Fortuna has always been interested in how humans work, which led them to begin their studies in university with a focus in psychology and in communications. A traumatic event pushed Fortuna outside of the traditional academic world, and down an alternative path of weaving various healing modalities (back) together to support their own healing — and eventually, supporting the healing of others.

Fortuna’s next pivotal learning adventure began with mountain biking and snow boarding, ultimately ending in their suffering from nearly 30 concussions as a downhill mountain bike racer and snowboarder. Fortuna lives today with a brain injury, and is beginning to sense into their identity as a Disabled person who has learned many skills to survive the current world with her existing access needs given her chronic pain. It’s been a journey, to say the least, learning how to maneuver through pain every day while living a joyful life.

Fortuna’s brain injury brought them into the world of yoga and meditation, beginning their training in the Sivananda Lineage under the teachings and training of the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Farm in Grass Valley, California. They then went on to become trained as a Yoga Therapist and is now a Certified Yoga Therapist through the Phoenix Rising School of Yoga Therapy. They paired their yoga training with their meditation and mindfulness practices rooted in what they learned through Shambala Meditation Centers.

The next stop on Fortuna’s journey was into the world of Contemplative Psychology as taught through Karuna Training. It is here that Fortuna learned how to navigate difficult emotions and conversations by speaking from the heart and operating in the world with a lens of compassion. Fortuna has realized that the healing power of sharing their story significantly eases their symptoms. This is practice of speaking from the heart is a potent and powerful part of the work we do at School of Reverence. Fortuna’s thesis with Karuna training was around how to apply the techniques of practice to addiction recovery.

It was through training with Jane Clapp, an Advanced Candidate in Jungian Analysis with the Ontario Association of Jungian Analysts, that Fortuna was first introduced to work with the nervous system in a trauma-informed approach. It was at this same time that Fortuna was beginning to study addiction recovery through the Mental Health and Addictions Associate Certificate at Selkirk College.

It was at this same time that Fortuna was beginning to study addiction recovery through the Mental Health and Addictions Associate Certificate at Selkirk College.

Later, Fortuna went on to train around the use of psychedelics in supporting addiction recovery, including psychedelic integration training through the Being True to You Network.

It is through piecing together the practices and lessons of Yoga, Meditation, Contemplative Psychology, Nervous System Education and Addiction Recovery + Psychedelic Integration that Fortuna created:

The Embodied Wonderment Method

Wanting to expand their intuitive skills, Fortuna embarked on a year long mediumship training, Genesis, with Rev. Meg, a Licensed Psychic Medium, Healer, and an active Spiritualist Minister in North County, San Diego.​

Fortuna is currently enrolled in the Magic and the Occult master’s program in Exeter England.