Psychotherapy

I can’t thank you enough for all your help and support. The changes we have seen in our daughter are amazing and we are so happy for her. I would only want another teenager to benefit from your work like our daughter has. You are great at what you do and have an amazing way connecting with people.
— C.W.
 
I’ve had the joy of working with Debi Fries at The Elemental Family since July 2015. Before discovering Integrated Body Psychotherapy (IBP), I had nearly 3 years of regular ‘traditional’ talk therapy. Although I had developed some of the intellectual tools that accompany psychotherapy, I felt stuck in my past experiences and in my traumas, reliving old patterns and cut off from my body and sense of aliveness.
Through the dynamic and exciting work of IBP, I feel that I have found a pathway to my natural self for the first time in my life. Through body and breath exercises accompanied by talk therapy, Debi expertly holds what I carry into a session and crafts a unique, deeply personal and powerful experience that enriches every aspect of my life and relationships. I am finding who “I Am”, and who I am is more beautiful and magnificent that I ever imagined.
I would recommend this work for absolutely anyone, and I can’t think of a better place to start this journey than at The Elemental Family with Debi. Through the work of IBP, guided by Debi’s seasoned, gentle and supportive presence, I am more open to my life than ever before, and available to myself and my relationships in a way that sustains and delights me. This work has taught me that my path to spiritual awakening and compassionate living lies within my very body, enlivened by every breath I take.
— V.G.
 
Debi is so amazing! I am so grateful to her for helping me in my life on this path to inner peace.
— J.L.
 
From the first time I sat across from Debi in her office I felt both an excitement and a calm. I was not aware at the time that being able to hold these two sensations together would lead the way to the deeper connection to myself that I was longing for. Gently but relentlessly Debi would guide me back to those parts of myself that needed to be seen, to be heard. And every time I opened to that vulnerable space Debi was there to greet me with her heartfelt ability to see me, to hear me. I quickly came to learn how essential her attunement was to my journey. With a caring nudge Debi helped me time and again to discover the ways I interrupted my aliveness and my connection to others. The hills and valleys of life are less a mystery to me now. I have learned ways to care for myself. And to attune to others the way Debi attuned to me. I am forever grateful for her generosity of heart.
— G.B.
 
You have made a huge impact on our entire family and I can’t thank you enough for all your help and support. The changes we have seen in our daughter are amazing and we are so happy for her. I would only want another teenager to benefit from your work like our child has. You are great at what you do and have an amazing way connecting with people.
— C.W.
 
Seeing Debi has been a transformative experience. I initially went to her based on recommendations by close friends who knew her work. I was wanting to break from a difficult relationship but was unable to act because of feelings of guilt. Debi helped me work through my feelings - something I was not able to do logically. I learned to better connect to my core self, to read physical “clues” that took the form of holding in my body and my breath, use tools to break old patterns, so I could make decisions from a calm and in charge place and feel that I was speaking my truth. In a short time, I learned all this and more. Now, I continue to go to Debi to work through issues and to grow. Debi has a wealth of experience, training and knowledge. But her gift is in her ability to help you feel your truth. I feel more grounded and alive. And I’m glad and grateful for this journey with Debi.
— M.L.
 
What a gift to be a human being. Not a perfectly generated picture with no flaws, but a human living, breathing being. I am learning a practice which is free for the taking; the gift of BREATH. Breath work is a pathway that leads to my sense of well-being. It is nourishment for the soul and for this I am incredibly grateful. The beauty has been that my old automatic way of thinking does not come as often as it did in the past and when it does it is not the same doom and gloom.

Today, through the practices I am learning in IBP therapy I have proof that with the breath, good parent messages, laughter and more I can show up absolutely and wholeheartedly. And that is ‘good enough’!

I am also so grateful for the guidance of learning a practice which opens my heart to let love in, send love out and come home to my ‘I AM’, which is my true state of being. Now that’s what I call living. Wow what a gift! Thank you Debi for guiding me along this journey!!
— S.R.
 

Chinese Medicine

Our whole family has benefitted from Brooke’s discerning and compassionate care. She first graced our life soon after the birth of our premature twin sons and helped us as no other healthcare provider did with postpartum support (for anxiety, fatigue, & insomnia) as well as milk supply regulation. She also helped our sons’ reflux issues with herbs, massage, acupressure, and acupuncture (they had been on Zantac to no avail). Since then, she’s helped my husband relieve sciatic pain and continues to support the overall health of our family with immune boosting herbs. Brooke has a keen, deep and well-trained mind, paired with a truly gentle, non-judgmental approach; her deep listening enables her to offer a range of possibilities as well as collaborate with Western approaches. She embodies holistic care, caring for the unique needs of our whole family.
— K.D. and C.Z.
 
Taking time to relax has always been a challenge for me. After realizing that my body was asking me to slow down and take care of myself, I decided to seek an alternative treatment route. I am blessed to have Hannah as my practitioner. She has a tremendous skill of being present with me, her calming nature allows me to feel safe and secure, and well cared for. I always sense that she genuinely wants me to feel better. I leave each treatment more radiant than the last, and am always excited to schedule my next treatment because I know the effects are tremendous and in alignment with my overall healing. I highly recommend Hannah to anyone who is looking for a caring professional and well-respected practitioner.
— D.K.
 
My 9 year old daughter has been under a lot of stress at school and it surfaces in the form of tics. I consulted with Brooke to see if she could help. Brooke was reassuring and warm yet professional, which put my daughter at ease. She asked if she could come back to see Brooke which, of course, we will be doing! I love Brooke’s mind/body approach and I can tell all of the tools she is giving my daughter resonate and will be effective.
— D.C.
 
Hannah’s practice is just as her demeanor: calm, kind, present and generous. She is a wonderful listener and is incredibly invested in her patients. She is very knowledgable and detail oriented which shows in her ability to treat a vast number of ailments in one session. She has helped regulate my menstrual cycle as well as quickened my recovery from a car accident. I highly recommend her as a practitioner!
— A.L.
 
The time you spent with my teen and the calm and supportive way you worked with her was wonderful. She found both the herbs and acupuncture to be very helpful.
— K.C.
 
Hannah has supported me through some of my greatest challenges, both physical and emotional/spiritual. Beneath her gentle, calm and caring presence lies a powerhouse of skill, knowledge and talent. After her treatments I not only feel relief from what’s ailing me, but perhaps equally if not more importantly, I feel like I’ve come back home to myself.
— O.M.
 
I took my young daughter to see Brooke and she loved everything about the visit. She talked to her, and engaged her in the entire treatment. We had no intention of actually using needles, but she had my daughter asking to use them - and it was the highlight of the visit. Of course, she would not have used them if my daughter wasn’t fully in agreement - most of the work she did was acupressure and other non-needle techniques. Brooke is incredibly thorough. I highly recommend her for pediatric acupuncture!
— S.T.
 
A nagging sinus issue led me to Hannah at Elemental Family. I’d never tried acupuncture or cupping but had heard of others’ success with it. After three visits to the sanctuary that is the Elemental Family practice, I was feeling infinitely better. The kindness, patience and care I received was as healing as the Chinese herb tinctures. I cannot say enough about how wonderful they are ...

A year in to working with Hannah, I continue to feel the long-lasting benefits of her healing through herbs and acupuncture. I have a deeper, clearer connection to my body and can get it what it needs much quicker!
— Trish C.
 
I highly recommend Brooke and Elemental Family. Brooke takes a holistic and very nurturing approach to pain and imbalance, treating the whole body and not just the source of discomfort. She is warm, intuitive, sensitive and has an incredibly light touch with the needles. She makes even the most skittish patients feel at ease. After only three sessions, I am already seeing positive results. Thank you, thank you!
— J.Q.
 
Hannah instantly put me at ease. She was incredibly attentive and kind. She listens with patience and compassion. Her approach was gentle, yet powerful. I felt lighter and more resilient and better in every way. I am so grateful for her!
— E.B.
 
Brooke Fries has had an extraordinary impact on my health. I sought treatment for menstrual cycle regulation and hormone balancing, and she guided me through my first acupuncture sessions with intelligence and care. I sought her help after many years of unsuccessfully trying to treat these problems with western hormone supplements and birth control. Brooke’s combo of acupuncture and herbal supplements had a more positive impact on my health in the first month than anything I had previously tried. Acupuncture and herbs have now become an integral part of my health regimen, and I’m profoundly happier and healthier as a result!
— J.L.
 
I felt fantastic after acupuncture with Hannah. And I swear my skin looked like it was glowing!
— K.B.
 
I worked with Brooke 6 months prior to conceiving and then through my whole pregnancy. She is absolutely amazing! I seriously cannot praise her highly enough. She is also a mindful mama herself and helped me believe that I too could have a natural childbirth. She helped regulate my cycles, taught me how to track ovulation, and figure out truly how our whole system works. Her office is beautiful and quaint. It’s intimate and inviting. (Not clinical at all, which is nice because while you’re pregnant the last thing you want is to be inside yet another doctor’s office.) Her entire practice is based on a mindful approach to life. I would recommend her to any woman who is thinking about getting pregnant in the near future.
— E.S.
 
While visiting my family in Los Angeles, i injured my left leg between my knee and hip from lifting my grand babies from the floor. The pain and tenderness were pretty severe. I just couldn’t get comfortable. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to receive an Acupuncture treatment from Hannah Fries. She was recommended to me by a dear friend who promised I would get some relief. Hannah’s touch, knowledge of my pain, and her bedside manor were unbelievable. I wish my internist would have the patience and caring that Hannah showed me.
I highly recommend Hannah for both physical and spiritual healing.
— L.C.
 
Brooke was recommended to me by a friend when I was dealing with a lot of postpartum pain. I had never been to acupuncture before and was skeptical but at that point was also willing to try anything in order to feel better. Brooke immediately made me feel at ease and I really appreciate that she asked questions that most Western doctors do not. She has a fantastic manner and explained a bit of the history of acupuncture and how the practice could help. She also took time to listen not only to my symptoms, but she heard where my head was too and I felt like she treated my whole being. After the first session some pain that I’d been living for a month was already gone. After 3 sessions I felt recharged and balanced and better than I had since I became pregnant. I can’t sing her praises enough!
— L.M.
 
I first tried acupuncture as an undergrad in Orange County, and tried a couple of different acupuncturists, and loved it, but still did not have the same connection that I have now with Hannah. She is amazing at what she does, and I always look forward to our sessions. I personally still struggle to take time for myself with a busy work schedule and refocusing some of my attention to my needs, but I feel lucky that I have this outlet. I feel physically, emotionally and spiritually revived every time I leave my session. I would recommend Hannah to anyone, and have talked about her to even my co-workers because I feel like it would benefit our entire office and the work that we do. If you are looking for an acupuncturist, give Hannah a try, you will not regret it!
— J.C.
 
After years of bad luck including a painful miscarriage, Brooke’s acupuncture regulated my menstrual cycle and her ovulation calendar really helped my husband and I pinpoint when to successfully try. We are now three months pregnant. Fingers crossed all continues to go well. My husband and I thank Brooke for her holistic healing and constant support!
— J.Y.
 
Even just being present in Hannah’s spiritual energy will begin your process of dropping in and slowing down, ready to receive the many benefits of her significant skills in acupuncture.
— T.S.
 
I have been a headache person my entire life. Finally in my 50’s I have been fortunate to get ahead (pun intended) of the migraines. With the combination of acupuncture, herbs, and relaxation techniques, I am experiencing relief and wellbeing. I used to have headaches up to 3 days a week. Now I can go weeks without a headache and I am managing my health in a more proactive way. Thank you, Brooke!
— M.W.
 
I came to Hannah when I was pregnant, tired and feeling out of whack. Not only did acupuncture with her calm and refresh my system, but her presence was peaceful and soothing to be around. She answered all of my questions and was knowledgeable in how to aid the symptoms I was having. I can’t recommend Hannah Fries more highly!
— J.M.
 
I very much look forward to acupuncture treatments with Hannah. She is a calming, caring, and friendly person who listens. Hannah introduced me to acupuncture during a time when I was not feeling well and she helped me feel a lot better. I came out of treatments relaxed and more in tune with my body.
— D.J.