Our Beloved Team

T. Aisha Edwards, LMHC

Radical Rest Founder, Vision
Director and Primary Facilitator

T. Aisha Edwards, LMHC (xe/she) is a somatic trauma therapist and educator based in Vancouver WA. Xe received xer Masters in Clinical Psychology from Pacific University and has concentrated on socialized oppressions, interpersonal violence, abuse and neglect in marginalized populations throughout xer decade-plus career.

Prior to private practice, xe worked in community mental health, high acuity treatment settings and was an adjunct faculty at Portland Community College.

Xe uniquely weaves Gestalt, Somatic Experiencing, Early Developmental Movement Therapies, NeuroEmotional Technique and concepts from Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western and Indigenous Herbalism into a holistic approach to mental health that fosters the primary relationship with the body as the vehicle to wellness, wholeness and connection.

Aisha is also the co-host of Emergent Liberation Collective, a podcast about somatics and spirituality as instruments for personal healing and collective transformation.

Dr. Karla Morgan, ND (she/her) is a student at Pacifica Graduate Institute working towards a PhD in psychology. She is also a licensed Naturopath in the state of Oregon and a Somatic Experiencing practitioner who specializes in working with trauma, intergenerational trauma, racialized trauma and chronic illness. Karla is a 46 year old cis-gendered woman, whose preferred pronouns are she/her. She is in a heterosexual relationship of 14 years and is the mother of 2 children ages 13 and 9. She is a Mestiza woman whose family immigrated from Mexico and her experience has been one of living in the borderlands.

This has informed her work and holistic approach, which takes into account the health of our communities and land, the physical body, mind, spirit, and emotions. Her passion is supporting health, transformation and curiosity with trauma informed, somatic and body work modalities

Dr. Karla Morgan, ND

Curriculum Specialist and Primary Facilitator

Alivia Mercedes Feliciano

Director of Engagement and Development

Alivia Feliciano (she/her/ella) is of Boriken ancestry, with the honor and joy of living on lands stewarded by the Multnomah, Kathlamet, Clackamas, Chinook, Tualatin Kalapuya, Molalla & Siletz. With over a decade of service as a Social Worker, Birth Advocate and Community Health Activist, Alivia comes to Radical Rest rootein the belief that all systems can be deeply affected by the massive power of Black, Brown and Indigenous love; Love for our traditions, love for our lands and love for our collective healing.

Alivia has woven these ideas into her work with the state health authority, county health department and numerous community-based organizations focused on the health and healing of historically exploited and excluded populations. She has experience building and leading health programs, creating coalitions, forming policy and facilitating. Alivia has an especially deep passion for traditional healthwork and the wisdom of plant medicine. Ultimately, her face is eternally turned towards a future where all levels of care are grown with the spirit of loving tenderness. Se Habla Español

Blythe Garma

Finance and Operations Director

Blythe Garma (she/her) is a first generation Filipina American. Originally from Chicago she moved to Portland in 2019. She has a Masters in Public Administration with a focus on nonprofit management. With over a decade of public service as a healthcare worker, case manager, operations & finance specialist, Blythe is deeply committed to mission-oriented work. She is driven by enhancing representation within non-profit leadership and hopes to continue this work as the Director of Operations here at Radical Rest. In addition to her work with Radical Rest, Blythe works with JOIN, a local housing nonprofit in Portland that focuses on long-term housing and retention.

Amy Ruff is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and currently serves as a case manager at a local university where they provides crisis support and assists students to connect with relevant mental health and wellbeing resources both on and off campus. Amy maintains the BIPOC and QT Therapists Guild to foster culturally responsive care coordination in the community.

When not working their 9-5 Amy is organizing for healing justice, providing gender affirming care to trans and non-binary folks, watching the Portland Thorns, and attempting to keep her garden alive.

Amy Ruff, LCSW

Event Coordination and Development Specialist

Melissa Platt, Ph.

Event Coordinator and Data Specialist

Melissa Platt comes to Radical Rest with a background as a clinical psychologist focusing on the impact of betrayal trauma and oppression on mental health. In her work with clients, she has often witnessed the thriving that is possible when the whole person is held by their communities in both tangible (e.g., access to healthcare, housing, and physical safety) and emotional ways. She has also seen how the institutions of mental health and psychology, rooted in a history of white supremacy, do not always contribute to the care infrastructure that best supports BIPOC thriving.

She began her connection with Radical Rest as a pop-up service provider and has spent the past two years learning about the ins and outs of supporting a developing organization. Melissa is also hard-of-hearing and in the process of learning American Sign Language to better serve the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community.