Testimonials

Somatic Healing & Nervous System Work

"When I started working with James, my nervous system was in shambles. I was struggling with major burnout and was in the depths of a major transition. On the verge of panic, one session with James took me from a 10 to a 3 and suddenly I was able to breathe again. The boulder was lifted from my chest in an hour, and I decided to sign on for a couple months. James has a gift. When signing on to calls, there is an immediate sense of relief I experience because I am no longer holding my energy alone. Unlike talk therapy, SE is body-oriented. Without explaining anything verbally, James is able to meet me. He can meet the stuck energy and together we navigate it. Like a giant knot, we untangle it together strand by strand. I've never met anyone like him and I am deeply grateful for his presence in my life. I cannot recommend James more. Only good can come out of working with him."

— Megan Gesell

"He helped me connect with my body in a way that was gentle, grounded, and entirely new to me. So many people, myself included, are afraid to tune into their bodily sensations — because doing so can feel overwhelming or even frightening. But the tools James shared helped me access those parts of myself without becoming dysregulated. That alone was a huge shift. James has a warmth and presence that puts you at ease. He holds space with care, compassion, and deep expertise. Working with him gave me access to a deeper sense of safety and authenticity — something I didn't know was possible."

— Jay Gruben

"James is one of the most inspiring people I have ever met. His engagement, confidence, energy and deep appreciation for healing and compassion throughout the process has helped me accept myself in ways I never knew I could. The enthusiasm and commitment he brings to life has brought me to tears on multiple occasions. Where I have been reminded of such a spark in myself. Something lost and buried underneath thoughts detaching my consciousness from the world, from myself. Being with James has helped me see through this fear into a world brighter than was known to me."

— 7aran

"Working with James has been a Godsend! I have had truly amazing results from somatic work. Feeling more at home in my skin and more safe being here and can feel my own presence emerging more and more after each session. This work has unwound a lot of long held patterns that I had challenges in overcoming after years of other therapies. I highly recommend. James is a safe presence to work with and is a spectacular practitioner."

— Kim Kaufman

"Through a recommendation, I was brought to James, whose energy and methods immediately felt different in a refreshing way. Each week, we worked together, practicing somatic exercises, tracing the timeline of my fears back to their roots. Slowly but surely, we uncovered memories and feelings buried deep within my body. With each session, James provided exercises to discharge the trapped energy, releasing it from where it had lodged itself in my body for years. The relief I felt during and after each session was nothing short of transformative. Today, I can honestly say that I've come a long way. Now, I can board a plane, sit back, and relax — a feeling I'd only dreamed about but hadn't felt in over a decade."

— Anonymous Client

"I started working with James to develop a somatic practice to treat PTSD and chronic anxiety. His wisdom and grace of spirit gave me a deeper understanding of my own ability to heal and regulate my body and mind. In deepening this practice I found a path forward towards greater mindfulness and ability to resolve trapped emotions, and restore my physical and mental health."

— Anonymous Client

"Simply put, James supported me in the invaluable process of better understanding and befriending my nervous system. As soon as we got into the work, it was evident to me that I was working with a supremely talented, caring, and balanced practitioner. I have a different and greatly deepened relationship with my body, and continue to gain insight from our sessions (which were months ago now). If you have the chance to work with James, do it!"

— Davis Cowles, Life, Breath, and Movement Coach

"Somatic Experiencing has helped me find stillness in the darkest corners of my past. As he learned the skills to understand and heal the root of trauma, our 'talk-therapy-esque' conversations turned into healing and nourishing full-body experiences to re-evaluate and shift the power of trauma on the nervous system. Without him, I would not have been able to transfer the darkness of my past into loving kindness and ambition to serve myself and others now and in the future."

— Jim S.

"I feel like I can show up as a mess and James will always help me turn it around with an actual practice. He is definitely a safe presence and very good at what he does. Glad to be working with him!"

— Jose Brito

THERAPISTS & PRACTITIONERS

"Working with James has changed how I see my journey. It has dramatically enhanced how I practice as a therapist, how I show up in all my relationships, and my sense of spirituality. Despite years of mental health treatment and therapy for my recovery, I used to feel that being mindful and present in my body entirely was too emotionally painful and challenging. Thanks to James' wise and compassionate presence and work, I have felt significant shifts in my energy and perspectives. It is incredibly empowering to experience my body's inherent resourcefulness and how trauma and early beliefs can be re-integrated as resources. Learning about SE and attending sessions with James has given me the hope, appreciation, and connection I have missed previously. James' unwavering nonjudgmental stance, his thoughtful leadership, and his utilization of multiple teachings/frameworks are something I have not experienced before. This work has helped me unlearn and reprocess beyond what I could conceptualize when initially reaching out for help."

— Laura D., Therapist

"James is a true healer. He has deep training in Somatic Experiencing, relational and group process work, men's work, and Buddhist-inspired meditation and wisdom practices. I trust him immensely. I've recommended him as a somatic coach and facilitator to dear friends and colleagues."

— Shea Riester

"I have known James for a few years now and have worked with him in different settings from small groups, larger mindfulness communities to one on one somatics. I can truly say that in every setting James never fails to show up with deep presence, caring attention, wisdom and professionalism. Both incredibly supportive and incredibly inspiring."

— Leah Cass

MENTORSHIP & DEEP TRANSFORMATION

"My life has changed through my time with James. I am more loving, accepting, playful, embodied, and available to my own understanding of my boundaries, moment to moment, due to my time with James. James is a gifted facilitator. And. He is a giant giant heart with training, skills, certifications, thousands of hours of practice and study, and a deep commitment to healing, himself and others. As a result of my time with James, I am kinder. Kinder to myself and my thoughts. Kinder and more curious with my body. I trust kindness."

— Peter McLean, Co-Founder, Of Earth and Soul

"He has this magical quality that just brings people into the moment, into the present felt sense and felt experience. He has this way of both encouraging growth in a real honest, humorous way while at the same time providing deep care and compassion. I felt both pushed out of what I thought I could do and pushed into the capacity that I actually had available to me — and still felt comfortable and safe. It's this smoothie of encouragement and growth and pushing your edges all wrapped up into one."

— Lucy Lewark

★ "My first phone conversation with James left me with the unexpected experience of feeling real compassion and safety; this came in stark contrast to several intense months of interactions with different mental health professionals in the context of family and individual therapy. The interaction with James was different, supportive in a way I hadn't experienced — in words and in feel. My virtual sessions with James quickly became a main source of energy and support for moving out of my previous comfort zones to feel transformation and huge shifts in personal awareness. I am now completely convinced of the value of doing work in relation to another human who has amazing capacity to hold a sacred space for healing, with compassion and deep acceptance. While difficult to put into words, my experience with James is richer than anything I have experienced in traditional therapy; it's a reparative attachment experience with added bonuses of his expertise and passion related to somatic work and his deep personal connection with mindfulness and meditation. I feel incredibly grateful for how my work with James has helped me navigate mid-life transitions toward more meaningful relationships and work, and especially for how it has affected how I show up as a mom of two teenagers. I find courage to push forward on my journey of healing, and growth in spirit and soul, from knowing James is walking quietly beside me."

— Megan H., PhD Statistics, Critical Inference LLC

★ "James is an astounding presence. For the past year, I've had weekly calls with him, and throughout our time working together I've grown in innumerable ways. James understands the push and pull of experience, and how to mitigate leaning into stress by resourcing in the body and elsewhere. When I say 'astounding presence,' even over video calls James notices and champions the smallest bodily movements. I might clench my jaw, tighten in the shoulders or drift off in gaze, and he will let me know — showing me that my body is acting out some truth, resourcing or expressing itself while my mind is preoccupied by thought. It's one of the only spaces in my life where I feel comfortable to go anywhere and say anything — into the dark, the shadows and the 'problematic,' and into the grandiose or pretentious. James allows me to 'try on' being a more open person with him, and give space to the wildness of the human, animal experience, never condemning a thought, an action or a word... all is welcome. Yet, he still treats me with a respect and accountability to come from a place of compassion for those around me and for myself. James is an astounding presence, both as a mirror to show me my own ok-ness, and as a deeply loving person who has seen and experienced much himself, sharing deep awareness of the wild waves of life."

— Simon S.

"After returning from 2 months of a silent meditation retreat I was in a state of emergency. I didn't feel safe, was experiencing panic attacks and felt I was living close to hell. I am very fortunate to have been introduced to James. Our sessions together have been incremental in my healing. James both understands the depths of my suffering and situation while also helping me to see the good in it and in myself. I was lost and needed guidance. James gave me tools and practices to get through the hell scape I was in. He helps me out of the story in my head and skillfully guides me through the root cause of distress which is in my body itself. It is very empowering to have such clear instructions!"

— Anonymous Client

"Working with James for just one session helped me shift how I relate to my tendency to shut down and self-protect. He was able to witness habits of mine that I judge and feel ashamed of and normalize my experience. He shed light on the wisdom I already carry about how to respond to my traumatized reactions. The quality of James's presence inspired me into a state of openness that I rarely experience with other people."

— Rachel P.

"Being on FaceTime with James was one of the most healing experiences I had felt in a while. His ability to allow me my experiences, and honor what I was clearly rejecting, helped me relax for the first time since the experience. I strongly recommend working with James if you are a human. Especially those humans looking to reduce suffering in themselves as well as others. Which I believe is all of us."

— Andrew D.

"James Nepenthe opened this doorway for me, with open arms and full participation in the process. As if we were in the experience fully together. It is not separate. He asks the right questions to help lean into that space. Truly recommend this beautiful man to help anyone on their journey. He will meet you right where you are, with complete sincerity and passion and groundedness."

— Ben M.

"James is one of the most inspiring people I have ever met. His engagement, confidence, energy and deep appreciation for healing and compassion throughout the process has helped me accept myself in ways I never knew I could. The enthusiasm and commitment he brings to life has brought me to tears on multiple occasions."

— 7aran

"James has deep wisdom when it comes to somatic experiencing, leadership, and trauma resolution. James has helped me live a healthier, fuller, and more embodied life — all with deeper connection to purpose."

— Jon Luke Tittmann

Group Work

"James is one of a kind. I've had the privilege to see him operate in both group and individual contexts, and it is nothing short of extraordinary to witness. He fully embodies the work. None of this is a side project, a mere 'career interest' to him. He pours his heart into his work, and gives his full attention to the refinement of his practice and his service to the world. It is obvious that the reason why he is so effective, so creative in his approach and clear in understanding is because of how much time and energy he has spent exploring these things within himself over many, many years."

— X

"This group helped me discover the goodness of other men in the world. It also assisted me discovering the goodness in myself and I feel liberated in this discovery."

— Alex L.

"Working with James brought me great joy. His positive, light, serious and dedicated passion reminds me of what strength means and how I too can embody the power of masculinity in a healthy way. James is like an older brother everyone can benefit from."

— Taran K.

"James has the gift of weaving together the perfect mix of caring, content and stretch to ensure we grow."

— Hal M.