Meet your Practitioners
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Founder | Psychospiritual Counselor, Yoga Therapist, Energy Healer, and Frequency HealerHello, I'm Allie Vespa-Gibbons, and I want to share with you a journey that has profoundly shaped who I am and the work I do at Awaken You Therapy. This journey, marked by moments of deep introspection, challenges, and epiphanies, started in the least expected place and time.
In 2016, my life looked like a picture of conventional success. With an Ivy League education, an MBA in hand, and a thriving career on Wall Street, I was on the fast track to what many would consider the pinnacle of success. I was primed for the corner office, but deep down, I felt an unshakable sense of unfulfillment.
The turning point came during a trip to Peru, a land steeped in ancient wisdom and spiritual energy. It wasn't a quest for enlightenment that led me there, but rather a simple desire to explore. However, what I found was more than just scenic landscapes and cultural richness. I experienced a profound spiritual awakening, a moment of clarity where I realized that the life I was leading was not aligned with my true self. I was living a life surrounded by external success and lacking inner peace, fulfillment, and connection with my self.
This awakening was not induced by any external substances but was a spontaneous realization, a deep connection with the energies of the land. I understood that my passion lay not in the bustling world of finance but in exploring the depths of the human psyche and spirit. I knew then that my calling was to guide others on their paths to healing and self-discovery.
Transitioning from finance to the world of holistic wellness was not an easy path. It meant stepping out of a career that promised stability and recognition into an unknown realm. It required me to embrace vulnerability and to trust in the journey. I had to unlearn many things and open myself to new learning - from clinical psychotherapy and yoga therapy to contemplative traditions and non-ordinary states of consciousness - to form the basis of my work as a psychospiritual clinician.
As I delved deeper into these fields, I realized how disconnected many of us are from our true selves. I saw the immense need for a space where individuals could explore their inner worlds, heal from their past, and grow into their full potential. This realization led to the birth of Awaken You Therapy, a practice where I combine my diverse skills and experiences to create a unique, holistic approach to wellness.***
I am a passionate contemplative practitioner and sojourner of the interior world, my calling is to support others on their path of self-realization and spiritual development.
I am also an empath and deeply passionate about supporting other empaths and highly sensitive people to hone and honor their unique gifts.
I love somatic practices, polyvagal theory and vagal toning practices, consciousness studies, and contemplating life's big questions (e.g., who am i?, what is my purpose?, why am I here?).
I integrative elements of psychodynamic and cognitive behavior therapies with humanistic and transpersonal. I also root somatics and nervous system regulation with contemplative practices and philosophy.
Together, we collaboratively build a toolkit of practices to support you both where you are in this moment, as well as where you will be in the future.
My specialties include anxiety, depression, trauma, eating disorders, grief, bipolar I & II, life-transitions, existentialism, and spiritual development.
Credentials
California Institute of Human Sciences (in progress) | Doctor of Philosophy, Integral Noetic Sciences
Long Island University | Master of Science, Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Columbia University,Teacher’s College | Master of Arts, Clinical Psychology (MA)
New York University Stern | Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Columbia University, Columbia College | Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Certifications
E-700hr Yoga (Vinyasa) Teacher
C-IAYT 875hr Yoga Therapist (in progress) | Breathing Deeply Yoga Therapy School
Holotropic Breathwork Facilitator | Mentors: Dr. Judith Miller & Chris Walter
Integrated Energy Therapist (IET) | Mentor: Roger Ansanelli
Reiki I & II Practitioner | Mentor: Pamela Miles
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Psychospiritual Counselor, Yoga Teacher, Energy Healer, and Frequency Healer
Hello, I’m Brendan Gibbons, and I’d like to share my journey, which has profoundly shaped the work I do today. My journey began with a spiritual yearning, vague depression, and persistent unease. Though I didn't recognize it at the time, these feelings initiated a 25-year process of self-realization, purpose, and a soulful connection with myself, others, and God.
In 2006, nearing the end of a six-year stint as a 5th and 6th grade teacher, I found my work fulfilling but sensed something was missing. Despite meaningful experiences and decent relationships, I was plagued by a sense of vague discontent.
Driven by this feeling, I decided to leave behind my familiar life and head East. Over the next six months, I traveled through India, Nepal, Thailand, and Cambodia, where I volunteered at an orphanage, trained in yogic practices, and engaged in deep soul-searching. This marked the beginning of a nearly 20-year journey with yoga, a practice that continues to enrich my life.
Despite this significant shift, I still struggled with feelings of discontent and difficulty finding meaning in romantic relationships. It was through my now-wife, the founder of Awaken You Therapy, that I met one of our mentors, Dr. Judith Miller.
Working with Dr. Miller, I realized my approach to self-realization was missing a truly holistic perspective. I had been neglecting the psychological aspects of my being and avoiding the spiritual traditions I once embraced. By adopting a psychospiritual approach, I began to understand how my spiritual and psychological growth were intertwined. I saw that to move past my discontent and recurring patterns, I needed to integrate both aspects of my being.
This shift transformed my life. I no longer sought meaning elsewhere but found it in my current endeavors, the relationships around me, and the daily work I choose to pursue. My relationships with myself, others, and God have never been stronger. It is through these deep connections that I am able to share my work with you and the community I cherish.
Credentials
California Institute of Human Sciences (in progress) | Doctor of Philosophy, Integral Noetic Sciences
Seton Hall University | Master of Education, M.Ed.)
Pennsylvania State University | Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Certifications
E-RYT 200hr Yoga (Vinyasa) Teacher
Holotropic Breathwork Facilitator | Mentors: Dr. Judith Miller & Chris Walter
Integrated Energy Therapist (IET) | Mentor: Roger Ansanelli
Reiki I Practitioner
