Natalia is originally from Southern California, spending her formative years in New York and later living in the Pacific Northwest for graduate school. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from Barnard College, Columbia University, and spent 2.5 years studying Naturopathic Medicine at Bastyr University.
Natalia has been drawn to the world of healing arts from a young age. In her early 20s, she began studying the practice of yoga, exploring meditation, and taking coursework in Indo-tibetan Buddhism. Her interest in these practices led her on a journey to India and Nepal in order to deepen her understanding of these traditions and receive teachings in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. This trip affirmed her desire to pursue a path of service in the world of healing, and upon returning to the states, she completed her pre-medical coursework and enrolled in a holistic program of study in Naturopathic Medicine.
In graduate school, Natalia trained in a number of modalities utilized in holistic primary care, including comprehensive coursework in botanical medicine. Her studies at Bastyr opened her eyes to the healing power of nature, and awakened an interest to explore traditions of healing based on this understanding. In 2018, Natalia traveled to Peru in order to participate in ceremonies with a Shipibo-Konibo healer. Since this first experience, Natalia has been drawn towards a deeper understanding of this path as a student of the Shipibo-Konibo lineage and the practice of vegetalismo. She is inspired by the potential of plant medicines to initiate deep healing, personal evolution, and return us to right relationship with the natural world, of which we have always been a part.
In 2021, Natalia joined the team at Soltara as a yoga teacher, and has since served in a number of roles – onsite and remotely. In addition to teaching yoga and meditation, Natalia has assisted operations, coordinated guest experiences, and supported the launch of Soltara’s integration platform. She is currently in training as a facilitator for on-site retreats. As a commitment to deepening her own study in the Shipibo-Konibo tradition, Natalia has been a student of onaya healer Ynes-Lopez Sanchez and her daughters Lila, Laura, and Edellin. In the past year, she has been honored to assist the Lopez-Sanchez family as a facilitator at their center Niwe Rao Xobo in Pucallpa, Peru.
In addition to her work in retreat settings, Natalia holds space for clients as an integration guide. Her approach draws on Buddhist philosophy and meditation, Somatic Experiencing, Compassionate Inquiry, and ongoing education in the field of Psychedelic therapy. Natalia understands that challenging material can arise when engaging in deep healing processes, and strives to bring a trauma-informed approach to meet whatever arises with skill, safety, and compassion.
Natalia strives to be a bridge between wisdom traditions and the western culture in which she was raised. She recognizes that it is a constant process of intercultural relating, and understands the importance of embodying reciprocity in this work. In the realm of integration, Natalia is interested in how individuals can integrate insight and spiritual wisdom into their lives, and at the same time – how this process of integration extends to the greater culture and systems of which we are a part. She continues to listen for how to be of service, and is grateful to support others in their healing and evolution – in ceremony, and in life.
