We were lucky to catch up with Julie Fernandez recently and have shared our conversation below.

Julie, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear the story behind how you got your first job in field that you currently practice in.

I began teaching yoga to at-risk youth and survivors of domestic violence and sexual violence throughout New York City. The practice of yoga was positively impacting the students and I wanted to continue to deepen my work with clients to help them heal from their traumas. While still living in New York, I connected with an Integrative Psychiatrist in Los Angeles that was helping his patients get off of their medications and embrace a more holistic approach to healing. He was very interested in my approach to yoga and after moving to Los Angeles in June 2015, I started my business using the tools of yoga and breath to support individuals with their mental health. I soon was certified in Somatic Experiencing which allowed me to deepen my work and provide more support in healing from trauma.

Julie, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My main goal is to support individuals in recognizing their resilience and their innate capacity to heal after experiences of chronic stress or trauma. My approach is holistic, utilizing the body and mind to understand our symptoms not as pathology, but as a normal response to difficult, life threatening or overwhelming experiences, helping people reclaim their bodies, build confidence and walk with new embodied purpose.

What began with Trauma-Informed yoga has grown to incorporate breath coaching (identifying unhealthy patterns/habits which prevent us from breathing fully and in turn feeling our best self), Mindfulness (learning to stay in the present moment while recognizing and accepting our thoughts, feelings, sensations as is), physical fitness (helping people get out of stagnation and more active and strong incorporating simple strength building exercises – using emotional skills to support the fears and trauma issues that are blocking people from their own strength), as well as Somatic Experiencing practices (body based therapy inviting the exploration of unsettled trauma using the language of the body), Expressive Arts Therapy, Self-Defense Skills, Family Constellations (exploring how our ancestral patterns are present and affect us today), Skydiving therapy (to overcome the emotion of fear and increase our capacity to tolerate big and often uncomfortable emotions.

No matter the modality, the intention is to invite the exploration of unsettled trauma and chronic stress in the body – helping people listen to and trust their body’s innate wisdom, attune to their real needs, and move through life with less stress and anxiety, and more confidence, peace and connection.

My extensive experience comes from working in domestic violence shelters and rape-crisis centers throughout New York City and Los Angeles, working with at-risk teenage girls and disadvantaged youth in Inner City schools, as well as, eating disorder clinics in Los Angeles. In addition to my private practice where I offer 1:1 sessions as well as Immersion Programs, I am the primary trauma therapist on the Hope Integrative Psychiatry team in Los Angeles and a Lead Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher Trainer and Director of Curriculum Development & Mentorship for Exhale to Inhale, a non-profit organization that empowers survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault using the healing and grounding practice of yoga.

I am most proud of my creativity which gives clients the space to find their authentic expression. It is because of my own unique experiences with trauma that I can show up authentically and support my clients on their healing journey. I am the embodiment of the work that I teach and the healing that I provide.

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

Lived experience is what, in my opinion, is most helpful for succeeding in this field. We can only meet others as deeply as we have met ourselves and when you have been able to get to the root cause of our own pain and meet ourselves with empathy, grace, compassion and love, we will be able to do the same for others. Additionally, when someone has done their own healing work and has allowed themselves to feel the full experience of what it means to be human – emotionally and mentally, then it eliminates any fear or discomfort that may arise from hearing about or witnessing another humans’ experience.

If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?

I wouldn’t change a thing about my journey! Before I started using yoga for healing trauma and sharing that with others, I was in route to becoming an attorney and I was extremely unhappy. While I didn’t have the language for it then, I was living a life that was not aligned with my authenticity. My goal was always to help people – I wanted to be a human rights lawyer – but I didn’t want to talk to anyone because I was so incredibly shy and struggled with crippling anxiety and depression. Once I started working with people in the yoga setting, there was an immediate sense of ease and relief – a knowing that I was in the right place even though I was still nervous and shy. This work is not just something that I do. It is a part of me – it is something that I embody and, therefore, live. The more I heal, the greater I can tap into my intuition and the more deeply I can see, feel and understand beyond the physical experience of another person and I then see what is needed to bring them back to balance and heal. This is my gift. Not only would it be wasted in another profession, but I wouldn’t be able to access my happiness and joy if I am not able to fully express myself- especially my feelings and creativity.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mettahealingarts.com
• Instagram: @jules_metta
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mettahealingartsla

Image Credits
Malena Lloyd, Ryan Ramsey