Dr. Ava Katherine Coder, formerly known as Dr. Katherine Coder, is a pioneering figure in the world of transpersonal psychology, specializing in trauma healing and spiritual therapy. In a recent livestream with Mike Mann, Dr. Ava shared her journey from community development to becoming a licensed professional counselor. Her unique blend of psychology and spiritual practices provides a holistic approach to healing, blending deep psychological work with transformative spiritual experiences.
A Journey of Discovery and Transformation
Dr. Ava’s journey began with a passion for community work. Before earning her doctorate in transpersonal psychology in 2011, she was deeply involved in international development, having worked with the Peace Corps and in New York. However, after earning her doctorate, Dr. Ava faced a crossroads: Should she return to community work or dive deeper into clinical psychology? Her heart was always drawn to helping people on a more personal and transformative level, so she decided to start working more intimately with individuals.
After moving to Miami, Dr. Ava developed a strong community, hosting spiritual groups and working with visionary plant medicine, where she supported a Peruvian teacher in building a community in South Florida. Eventually, Dr. Ava began leading her own groups and writing a book on integrating visionary plant medicine experiences.
Her desire to help others grow spiritually while healing trauma led her to focus on somatic experiencing, a trauma modality, which she began specializing in around 2018. This modality connects the body and mind, helping people process and release deep-seated trauma. As she continued to expand her practice, Dr. Ava found a calling to support other healers, therapists, and spiritual practitioners—guiding them through their own healing journeys.
From Miami to Colorado: A New Chapter
Dr. Ava’s life took another turn when she moved to Colorado, where she now resides with her son. Though she initially thought that her move might slow her down, it allowed her to slow down in the best possible way, giving her time to be present for her son. Having a child in 2017 completely shifted her perspective, leading to a more balanced approach to both motherhood and her career. She now brings her rich background in transpersonal psychology, trauma healing, and spiritual development to her practice, and works closely with a variety of clients, from healers to spiritual practitioners.
Although Dr. Ava still has strong ties to Miami and the East Coast, she now also works with clients from all over the world. Many of her clients are drawn to her for her unique integration of deep psychotherapy with spiritual practice, allowing them to tap into their soul’s essence, discover their true gifts, and find healing through a blend of modalities.
The Oinos Temple: An Elemental Journey
One of Dr. Ava’s latest offerings is a deeply transformative group program called the Oinos Temple. This program, which is launching on February 8, 2025, takes participants through a sacred journey of the elements—earth, water, fire, air, and spirit. Each element represents different aspects of our being, and Dr. Ava works with participants to connect to their body, mind, heart, and soul through these elements.
The program is grounded in a spiritual lineage that goes back 40,000 years to the Russian Steppe region, where Dr. Ava’s maternal ancestry originates. She has spent years meditating and connecting with this ancient lineage, and now shares it with the community through this unique group experience. Participants will learn to work with the elements, create altars, sing songs, and explore deep spiritual practices that bring them closer to their truest selves.
Each group session will run for seven weeks, and as Dr. Ava explained, it is a rare opportunity to experience a spiritual transformation within a small group setting. The program also fosters a deep sense of community, allowing participants to share their experiences and grow together. The program is already filling up, and Dr. Ava mentioned that only a few spots remain for those who wish to join this sacred experience.
Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy: A Groundbreaking Approach
In addition to her work with the elements and trauma, Dr. Ava is expanding her practice with ketamine-assisted psychotherapy. This innovative approach uses ketamine in low doses to help people enter a dissociative state, allowing them to process trauma and other difficult emotions more effectively. It’s a method that is still evolving but has shown significant promise in helping people with treatment-resistant depression and deep emotional trauma.
Dr. Ava is currently undergoing training at the Polaris Insight Center in San Francisco, which is one of the leading clinics in ketamine-assisted psychotherapy. She is particularly excited about the potential of combining ketamine therapy with her existing trauma-healing practices to offer even deeper levels of transformation for her clients. Though she is currently working on obtaining her full licensure in Colorado, she is already incorporating this cutting-edge therapy into her practice, and plans to expand her offerings in the near future.
Embracing the Future: Integrating Healing Modalities
Dr. Ava’s journey has been one of continual growth and evolution, blending her expertise in clinical psychology with her deep spiritual practices. As she continues to work with clients, she is expanding the modalities she offers, such as MDMA-assisted therapy and psilocybin therapy, once these therapies become legally available for therapeutic use. In a time when mental health challenges are at an all-time high, Dr. Ava’s work offers hope and a path to healing for many who feel stuck in their emotional and psychological journeys.
Her commitment to integrating deep spiritual work with clinical therapy makes her a unique healer, offering both traditional therapeutic tools and alternative, spiritually guided practices. For those looking to heal trauma, discover their purpose, and tap into their soul’s essence, Dr. Ava Katherine Coder’s work offers a transformative experience that is sure to leave a lasting impact.
To learn more about Dr. Ava’s work, you can visit her website or connect with her via social media.
