LAKOTA MOON

Mental Health Coaching & Mindfulness Movement

Feeling stuck? At a crossroads in your career or emotional life? Even the strongest among us can feel lost, unsure, ambivalent, or unhappy at times. Lakota Moon Mental Health Coaching and Mindfulness Movement can help you understand and manage whatever life throws at you, and how to do it successfully. I believe that you have the strength not just to survive, but to truly thrive.

ABOUT LAKOTA SUMMER

I am a mother, daughter, sister, partner who has gone through various experiences that have dramatically shaped my worldview. Just as with a number of you, there was a point that I felt lost and could not see the light at the end of the tunnel. Intense wellness coaching and a strong foundation of therapeutic support helped me reach a place of peace, perspective, and healing; it is through that experience, I became inspired to become a life and mental health coach.

LAKOTA MOON MENTAL HEALTH COACHING & MINDFULNESS MOVEMENT

I do not take this work and role lightly; I am a certified Mental Health Coach through Light University and the Life Coach Training Institute. In addition, I am a master's degree level (social-emotional learning, education) Ph.D. candidate, and certified in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Mental Health First Aid, Peer Advocacy, and Clinical Trauma (CCTP). My practice is Falun Dafa, an ancient spiritual Asian discipline that lays emphasis on truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance in order to attain a state of selflessness, insight, and awareness. With over 40 years of experience as a dancer, I have expanded my practice to include mindfulness movement-where clients can express themselves through free movement that is absent of negative self-view, yet connective of body, mind, and spirit. I work with you to deconstruct physical sensations and perceptions that are barriers to limiting your whole self.

I have led mindfulness, dance, and movement workshops, and facilitated support groups that address trauma, anti-racism, resiliency, postpartum, and self-perception adjustment; other coaching and workshops I have conducted cover grief, educational, and career counseling. My practice is not just relegated to adults; I work with youth (ages 6-18) on healthy relationships (peers, adults, and family), self-esteem, restorative mindset, and empowerment.

LOOKING AHEAD

When you work with me, understand that this is a partnership. My coaching/therapeutic approach incorporates various exercises from interactive journaling to free-form body movement and mindfulness activities. What we do is soul work: digging into the "whys" and "hows" of the barrier then taking the steps needed to get you to a place of renewed hope and revitalized spirit.

MISSION STATEMENT

I strive to become an instrument that clients can utilize to cultivate a fresh perspective on the various situations they face. I do this by establishing partnerships and challenging clients to recognize and build their strengths, explore their reality and find practical ways to initiate change in order to move forward.

VISION STATEMENT

My practice aims to empower our clients and help them discover their purpose in life. With these in mind, I seek to unleash their inner power and drive them to pursue their goals and fulfill their lifelong aspirations.

Portrait of a Smiling Woman with Curly Hair

WHAT IS MENTAL HEALTH COACHING?

At the heart of my practice is Mental Health Coaching; deeply rooted in the five social-emotional competencies: Self-awareness, social awareness, relationship skills, responsible decision making, and self-management.
My method of mental health coaching is a support system for individuals who either lack or have no concept of social-emotional health & wellness. By utilizing various cognitive and behavioral techniques, we will work towards healthy emotional well-being and mental health

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MENTAL HEALTH COACHING AND THERAPY

It is easy to confuse a mental health coach with a therapist; however, mental health coaching differs greatly from therapy.
A mental health coach works on your current reality (though we may talk about what led to your current situation). Based on this, the client and mental health coach together will design a plan that will cultivate and foster positive mental health.
Therapy and counseling often focus on your past to deal with your current problems and issues; A mental health coach may touch upon past history, however, the focus is on the present status and the future.
Mental health coaching can work alongside therapy; it is not a replacement. Mental health is a serious undertaking; all forms of support systems are important and can work together in their respective constructs.