Elsa Asher (they/them) is a practitioner and teacher of somatics and ritual with a specialty in healing developmental and intergenerational trauma. They are a registered biodynamic craniosacral therapist, life coach, doula, Koheneh (Hebrew ritual leader), and wilderness first responder.

Elsa holds a master’s of science degree in narrative medicine from Columbia University, a bachelor of arts in healing and humanities from Antioch University, and a certificate of Jewish studies from Machon Chana Institute. They’ve been an associate professor of narrative medicine at Columbia University and Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine, and presented workshops at various universities, conferences and organizations.

Elsa was born and grew up on Duwamish land, currently called Seattle, and lives on Lenape land, currently called Philadelphia. They are queer, non-binary, disabled, and mixed-class.

Episode Highlights

Elsa & Nick discuss what it means to reconnect with our bodies in order to heal generational and developmental trauma.
Elsa shares about the practices of ancestral connection and how we can begin to re-inhabit our own bodies for more healing.
They talk about their own past trauma and how it led to their work with health and healing.
Elsa shares how, as a doula, they came to understand that peoples experiences in their bodies are very relevant to the birth process.
We explore balancing one’s spiritual calling with societal demands on one’s gender and body expectations.
They explain the nature of intergenerational trauma and the importance of its healing journey.
We talk about the differences between event trauma and persistent or developmental trauma.
Elsa talks about the powerful sense of spiritual presence and its involvement with healing, in particular cranio-sacral healing.

Web links

Find more at ElsaAsher.com
You can also find them on Instagram

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Reinhabiting Your Queer Body with Elsa Asher