompany them gives us more freedom of choice, and can stop repetitive patterns. Culturally, we are taught to identify feelings as "things" like "happy, sad, excited..." as if feelings were the domain of the mind. In our work together, we discover that something is actually happening in the body before we have a thought to label our experience - we have sensations in the body, then a reaction - thoughts which compel us to act. When we bring our attention mindfully to our body's experience and reactions, we can create a space where, by strengthening inner awareness, new choices can be birthed. In this way, new neurological pathways are organically created and quite naturally, our actions/habits change.
I bring warmth, clarity, presence, a cozy, sunny space, tea, and humor to our therapeutic collaboration. Amendment: Since COVID, I have been doing teletherapy, which for some has been a wonderful time to really sink in to our sessions from the comfort of home. Most enjoy not having to commute following deep work, and have time to integrate or continue to practice building awareness after our session ends. It is important for a productive session to be possible that you have a setting that is conducive to privacy and uninterrupted quiet. And, you'll have to provide your own tea, for now!
I am committed to accompanying you and your family on your journey to improved wellbeing with presence and skill. Since 1986, I have provided a number of specialized mental health services to families, couples, adults, teens and children faced with challenging and traumatic life experiences. My beginnings were first as an Early Child Educator, and then as a Mental Health Rehabilitation Specialist, and for the past eight years as a Marriage and Family Therapist specializing in kids, teens and families. I have also enjoyed many years helping to support families and children navigating foster care and adoption.
You and your family's wellbeing are my number one priority. Together we will explore the best approaches to help you through your circumstances and discover the path to clearer, self-directed choice, positive change, and restoring hope for a fulfilling, happy life experience.
I will look forward to learning how we might work together, mindfully.
Please call (530) 278-5080 for any additional information and a free 15 minute consultation.