FOUNDER
Hometown: Potomac, Maryland – Washington D.C. area
Click here for more information on Flight, Flight, Freeze.
Gloria works with the emotional and physical effects of chronic stress and trauma.
With trauma, your internal rhythms are disrupted, and manifest as chronic symptoms in the body.
The roots of chronic stress and trauma often form before the age of eight. It is during early-life that the body non-verbally stores stressful memories in states of fight, flight, freeze. Communicating directly with the body and the nervous system, while moving through the story, can access the roots of stress and trauma in a way talk therapy alone cannot.
Sessions: individual and couples therapy focus on healing the effects of these early-life disruptions to restore your health, your relationship with self, with loved ones, and your sense of purpose in life.
Click here for SomatoVisceral Therapy information.
Both individual and couples therapy sessions are based in therapeutic somatic dialogue, movement, and touch (Craniosacral, Visceral Manipulation) combined.
Each modality is brought to the session as we decide together which methods work best for you, and your body. We “let the symptom speak” to hear the voice of the nervous system, to tell the story of the body and restore “self-regulation” and balance to the autonomic nervous system.
Click here for more on 5 Cycle Expansion and the Mission.
Life’s challenges often lead us to a change in our trajectory that’s been long needed. Gloria works with “Change Leaders” – executives, parents, therapists, healers, those leading the charge for others – to move through the “5 Cycle Expansion” (5CE).
When any one cycle is missing, we suffer disconnection. The 5 Cycles establish what’s been missing in the change that’s needed – physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Working with wholeness, 5 Cycle Expansion is a process of steady change and growth over time. Regular sessions support the alignment of your purpose to restore health, support your family, or expand business in creative ways.
5CE training can be a part of any individual or couples therapy session.
Qualifications
Eight Elements, founder, 1985
Western Training: B.S. Kinesiology, Magna Cum Laude, Univ. of Maryland, nutrition emphasis, 1983; Certified Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner for healing trauma, 2007 and Teaching Assistant; CranioSacral I-2, SER I and CST Teaching Assistant, Upledger Institute, 2007; Visceral Manipulation I through 6, Neural Manipulation 1 through 4, CSCN CranioSacral Cranial Nerves, Touching the Brain/Glial cells, and Teaching Assistant, Barral Institute, 2008; Organic Intelligence® Mentor for healing trauma, 2017.
East/West: Licensed Massage Therapist, 1986; Barre Training, 1989; Certified Nia® White Belt, Rancho La Puerta, 1989, Blue Belt, 1999 & Brown Belt 2004; Shamanic Studies, Judy Abel, 1991; Yoga instructor, 1996; Certified hypnotherapist, Sch. of Healing Arts, S.D., 1997; Certified Reiki Master, Usui Lineage, 1997; Co-founder of the Sharp Memorial Reiki for Cancer patients, 1999.
Gloria founded Eight Elements West® Integrative Wellness, which was established in La Jolla from 1985 to 2020. For over 35 years, Eight Elements stretched along the beautiful ocean coastline as a wellness sanctuary offering 8 core programs to thousands of people. Eight Elements was dedicated to elevating the human experience through Somatic Movement, Seasonal Nutrition, and Eastern Medicine. A team of elite somatic professionals established programs of self-care in this 4,000 sf facility. Eight mindful-based practices bridged modern science with timeless ancient healing arts: Nia, Yoga, Pilates, Strength Training, Massage, Nutrition, Acupuncture/Chinese Herbs, and Trauma Healing. The aim: to enhance life fulfillment – from healing pain, to developing greater resilience and longevity.
Gloria is now the creator of I AM The Medicine®, Click for more info.
Charitable Endeavors
In 1997 Gloria initiated and co-founded the Sharp Memorial Hospital Reiki Program for Cancer Patients. Designed to support terminally ill cancer patients and their families move through a difficult time, three women – Gloria, Ann Van Buskirk Reiki Master, and Laurel Barile lead social worker of Sharp’s 8-North wing – began a simple program to help heal the pain. Five years later, Laurel founded the San Diego Reiki Corp, a non-profit organization which, with over 100 members, supplied practitioners to the Sharp Memorial Hospital Reiki Program. The program was successful for well over fifteen years until Sharp’s inauguration of its own full integrative wellness center.
From 2014 to 2019, Eight Elements West housed Warriors Live On (WLO), a veteran nonprofit organization. With a goal to treat veteran PTSD, the program offered a four-tiered holistic approach at Eight Elements: 1) Community Acupuncture, 2) Organic Intelligence therapy, 3) Trek retreats, and 4) Yoga.
Eva Belanger, a 10-year decorated Air Force Captain and founder of WLO, joined with Eight Elements to lead veterans in this comprehensive, multi-tiered approach to facilitate combat veteran transition from “combat to community”. The WLO mission was to uphold the “unalienable rights of men, women, and children, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”. WLO was dedicated to helping veterans heal from their own trauma while developing self-efficacy, life skills and leadership training with the further goal of mentoring other veterans for the same, working together to re-integrate life in the civilian community.
Teachers with whom I have studied:
Craniosacral: Carol McClellan, Anthony McGrath, Mike Morgan, Tad Wanveer, Carol Axelrod
Somatic Experiencing: Steve Hoskinson, Peter Levine, Raja Selvam, Dea Parsinisi, Berns Galloway
Visceral Manipulation: Ken Frey, Gail Wetzler, Dee Ahern, Barb LeVan
Organic Intelligence: Steve Hoskinson
Nia: Carlos Ayarosas, Ken Gilbert, Debbie Rosas
Barre: Debra Sanya
Shamanic Studies: Judy Abel
Yoga instructors with whom I have studied:
Eddy Marks, Iyengar Yoga, 1994
Michele and Mehrad Nazari, Raja Yoga, 1996
Mary Obendorfer, Iyengar Yoga, 2001
Erich Shiffmann, Moving Into Stillness, 1999
Yoga Workshops:
Compaction and Directionality in a Pose
Dwi Pada Viparita Dandasana
Purna – the Fullness of Yoga
Steadfastness and the Elements
Moving Inward