Facilitating shamanic healing, providing holistic therapy, and being a transgender woman are all major aspects of Kalina’s identity and are part of her medicine that she brings to this world. Kalina’s journey is one of self-discovery and enduring the discomfort of shedding old skins so as to emerge with an aligned sense of self. She shares her story with others to be a source of encouragement and to be uplifting to those who long for deeper connection with themselves and with Life itself. She sees that her calling in this lifetime is to help bring balance to the world, to her community, and to the environment through assisting others in their journeys of awakening to their True Self.
Kalina’s journey routinely includes immersion in the life/death/rebirth cycle- which in itself embodies the energy of transitions. It is through her identity and lived experiences on a shamanic path that she is able to assist others in the many life transitions they might find themselves in. The healing journey- whether as an individual, as a community, or as The Collective- is a journey of transition. Moving from a state of illness and imbalance to a state of health and harmony is a transition of moving from the old to the new.
Guided by the wisdom of Spirit and by working in partnership with her helping spirits, Kalina has developed her skills as a space holder in a variety of ways. Her formalized education began at the University of Texas at Tyler where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology in 2013. Later, she would earn her Master of Social Work degree from the University of Michigan Ann Arbor in 2023. She has worked in a variety of settings like that of wilderness therapy as a field guide, integrated healthcare as a therapeutic skills coach and group facilitator, a medical-setting social work intern, and group therapy practice as a holistic therapist. In her shamanic path, Kalina is mentored by Karen Furr, whose practice is informed by teachers such as Sandra Ingerman and Betsy Bergstrom.
All of these opportunities were made available to Kalina by her efforts to listen to and trust in the guidance of Spirit. Though Kalina’s path has been greatly influenced by her education, her teachers, and the lessons from lived experiences, Kalina’s role and practice as a space holder is most strongly influenced by the healing energies of Spirit, her helping spirits, and her ancestors.