Why smoke cleansing?

The likely origin story is from when I was about 12 years old. I was raised with a cousin the same age as me, and one day he had a piano lesson that wasn't at home like it normally was; his teacher was out of town and arranged a substitute. My grandparents dropped us off at a beautiful manor in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn, and as my cousin sat at the piano I was guided to sit on a green velvet couch next to a fireplace. Sweet, right? I'd brought a book with me, but my attention was drawn to the next room, which I couldn't quite see into, yet I felt something there. It felt horrible, actually! I couldn't shake the sense of dread that came over me, and I sat hunched over in discomfort until my grandparents came back to pick us up an hour later. I never found out what that sensation was, nor do I remember anything about the house or its location, but I can recount the experience as if it happened yesterday.

Today, I lean on the wisdom and experience of my elders and teachers to inform both my personal practice and my work with clients. Note that I do not use the term smudging, as that belongs to Indigenous traditions, but I regularly incorporate smoke cleanses into my daily life and rituals.

What else do I do?

I provide one-on-one coaching sessions and specialize in religious trauma. Having been raised Evangelical, converting to Catholicism in college and then leaving the faith altogether, I have been utilizing my experiences and training to walk alongside folks who are deconstructing their various faith experiences. Feel free to ask me about this in a consultation call!

Hi, I'm Amanda.

I am an energy worker from and based in Brooklyn, NY, with a solid background in social and human services. After experiencing severe burnout and a series of heavy losses over the course of three years, I knew I needed to fundamentally shift how I operated in the world. Lavender and Shift came out of a desire to keep providing tangible services while navigating these changes.

A bit more about me:

I am a disabled cat mom who sings in a choir and loves the ocean. I currently hold an AS in Mental Health and Human Services from CUNY Kingsborough, and I am a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-200) via Denver Yoga Underground. In 2018, I graduated from a year-long intensive training in Indigenous Focusing-Oriented Therapy (IFOT) for Complex Trauma, which changed the trajectory of my life and work; while this specific training is no longer offered, you can learn about it here.