Welcome to my practice ~ I’m glad you’re here. I’d like to share a bit about my journey and what inspires the work I do.
Since I was young, I had the inkling to look out for others. As a ten year old, I’ll never forget the moment my mother pointed out to me: “Gunnar, I love how you always make sure Johnnie touches the ball.” Johnnie was the least skilled player on my basketball team and everyone knew it.
It was perhaps the first moment I grasped the feeling and meaning of compassion. I felt warm and proud to care more for Johnnie’s experience than to win the game or score myself.
Fast-fowarding through the blur of puberty, this instinct to care for others drew me to UW-Madison where I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Community and Nonprofit Leadership. This served as a springboard into my time at the Upaya Zen Center in New Mexico where I completed a Master’s Level Buddhist Chaplaincy program.
Thereafter as an interfaith chaplain in a level 1 trauma center in Iowa, I supported individuals in their most vulnerable moments. I shared empathy and presence with those in the depths of grief, fear, and upending change.
Trying to come to terms with my own suffering, I then spent two years at Buddhist and Christian monasteries in America and Southeast Asia. Although I had initially aimed for ordination, an unsuccessful foot surgery in Vietnam brought me back to America to heal and rest. This paved the way for a new chapter back home.
I’ve since discovered a fascination with naturopathy, embracing a return to a more natural way of living. This includes sunbathing, sun-gazing, thriving on raw, plant-based foods, fasting, camping, and grounding barefoot in nature.
I also served as a suicide crisis counselor in Illinois this past year. I’ll never forget a crisis call in my last months that inspired the touch work I do now. A husband called in because his wife was having a “mental breakdown”. She agreed to connect with a crisis counselor (me) to see if that could help before going to the ER.
After briefly capturing the situation, I invited the husband to hold his wife in a comforting way. They laid side by side on the couch as I was put on speaker phone nearby. Amidst the quietude, I softly assured and encouraged them. I felt the co-regulation slowly deepening as the wife’s sniffles and distress resolved.
After ten minutes, the wife calmly and confidently speaks up: “I’m going to be okay.”
As a crisis counselor, I deepened my understanding of human resilience and the need for co-regulation. Struck by the pervasive trauma of those suffering from suicidality, I saw touch work as a trailblazer in the world of trauma and therapy. It’s breaking taboos and getting to the heart of the matter.
This last year, I had the privilege of learning Transforming Touch® directly from its creator, Stephen Terrell. It’s transformed my world and the lives of so many struggling with complex trauma.
I invite you to join me in experiencing the power of safe, gentle touch. Together, we can explore how co-regulation can open up your world, soothe your nervous system, and bring well-being to the very core of who you are.
~Gunnar
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