Hi there, my name is Joy and I’m a writer, SPRe (Somatic Personal Resonance) Practitioner, and SPRe Vocational Program Director. I’m a lifelong Washingtonian, and have a partner, two step-daughters, and two step-cats in my life! I love to read, garden, do yoga, and be outside. I have also shared my body with a chronic illness, Rheumatoid Arthritis, for 28 years, which I believe is a stress and trauma-related disease.

I’ve been journaling, writing, and blogging for 15 years about my body and my chronic illness, caregiving for a parent, grief, loss, divorce, family and religious trauma, and being a step-parent. I’ve even written two books about caregiving for someone with dementia! Writing allows me to process the events and experiences in my life (many of which have been difficult and/or traumatic.)

It also allows me to describe my chronic illness and how SPRe, a somatic therapeutic approach, has changed and opened up my body and my life. I believe in this approach so much that I even trained to be a SPRe Practitioner, and I maintain a practice in Seattle!

I’ve done and been many things in my life-massage therapist, grief counselor, caregiver, caregiver advocate, a non-profit association Board member, and writer-and they all deepen and inform my work with others who’ve suffered from trauma, stress-related diseases, and other challenges. For all the lifetime difficulties, I wouldn’t change a thing! I hope you enjoy my writing, and I’d love to hear from you with questions or comments, or check out my stories on Instagram. www.joywalker-spre.com  @joy.walker.spre