We had the good fortune of connecting with Alexandra Yashar and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alexandra, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
As a kid, I was obsessed with music, writing, and painting – I was a super creative kid. I was also really fascinated with the mind and with science. Along the way and somewhere between my childhood and young adulthood, with complex trauma, anxiety and depression, I lost connection to that part of myself.

When I found OT, there was an inner calling I had – like my inner child guided me unknowingly to it – because of how it activated that part of me that was idle for so long. Funny enough, I didn’t know my true why until I actually started my business. Over the past few years of being immersed in my practice, I realized that I find myself in flow through play; I’ve connected back to that little girl who used to play her guitar and study impressionist paintings.

This is why I started a pediatric OT practice. Little did I know that starting my private practice would help heal my inner child, connect back to her, guide me back to flow through play, and lead me to the world of somatics.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
In my practice, I blend occupational therapy, somatic work and embodied parenting to deliver holistic, family-centered care. I work with people of all ages and abilities; in my work with kids, I use both occupational therapy and somatics, and in my work with adults, mainly somatics. By integrating occupational therapy with my somatic and parenting lenses, my clients and I create powerful, lasting change. I specialize in sensory integration, as well as somatic work, focused on creating a conscious, connected relationship with the body and nervous system.

As a holistic occupational therapist, I’m considering a child as a whole, not just individual parts or symptoms, and in the context of the family unit. I am looking at the context of family dynamics and working alongside parents, so that they are empowered to implement lasting change at home. We work as a team – and this is where the magic happens. I utilize sensory and reflex integration to help kids develop and mature their nervous systems.

With somatic work, I use trauma-informed somatic healing to help people step into their power and authenticity, living abundant lives. As a somatic practitioner, my passion lies in guiding people back to their authentic selves, connecting deeply with their shadows. Somatic healing can help people access trauma pockets through strengthening their witness around painful and traumatic experiences in childhood and life. Somatic sessions with me are inner child focused. If you’re wanting greater connection to yourself, to others and to the world, somatic work is for you. We use body and nervous system-based methods to help you experience true wellness. We also work on reprogramming your limiting beliefs, clearing stuck emotions and energy so that you can live in true, abundant wellness. I am who I am today because of both somatic work and occupational therapy – they have been pure magic in my life.

It’s also my honor and privilege to help parents become more embodied, which falls hand in hand with somatic work. By osmosis, when you clear stuck emotions and energy from your nervous system that are keeping you trapped in contraction instead of expansion, you become a more present being. This means you are a more present, embodied parent. In embodied parent coaching, we often blend somatic work and parent coaching to create a beautiful synergy. The more you clear, the more you step into the embodiment of the parent you want to be. In this work, I primarily work with you on co-regulation and creating a safe container for your child to best support your and your child’s nervous systems.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I am a born and raised Angeleno, so I’m taking them to all my favorite spots! We’d start with coffee at Maru in Beverly Hills, followed by breakfast at Huckleberry in Santa Monica. I’d take them for a hike at Mandeville Canyon, and then stop for a bite at Juice Ladies in the Palisades. Topanga is one of my favorite parts of LA, so we’d definitely have many stops along Route 27, including Cafe 27. I love going to the farmers markets as well, we’d definitely hang there too.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d love to thank my husband, mentors, and colleagues for the immense support they have given and continue to give me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Website: https://www.alexandrayashar.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexandra.yashar/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-a-422009199/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kickstarttherapyla

Image Credits
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