Elanah Dalyah Naftali

A passion for the culinary arts and nutrition shaped my first career as a Registered Dietitian. As a Nutrition Epidemiologist, I researched diet and disease relationships among marginalized communities (e.g., Native Hawaiians, the Hmong of MN, and the Lakota Nations of Wounded Knee and Pine Ridge). A reverence for traditional food ways and the healing practices of indigenous nations inspired this work. As the demands of academic research became more sub specialized and removed from serving actual people, I needed to make a change. I left my 20-year career in the Health Sciences to explore Spirituality as a "professional ritual leader." I trained as a Clinical Chaplain at three trauma centers in Philadelphia and NYC. This work taught me the rare art of Presencing— what I call “holding space” for whomever is before me seeking comfort and consolation. A practice I continued to refine as a bereavement counselor supporting terminally ill patients and their families. As a lifelong meditator and mover-dancer, I also offered hospice staff mindfulness approaches for their personal use. This work eventually motivated me to train as a Marriage and Family Therapist specializing in trauma recovery and somatic approaches to healing. I have since developed a particular interest in autoimmune conditions, innovating ways to work with chronic pain as I, too, have encountered new health challenges. I enjoy weaving influences from my varied walks and sharing what has been impactful in my efforts to recover whole body health and wellbeing.