About Romi
Romi Cumes is a leading professional in somatic and relational psychotherapy, bodywork/massage, yoga Instruction, and intuitive healing. She is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, Certified Yoga Instructor, and Certified Massage Therapist, who has been committed to healing, mindfulness, and movement-based studies for over 25 years. Romi’s intention is to support people from all walks of life to explore the profound relationship between somatic (body-centered) awareness, inner-healing and personal growth.
Romi integrates clinical knowledge with intuitive wisdom to initiate greater transformation and healing for her clients. Based out of Santa Barbara, California, she founded Transformative Healing Arts in 2006 and in 2021, established Romi Cumes Somatic Therapy P.C., a Marriage and Family Therapy Corporation. Along with her Associate MFT practitioners, Romi provides somatic-relational psychotherapy, mindfulness-based education, and intuitive, energy-focused counseling.
My Background
Movement has been one of the most profound sources of soul-nourishment in my life. As a child, I was passionate about gymnastics and trained consistently in California and one summer in Russia. As a teenager and young adult, dance and yoga inspired my exploration of body-centered inquiry and I completed introductory and advanced yoga teacher trainings from the White Lotus Foundation in 1998 and 2007.
I have always been drawn to healing and took my first Anatomy, Accupressure, and Massage therapy classes in college through the Holistic Health Program at UC Santa Cruz. I received additional massage training from the Body Therapy Institute and Santa Barbara Bodyworks and became a Certified Massage Therapist in 2001. I hold certifications in Cranial Sacral Therapy and Myofascial Release from the Upledger Institute and John Barnes Myofascial Seminars. I also consistently integrate Deep Tissue, Neuromuscular Therapy, Intuitive Energy Healing, Accupressure, and Swedish massage in my practice.
After years of experiencing the transformative power hands-on-healing work had on me and my clients, I felt called to deepen my academic understanding of somatic-relational psychology, which explores the powerful relationship between the body, the psyche, and interpersonal human connection. I completed a Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from the Santa Barbara Graduate Institute in 2011 and completed an additional year of coursework from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology in 2012. From 2013-2015, I was further inspired by post-graduate, experiential work under the guidance of Three Fold Way founder, Michael Sieck, PhD., a kind and masterful therapist and professor.
Before becoming a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in 2018, I developed my skills by interning at various agencies in Santa Barbara which served a wide range of ages, mental health disorders and social demographics. I felt especially called to support young adults at Santa Barbara City College and bereaved adults and youth at Hospice of Santa Barbara.
My personal and academic journey galvanized my exploration of the somatic, relational, and client-centered psychotherapy approaches that greatly influence my clinical practice today. For more detailed information about my approach and offerings, feel free to visit the Somatic Psychotherapy page.
My Journey
I love learning about ecology and participating in nature-focused exploration. I was raised by South African parents and when I was 17, took my first lifechanging backpacking trip to the Imfolozi Game Reserve in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. During my undergraduate education at UC Santa Cruz, I majored in Environmental Studies, with an emphasis in ecology and field-based ethnobotany and had the beautiful opportunity to study plants in California and Nepal. I feel most aligned and connected to myself when immersed in nature and enjoy spending time in scenic areas and untouched wilderness.
Wilderness healing and indigenous knowledge systems have also influenced my healing journey and I glean insight from various wisdom traditions. I strongly believe there is a direct relationship between nature and one’s individual healing process. How we treat ourselves and the earth directly impacts both our personal experience and the global psyche.
There are endless pathways to self-discovery, including both subtle and dynamic practices and experiences. My exploration of movement, healing, nature and somatic psychology has profoundly transformed the way I understand myself and support others. Although I still love climbing mountains and doing handstands, my deepest practice in this life is to remind myself to slow down and tune in to my body’s innate wisdom.
Other Offerings from the Cumes Family
Shamanic Healing & Readings with David Cumes, M.D.
Willka T’ika Wellness Retreats in Peru. Director, Terry Cumes. Founded by Carol Cumes.
Our first duty as human beings is to proceed as if there were not limits to our ability. We are collaborators in creation.