WILD

The natural world in its untouched and uninhibited state. The innate and instinctive aspects of ourselves that are often tamed or repressed by societal norms. Uncharted territories of the psyche, the primal emotions, and the untamed spirit that we may explore and integrate into our consciousness for a more whole and authentic self.

OPEN

Readiness and willingness to receive new experiences, perspectives, and emotions. Vulnerability and courage to confront the unknown and the ability to be present with what is. A crucial ingredient for change; it is the fertile ground where insights can take root and transformation can occur.

BEING

The essence or the core of existence — the state of simply "being" as opposed to "doing." Acknowledging and honoring one's existence in the present moment, free from the constraints of past experiences or future anxieties. A call to mindfulness, where the focus is on the current experience, allowing for a deeper connection with oneself.

How I Work:

Imagine finally feeling like your true self, no longer overwhelmed or caught in a cycle of frustration from life's relentless challenges. Envision a nurturing space where supportive guidance gently unravels the burdens you've carried—be it relationship issues, stress, anxiety, the depths of depression, grief, or the shadows of past trauma—revealing the essence of who you are. This journey is about shedding the layers that were never yours to bear, transforming the struggle into a pathway toward genuine self-discovery and a vibrant, whole existence.

I've been there too, caught in the same exhausting cycles that seem to hold us back from truly living, and I understand the courage it takes to seek change.

I embrace a holistic methodology that considers the entire spectrum of the human experience — body, mind, and spirit. This inclusive philosophy integrates a variety of therapeutic techniques, such as Internal Family Systems (parts work), somatic therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and intuitive expression. Each modality is carefully chosen to enhance the mind-body connection.

Our sessions are spacious but grounded. Sometimes we sit in quiet reflection, sometimes we move toward laughter or tears, and sometimes we rage together at the unfairness of it all. Sometimes a whole journey happens in the minds eye, and other times we use the body to tell the story. I’m not the kind of therapist who just nods silently; I’ll be in it with you—cheering, challenging, and occasionally cursing right alongside you if that’s what the moment needs.

Drawing on two decades of global professional experience as an international educator, leadership trainer, group facilitator, and yoga and mindfulness teacher, I bring a rich and diverse background to our sessions. As a wilderness rite of passage guide and eco-therapist, I incorporate the healing power of nature into our therapeutic process, offering a path to growth and recovery that harmonizes with the natural world.

At the heart of it, this work is about helping you reconnect to what’s already inside: the wisdom, resilience, and vitality that can get buried under life’s pain and pressure. I’ll walk beside you as you untangle what’s no longer serving you and begin to trust the parts that are ready to lead you toward a fuller, more connected, more alive life.

Simone Isadora Levine (she/her)

MA, LMHCA, NCC, Professional Counselor Associate

"Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded. It's a relationship between equals. Only when we know our own darkness well can we be present with the darkness of others. Compassion becomes real when we recognize our shared humanity.” - Pema Chodron

My Journey:

I've been on a winding journey over the last 40-ish years of life. Some chapters felt full and abundant, others painful and never-ending. At times, I felt alive; other times, like a walking zombie, distracted and numb to the world around me. I've spent years in the client seat of the therapy room, experiencing firsthand what helps, what harms, and what healing truly feels like when someone meets you where you are. I show up as the therapist I've needed for myself, and I'm grateful for all the incredible teachers (therapists, healers, clients, family, housemates, colleagues, friends, ex-partners, strangers, and actual teachers and mentors) I've learned from along the way. There are no exact books, degrees, or trainings that I've taken that have made me who I am today, but rather a whole lot of lived experience with some contextual frameworks sprinkled in. I'll be the first to tell you that I don’t have it all figured out, and I hope I never will. That is the beauty of being human—we are always in process, always unfolding.

I'm a cisgendered, heteroflexible, able-bodied, white woman, raised culturally and religiously Jewish, though I now ascribe to a beautiful mishmash of Eastern philosophy (Buddhism, Hinduism, yoga) and nature-based spirituality that believes spirit is in the trees and the drop of rain that becomes the ocean.

Though I don’t fully know the experience of marginalized bodies in this life, in my bones I carry the memory of ancestors who endured persecution, scattering, and attempts at erasure—my Jewish lineage steeped in both loss and resilience. What I can offer you is my own ongoing work—listening, learning, and showing up with humility. I won't pretend to know your lived experience, but I do see the ways systems like patriarchy and white supremacy warp how we live, love, and relate, and I try to do my part in noticing the harm I carry and letting it guide my growth.

I believe that life can be hard - sometimes because of systems of oppression, sometimes due to unlucky and unexplainable events, and sometimes because our minds make life seem harder than it is. I believe our bodies and nervous systems have much to tell us about survival and resilience, and that we need to learn to listen more deeply in order to heal. While being human is hard, our education system, parents, and leaders have not done a great job of teaching us how to be emotionally intelligent, how to listen to our bodies, how to practice compassion, and how to lead with love. I became a therapist to help change that.

My disposition rests in joy, celebration, and the balance between magic and realism. I go deep and can hold endless space for the shadow, but at the end of the day, I see the silver lining, and I'm here to show you that too. Outside of my professional life, I love yoga, cooking, outdoor adventures—hiking, kayaking, SUPing, biking, SCUBA, traveling, nature, reading fiction and non-fiction, spending time with animals, and driving my campervan/"mobile office" anywhere I can get it without crossing an ocean (yet!).

I see clients in OR (license #R9201) and WA (license #MC61543233). Supervised by Erin Mahone, LPC #C7329

Education

MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, University of the Cumberlands
MA in International Education, New York University
BA in Intercultural Communication, DePaul University

Trainings & Certifications

Internal Family Systems (IFS) Level 1
Internal Family Systems Immersion
Clinical Anxiety Treatment Professional (CCATP)
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Level 1
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Intensive
Motivational Interviewing, Level 1
Gottman Level 1 & 2 (currently in process)
EMDR & Parts Work for Treating Complex Trauma
Registered Yoga Teacher - 500 hours
Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher Training
Collaborative Problem Solving, Level 1
Wilderness First Responder

Specialties

Anxiety
Depression
Trauma
Relationship Issues (including non-traditional relationships)
College Mental Health
Women's Issues
Grief
Cultural Adjustment (immigrants, third culture kids, expatriates, refugees, etc.)
Psychedelic Integration
Eco-Anxiety
LGBTQIA+
Multicultural Counseling
Career Counseling
Relationship/Couples Counseling

"The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek." - Joseph Campbell