About the Practitioner
Kiva has always been passionately curious about the nature of the energy that animates us and the meaning of being embodied, and in her twenties, this inquiry evolved as she began to listen with an open heart and a quiet mind to the inner wisdom and the silent voice of the body through rigorous training in CranioSacral Therapy and integrative bodywork.
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Since 2016, Kiva has dedicated her practice to making embodiment and somatic healing accessible to others, particularly those navigating high-pressure, high-performance domains like Silicon Valley. She works with technologists, researchers, and founders, supporting their resilience and regulation so they can continue to thrive while they bring altruistic vision and values into their work and extend the boundaries of human potential.
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In addition to her private practice in the Bay Area, Kiva teaches CranioSacral Therapy at McKinnon Body Therapy Center in Oakland, and assists nationally with Upledger Institute trainings, contributing to the development of a new generation of practitioners.
Professional Experience & Education
Visceral Manipulation Training, The Barral Institute, 2025-Present
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Visceral Manipulation: Abdomen 1 (VM1), Assessment of Structural Relationships between Viscera, and their Fascial or Ligamentous Attachments to the Musculoskeletal System, in San Francisco, CA, 2025, instructor Brandi Kirk
CranioSacral Therapy Teacher Assistant, The Upledger Institute, 2024-Present
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CranioSacral Therapy 2 (CS2) in Loma Linda, CA, 2025, instructor Lisa Desrochers
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CranioSacral Therapy 2 (CS2) in Hartford, CT, 2025, instructor Frederick Stahlman
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CranioSacral Therapy 1 (CS1) in Santa Barbara, CA, 2025, instructor Lisa Desrochers
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CranioSacral Therapy 1 (CS1) in Emeryville, CA, 2024, instructor Lisa Desrochers
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CranioSacral Therapy 1 (CS1) in Detroit, MI, 2024, instructor Mabel Sharp
On-Site CranioSacral & Massage Therapist, Anthropic, 2023-Present
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Providing tailored bodywork and nervous system regulation to leading AI researchers and staff at Anthropic, supporting the well-being, focus, and resilience of top-tier talent in the demanding field of artificial intelligence
CranioSacral Therapy Instructor, McKinnon Body Therapy Center, 2022-Present
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CranioSacral Therapy instructor at McKinnon Body Therapy Center in Oakland, CA, teaching classes in our locally acclaimed 125 hour long CranioSacral Therapy course, and specializing in anatomy, unwinding, and Biodynamics
Graduate, Bachelor of Science (BS) in Psychology, California Institute of Integral Studies, 2019-2020
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Bachelor of Science in Psychology, focused studies in somatics, cerebrospinal fluid, and trauma in underserved communities
CranioSacral Therapy Training, The Upledger Institute, 2018-Present
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Advanced CranioSacral Therapy 2 (ADV2), in Truth or Consequences, NM, 2025, instructor Chas Perry
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Advanced CranioSacral Therapy 1 (ADV1), in Lansing, MI, 2024, instructor Maggie Gill
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SomatoEmotional Release 2 (SER2), Intention, Inner Physician and Dialogue - Deepening Principles and Practice of Upledger CranioSacral Therapy in San Francisco, CA, 2023, instructor Chas Perry
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SomatoEmotional Release 1 (SER1), Full Range of CranioSacral Therapy Tools for Supporting Trauma Resolution in Loma Linda, CA, 2023, instructor Natalie Bledstein
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CranioSacral Therapy 2 (CS2), Moving Beyond the Dura for Assessing Acute and Chronic Conditions in Loma Linda, CA, 2022, instructor Kimberly Painter
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CranioSacral Therapy 1 (CS1), Assessment of Central Nervous System and Fascia for Full Body Treatment Protocol in Big Sur, CA, 2018, instructor Karen Axelrod
Visionary CranioSacral Work Training, The Milne Institute, 2018
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Cranial 4 (C4), Developing the Inner Eye in Tuscany, Italy, 2018, instructor Hugh Milne
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Cranial 3 (C3), Practioner’s Skills: Sculpting the Conscious Medium in Tuscany, Italy, 2018, instructor Hugh Milne
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Cranial 2 (C2), Coupled Holds, Sacral Work and Unwinding in Ashland, OR, 2018, instructor Hugh Milne
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Cranial 1 (C1), The Foundation Cranial Class in Ashland, OR, 2018, instructor Hugh Milne
Ortho-Bionomy Training, Society of Ortho-Bionomy International, 2018
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Phase 5, Subtle Perceptions, Connections, and Healing in Berkeley, CA, 2018, instructor Sara Sunstein
Certified Massage Therapist (CMT), Certificate #76183, California Massage Therapy Council, 2018
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Completed Massage Therapist Certification with California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC), passed MBLEX Examination
Massage Therapy Program Graduate, McKinnon Body Therapy Center, 2016-2018
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Completed 800+ hours of training via McKinnon Body Therapy Center's Massage Therapy Program with a focus on Craniosacral Therapy, and additional study in Trauma Informed Touch, Deep Tissue, Swedish Massage, Shiatsu, Acupressure, Tui Na, Myofascial Release, Western Cupping, Reflexology, Body Mechanics, and Touch, Health and Common Conditions (working with special populations)
REIKI, the Usui System of Natural Healing Training, Usui Shiki Ryoho, 2016
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Second Degree, San Francisco, CA, 2016, instructor Christopher Tellez
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First Degree, San Francisco, CA, 2016, instructor Christopher Tellez
Philosophy
CranioSacral Therapy and attuned bodywork can bring us into a fuller state of empowerment over our health, a deep sense of embodiment, and a greater connection to our whole Self. Kiva's practice is client-focused and honors the body's inner wisdom and its importance, and she takes great care to listen to you so she can best support you and your unique needs. With a philosophy of communication, consent, comfort, and attunement, Kiva helps her clients access deep rest and restoration from which they can reconnect to their inherent health, inner wisdom, and joy of life.
