The Witchy Somatic Therapist in Carmel-by-the-Sea: a Space for Creative and Intuitive Souls
There are therapists — and then there are guides who help you remember the wisdom you already carry.
My work lives somewhere between the two.
I’m a holistic and somatic psychotherapist based in Carmel-by-the-Sea, blending psychology, spirituality, and creative ritual for women who crave depth.
I’m known as the witchy therapist — a therapist by day and a witch by night, when I retreat to my home in the woods where I collect feathers, craft from the elements, engage in rituals, and dance when I need to move energy through my body.
I’m someone who has deeply studied both the clinical side of treatment and the spiritual side of healing. And what I see as the bridge between them is somatic therapy and psychedelic therapy — the two passions that keep me in the field when I grow tired of the Western, pathologizing, and over-diagnosing approach.
The Journey Back
I actually took a three-year siesta from the field when I became burnt out and jaded by the limitations of traditional talk therapy.
Then one night in 2018 during a breathwork session hosted by another therapist, everything changed. The experience cracked something open in me — it showed me that healing could be sacred, body-based, and soulful. It reminded me that spiritual work could live within a therapeutic context.
That realization brought me back. I returned to finish my hours, establish my own practice, and create the kind of space I wish had existed for me years ago — one that blends science, spirit, and creativity into a single healing current.
Since I re-entered the field in 2018, I’ve studied and trained in Breathwork, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), Energy Work (Spinal Attunement), Polyvagal Theory, EMDR, Parts Work, Nervous System Listening Therapies, Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy, and Somatic Experiencing.
It’s safe to say I’m fascinated by the human spirit and all the different paths we can take towards transforming our challenges.
Everything I’ve studied has been somatic or spiritual in nature. This is why I’m turned off by the western approach of “fixing” or “just thinking differently”.
I believe this is really about returning to the body as your most honest compass.
A Practice Rooted in Ritual
My sessions are a collaboration between us, often weaving together nervous system work and creative process.
We might breathe, move, listen to music designed to calm the vagus nerve, or sit in silence to sense what your body already knows.
Healing is not linear. It’s a ritual of remembering.
When I’m not in session, I’m creating in other ways: crafting feather wands, working with moth wings, or photographing small business owners who want to capture their essence on camera.
These are all extensions of the same medicine — creativity as alchemy.
Somatic Therapy in Carmel-by-the-Sea
My office in Carmel-by-the-Sea is a space where body and spirit meet.
It’s intentionally designed for nervous system restoration — quiet, grounding, creative and infused with earth elements.
Here, somatic therapy becomes the bridge between where you’ve been and who you’re becoming.
We use body-based awareness to release the charge of past experiences and open space for new patterns of safety, intuition, and creative flow.
Whether you’re arriving from Monterey, Big Sur, or Santa Cruz, in-person sessions offer a grounded container for real transformation — one your body can feel.
Now Offering In-Person Appointments in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California
In addition to virtual sessions across California, I now offer in-person therapy in Carmel-by-the-Sea.
These sessions are designed for women who are ready to reconnect with their intuition, embody their truth, and find safety in their sensitivity.
Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or psychological advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Results from therapy may vary.
Ashley K. Whelan is a holistic psychotherapist in California offering somatic therapy, EMDR, the Safe and Sound Protocol, and psychedelic integration for women seeking mind-body-spirit healing in Carmel-by-the-Sea, Monterey, Big Sur, and Santa Cruz.