About Nina

my Healing Journey

During a college internship at San Francisco Magazine, I was immediately taken by the magic and lushness of San Francisco and knew I had to return. Graduating amidst the 2008 economic collapse, I took a chance that November and showed up in SF again with nothing more than two bags and the California Dream… against my parents’ wishes, of course (my family has since relocated to California). So enamored by the city and with a broken heart from a past relationship, I immersed myself in many sleepless nights, overindulgent parties, and toxic relationships. As I burrowed myself deeper down this self-destructive path, little did I know I'd be brought to my knees three years later as my life as I knew it was gutted and stripped down to the core.

On 12th August 2011, I hit a jaywalking pedestrian while biking down a hill 40 km/h, landing on my face, fracturing my nose, knocking out my front teeth, and going unconscious for seven minutes. This split second of impact catapulted me into a grueling journey of peeling away many layers and facing some of my darkest shadows I never even knew existed. I had to get braces again and several surgeries (jaw, gums, dental implants), work with four doctors, bow out of the social scene entirely, wear a retainer with false teeth for ~2 years, and battle insurance companies for upwards of $17,000 out-of-pocket dental expenses (thankfully, the $126,000 of medical expenses were mostly covered… American health care at its finest 🙄). I gained 14 kg, completely lost my sense of self, and would wake up every morning wondering why I was still alive.

My CT scans were "normal," and western medicine tried to prescribe me antidepressants and said my spine was "fine," but my experience was everything but. I felt misaligned, suffered from PTSD, couldn't sleep at night, and had terrible dreams. Though I was "in it," I now see how the universe was so kind to send me the gift of Reiki, mindfulness, and an amazing shamanic bodyworker, all of which I "happened to" find via a general curiosity even before my accident happened. Getting well-acquainted with these realms, I was able to tap into the infinite expanse of stillness and rich dialogue of touch, really delving intimately into the innate wisdom of the body to be able to heal itself. The deeper I explored within, the more I was able to recognize and connect with the benevolent ethereal forces around me and ask for their assistance in facilitating healing. 

By means of several incredible synchronistic events and powerful visions in dreamspace, I was called to the Amazon in May 2013 to work with the medicine people there and commune with La Corazón de Pachamama, or what many call Peru, "The Heart of Mother Earth." Deep in the jungle and several ceremonies, I was finally able to let go of some of my deepest layers—my repressed childhood trauma growing up in a non-communicative, fear-based, physically & emotionally abusive, and very conservative-Asian household where we never said "I love you" or "I'm sorry."

It was this trauma that spawned my constant need for distractions down my self-destructive path before my accident and had kept my heart guarded throughout most of my life. But it was here in Peru I was finally able to begin to unravel the stories I'd been programmed to tell myself and thus finally able to begin cultivating the capacity to truly and wholly embody and radiate pure love from all aspects of my being (like most things, always a work in progress 😉).

Having reached the Reiki Master Teacher degree in 2014 after three years of intense study & practice inspired by my own healing journey and absolutely fascinated by the body’s amazing capacity to heal itself, I signed up for a 500-hour Certified Massage Therapist training at the San Francisco School of Massage, one of the most rigorous and renown accredited massage programs in the States. At the time, it was never my goal to “become a Reiki Massage Therapist.” My intention was simply to learn everything I could about healing, energy & the body and how I could help share this wisdom with the rest of the world.

Since embarking on my healing journey in 2011, I’ve been wholeheartedly dedicated to exploring as many psychedelic & healing modalities, perspectives and approaches as I can/feel called to, while upholding a deep sensitivity to & cultivating awareness around spiritual/plant medicine consumerism and the importance of processing, reflecting, integrating, and truly embodying.

My most notable encounters have been my experiences with Ayahuasca ceremonies in Peru, my annual three sessions of Kambô Spring Cleaning Ritual, dearmouring (trigger point therapy on/in your womb/yoni area that brings you into deep processes & release), Reiki & Craniosacral Therapy, getting sober for 14 months (including caffeine) in April 2020 (from psychedelics in October 2019), my continuing deep work with Huachuma & other plant medicines, and the most profound & deeply transformative experience of my life to date, My 14-Day Solitary Darkroom Fasting Retreat (Dark Therapy) that began on 31st December 2020.

Coming out of these extensive cosmic initiations into the divine healing realms throughout my journey, my utmost intention in my practice is to serve the highest good by acting as a pure and grounded conduit for healing light energy, while creating a sacred container to help facilitate your body's own healing wisdom and process.

Instagram: @psychedelicreikimassage