About Margaret

Testimonial

“When our 10 year old son was diagnosed with ADHD and anxiety, we searched for various ways to help him be able to relax. At the time, he was not sleeping well and was on the go from the break of dawn until he finally fell asleep at night. He was mentally and physically exhausted on a daily basis. A counselor suggested we look into Craniosacral Therapy, and that’s when we found Margaret. She has made a huge impact on his ability to calm down; and we believe through his treatments, he finally knows what it feels like to be relaxed. His sleep has improved, and he is less irritable, which has benefited the whole family. Margaret’s calm demeanor and genuine care for our son is invaluable; and he looks forward to all his appointments with her.”

M.I.

During my nearly 40 year-career as a physical therapist, I have often observed the effects of stress and other emotional factors on physical and mental health. This led me to a personal study of psychology and to an exploration of my personal inner emotional “landscape” over the years. Much of my personal and professional studies have been centered around mindfulness, trauma, and attachment, and how these all affect the nervous system and the core of our selves.

I began training in craniosacral therapy (CST) in the mid-1990’s, and found it to be incredibly gentle and effective, sometimes almost miraculous, in helping relieve pain. My specialty in CST has shown me how the body stores memories and emotions, as well as physical tension, and holds multi-faceted stories of injuries or intense events. I was introduced to Somatic Experiencing (SE), and the concept of how trauma can be stored in the nervous system. SE, a body-centered approach, is a perfect partner with CST to help resolve old patterns or traumas held within the body.

My two-year training in Birth, Pre/Perinatal and Attachment therapy utilized CST and SE to address early trauma, which stems from prenatal influences and events that happened during birth or in the first few years of life. These early experiences are formative and can have long-lasting effects, including pain/tension, anxiety and relationship struggles, which often elude more traditional talk therapy approaches because these are pre-verbal somatic memories.

When I worked with an amazing team of professionals, including psychologists, in a chronic pain center in Boulder, over 80% of our patients had a history of early trauma. In addition, my work in pediatric physical therapy with young children and families showed me how psycho-social influences profoundly affect kids’ health, behaviors and relationships. I attended graduate school in counseling, so that I could address more than just physical limitations, and work with the whole Gestalt of human experience.

I practice from a holistic approach, meaning that I am holding the whole person in my awareness, including physical symptoms, postures, emotions, beliefs and relationship patterns. I am confident in the body-mind’s inherent ability to heal, and to find its way back to a natural state of balance, ease and resilience. The health of our nervous systems is ever-present, and only needs the proper support to be able to access our internal wisdom and promote self-regulation of our nervous systems.

I graduated with a master’s degree in Marriage & Family Therapy from Regis University.

I am currently working toward certifications in Somatic Experiencing and Dynamic Attachment Repatterning Experiencing (DARe). DARe is an offshoot of SE, with a focus on attachment and relationships. My love of learning is fueled by my desire to facilitate healing at the deepest levels, both for myself and for my clients. So this page will be an ever-evolving landscape of my learning and growth, just like our lives are!

Training and Education:

    • B.S. in Physical Therapy- Louisiana State University 
    • M.A.in Marriage and Family Therapy – Regis University  ·
    • Registered (Biodynamic) Craniosacral Therapist (RCST) (https://www.craniosacraltherapy.org/)
    • Birth/Prenatal/Perinatal/Attachment Therapy Certification 
    • Somatic Experiencing (https://traumahealing.org/)
    • Dynamic Attachment Re-patterning Experience (DARe https://dianepooleheller.com/)