Dara Sophia la Madrid
Trauma Resolution Specialist
+ Somatic Practitioner
Hello + welcome. For me, there is no joy more sacred in this life than feeling as a way of knowing—learning to trust the innate wisdom deeply held in the soil of our own bodies.
Although I have trained in many kinds of ancient, modern, and cross-cultural modalities–Philosophy + Comparative Religious Studies, Classical Chinese Medicine, yoga and Buddhist meditation, and indigenous Peruvian and Guatemalan healing practices–the majority of how I practice with clients in sessions comes simply from observing the natural world around me.
Nature’s rhythm mimics our own nervous system. Once we remember how to connect to this simple truth in our bodies, miracles can happen. Over the years in both working with clients and facing my own challenges, including childhood sexual abuse, a life-threatening chronic illness, and a concussion from a high-impact car accident, I have learned it is possible to heal from life’s traumas through using somatic tools that we all have a birthright to accessing.
I have spent the last 10+ years dedicated to cultivating my craft and have worked as a trauma resolution specialist and somatic practitioner since 2021. I currently continue to hone my skills as I pursue my Master’s degree in Social Work, and become a new mom. I live in the Ponderosa Pine forest near Mancos, Colorado where I can look up at the night sky and still see all of the stars.
I am humbled to offer my work here as a space-holder, guide, and witness to your transformation. You are worthy of your best life, the one your body craves and your heart yearns for. Let’s go find it.
SPECIALTIES
- Childhood Trauma
- Sexual Trauma + Healthy Sexuality
- Intergenerational + Ancestral Trauma
- Grief + Life Transitions
- Integrating Psychedelic Experiences
TRAINING
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TRAUMA-INFORMED FACILITATION AND SOMATIC INTEGRATION, Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner Atira Tan
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PSYCHEDELIC FACILITATION TRAINING FOR LEGACY HEALERS, Innertrek
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CLASSICAL CHINESE MEDICAL TRAINING BASED IN PRINCIPLES OF FIVE ELEMENT ACUPUNCTURE, Institute of Taoist Education & Acupuncture
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ONGOING SHAMANIC STUDIES in Central and South American Indigenous Traditions since 2016
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200-HOUR HATHA YOGA TEACHER TRAINING, Frog Lotus Yoga
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BACHELOR OF ARTS in Philosophy & Religious Studies, Northern Arizona University
ARTICLES
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Self-published Novel
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Egomania Magazine
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Elephant Journal
TESTIMONIALS
The work that Dara and I did together drastically improved my quality of life. I was suffering from severe anxiety and depression that were preventing me from functioning. Shortly after the first session, I gained insight into past traumas and began to consciously let go of the remnants that were weighing me down. The release had begun subconsciously, no doubt, during the first session. The subsequent sessions were no less effective at accelerating the healing process. In a short period of time, my anxiety and depression have subsided, I have reconnected with myself and my surroundings and have reached a functional state. These things would not have happened without Dara. She is a healer. Her intuition and approach are incredibly effective. I highly recommend Dara’s work!
DARA'S BLOGS
5 https://youtu.be/eO-HptzXu7s Earth Connection Meditation A 23-minute audio to help you access the power and groundedness of your innate connection to the earth element, the central tenant of Taoist philosophy. We disconnect from the larger earth outside of us and our smaller earth inside of us when we go through situations that are too painful […]
5 https://youtu.be/T6yBSfQ8RIc Connecting To The Inner Child Audio + Integration Journal When we are young, we are naturally more connected and open to the world around us. It is easier to touch into feelings of joy and awe without self-consciousness or embarrassment. Yet, because we are more impressionable to our surroundings, we are also more […]
6 https://youtu.be/Ni6s5_TrTzo?si=HwbzlzoCx_qrIOar Guided Meditation Journey What would it be like to have an inner friend who you could summon whenever need be? Someone who brought an embodied sense of protection, strength, balance, and support into your life? Establishing a connection with a plant ally is a powerful way to begin building a relationship with the […]
5 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUviE8XOS4o&t=626s By gaining a deeper awareness of what our subconscious wants to express—secret desires, hopes, insecurities, and fears, our pathway to that realm becomes more lucid. This opens up the doorway for beings in our subconscious awareness to come through into our waking consciousness. Opening up this pathway allows for a deeper connection to […]
This video with Dara explores the theme of how our environment and where we live affect and shape who we are, how we feel, what we think.
In your innermost chamber, do you harbor the secret belief that you are broken or damaged in a way that cannot be overcome?
If I were to boil down somatic work into just one simple and effective practice, this would be the one!
When things are changing or there’s a big transformation, it’s usually messy and it doesn’t look good. We often don’t know what’s happening.
Grief is something we usually reserve for people who have died. But what about all of the people who are still alive?
Dara Sophia la Madrid Video Transcript
Hi. Welcome to my bio page. My name is Dara del Rio, and I specialize in working with childhood trauma, sexual trauma, grief, and major life transitions, embodied sense of spirituality, and plant spirit apprenticeships, where we work with the spirits of plants to aid in any and all of those things. You can learn more about those in my specialties.
I’ve had a practice and formal study of hatha yoga and Buddhist meditation for about 10 years. I also have three years of master’s level training in Chinese medicine, where I learned an embodied kind of psychology that connects our minds, our bodies, and our spirits to the elements of the natural world. I use all of these aspects of my formal training and my personal practice to inform my work with clients. I’m also currently studying several forms of trauma resolution therapy to help move trauma through the body and process and integrate experiences fully, which I’ve had a lot of success with clients with. And I think it’s a really important part of healing is working directly with the body.
There are a lot of other aspects of me, but the most important thing that I bring to my work with you is you. This is about you, and I’m here to support you in however you see fit, whatever that means to you. I’m here to provide scaffolding, reflection, and guidance when needed, to help you achieve your goals in your mind, your body, and your spirit.
So, I’d love to hear from you and connect further. You can get in touch by reaching out to us in the contact page or calling our number (720-608-0261). And I look forward to hearing from you soon.