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St. David
My Story
I’ve always been curious about what helps people feel safe, connected, and fully alive -- and what allows animals and the natural world to thrive with us.
Sometimes a tiny positive change sets off a ripple effect. Long before I had language for neuroscience or nonviolence, I was drawn to small moments when something shifts for the better.
That fascination has taken me through classrooms, therapy rooms, research, and eventually to writing and teaching about how nonviolence expands in the brain and in our lives.
art credit | Grace Minnix
Some of my earliest memories include a sensitivity to people, a sense of care for animals, and awe in the presence of natural beauty.
I remember surprising kindnesses — a teacher checking on me after my parents separated, a coach helping my sister get what she needed for school, the warmth of a small church community during a hard season.
These experiences shaped my belief in simple gestures, small practices, and love through action.
My path wasn’t linear.
I studied theology, and psychology, and eventually became a psychotherapist where I gained a deep respect for the resilience of human beings.
Walking with people through pain and growth showed me how our brains limit or expand what feels possible, and how our wellness is intertwined with the welfare of animals and the natural world.
art credit | Grace Minnix
As I immersed myself in brain science, I began to see nonviolence not just as an ethical idea but as something we can cultivate -- toward ourselves, other people, animals, and the planet.
That realization felt deeply hopeful. It suggested that a nonviolent life isn’t just aspirational; it’s something already within us.
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"Embodied Nonviolence in a Time of Collective Tension"
SSW Blandy Lecture Workshop 2025
with Kazu Haga
The empirical study that became The Nonviolent Brain gave me a front row seat to fascinating examples of nonviolence in action.
I listened to diverse nonviolentists across the globe -- Atheist, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, and Muslim -- in the first ever grounded theory study of nonviolence toward the planet, animals, and people.
Writing their stories allowed me to weave together clinical experience, research, and stories of people around the world practicing nonviolence in courageous and creative ways.
Rather than focusing on the problem, I wanted to understand those who are solving it. “What supports nonviolence from the inside out?”
The results show how small, everyday practices can create meaningful ripples in our lives and communities.
Outside of my professional work, I love the small rhythms of ordinary life — poetry, meaningful conversations, tacos with plenty of guac, and running along Town Lake in Austin, TX.
My partner Austin and I enjoy volunteering with friends engaged in nonviolent direct action for the climate, animals, and human rights.
I'm involved in interfaith work with communities putting nonviolence into practice. What continues to inspire me is the human brain’s remarkable capacity to change and the courage of folks working toward a more nonviolent future.
I feel hopeful when I see care extended toward the smallest and most vulnerable beings, and I remain curious about how reducing suffering — especially for animals and humans in need — may shape our own nervous system wellness in positive ways.
Through brain science, we can learn
together how to become a little more nonviolent each day.
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