Ely brings a rare combination of intelligence, embodiment, and warmth to his practice, creating a space that feels safe, attuned, and non-judgmental. He lives his values, approaching healing with a deep commitment to justice and meaningful action. ~ Jen Monette-Bethune, Counselor, MA, LMHCA
Ely is a talented practitioner with a special awareness for somatic elements of the therapeutic process. His non-judgmental and deeply compassionate presence allows the work of therapy to unfold with great depth at the natural pace of the client's system. ~ Lisa Vaughan, Pre-Licensed Professional, LMHCA, MACP
About me
I support individuals whose stories aren’t fully met by talk therapy alone—people who’ve felt like outsiders, deep feelers, or those carrying invisible wounds. My role is to help you reconnect with a sense of aliveness, rooted in the body’s innate wisdom and creative strength. This work is informed by a lifelong practice of listening beyond language.
Alongside my somatic work, I spent over twenty-five years as a university professor of literature and creative writing. I’m also an award-winning poet and published author. You can subscribe to some of my reflections here. This creative foundation informs how I help you connect with your own voice and resilience.
My approach weaves together ancient healing practices and modern therapeutic modalities. Using mindful, body-based, and imaginative processes, we’ll co-create space for your healing to unfold in a way that feels grounded, meaningful, and honors your rhythm.
I have a strong foundation in trauma-trained care and understand how physical and emotional pain are often interwoven. My practice is especially supportive for those navigating life with chronic illness, pain, neurodivergence, or who identify as trans or queer.
I also bring years of experience to working with altered states and offer preparation and integration support for those engaging in psychedelic healing.
I’m trained in Hakomi Mindful Somatic Psychotherapy and am currently completing the Somatic Experiencing® Professional Training Program. I’m also a transformational coach and a certified hypnotherapist.
It would be a privilege to accompany you as you reconnect with your wholeness.
My services
Somatic Coaching
Hakomi Mindful Somatic Psychotherapy is a relational form of experiential psychotherapy that uses mindfulness and body-based techniques to help people heal attachment wounds and developmental trauma. It is based on principles such as non-violence and mind-body holism. Learn more about Hakomi here.
Somatic Experiencing is also a body-based method that works to resolve trauma by emphasizing the body’s natural healing mechanisms. Some of its benefits include addressing stored physical tension and promoting deep relaxation through nervous system regulation. Learn more about Somatic Experiencing here.
Somatic Hypnotherapy blends hypnosis with body-based awareness to access and release subconscious patterns stored in the nervous system. Hypnotherapy works by guiding individuals into a deeply relaxed state where the subconscious mind becomes more receptive to positive change. Somatic hypnotherapy takes this further by integrating physical sensations and embodied experiences, allowing unresolved emotions and traumas to surface and be processed. This method heals through rewiring the mind-body connection and promotes lasting change by addressing root causes rather than just symptoms.
Psychedelic Integration
Integrating expanded states of consciousness—whether from psychedelics and entheogenic plant medicines or other modalities like breath work, ecstatic dance, or chant—can help make sense of such transformational experiences. Developing ongoing integration practices can deepen and amplify the healing benefits of psychedelic experiences. Learn more here.
Areas of Expertise
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Psychedelic Integration
Spirituality
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Anxiety
Depression
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Chronic Illness
Chronic Pain
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Trauma
Grief
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LGBTQ+
Transgender
To schedule a free consultation, submit this form
The wound is the place where the Light enters you.
~ Rumi
Frequently asked questions
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I split my time between Seattle, Washington and Yucca Valley, California (on the border of Joshua Tree in the Greater Los Angeles area). However, I am available to meet online and work with many clients this way.
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Yes, meetings via Zoom can be arranged. In fact, many of my clients work with me this way.
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I offer a free 20-minute consultation to see if we are a good match.
Hour-long sessions are $150.
I also offer sliding scale rates based on financial need; please inquire for more info.
The body will always tell the story of our wounds in a language so direct and simple that it can be too much to bear witness to. As protection, the mind pulls away and keeps itself isolated from the body. The most radical project we could ever engage in during our lives is the project of embodiment. This is the most radical act because there is no liberation without the union of mind and body.
~ Lama Rod Owens
