Held by the Water: A Milestone in My WATSU® Journey

This past week, I had the privilege of completing my WATSU® II 50-hour training, taught by the extraordinary Mary Seamster and Maria Kilgo—two teachers whose wisdom, presence, and skill elevated every moment of this experience.

To say the course was amazing feels like an understatement. It was transformative, demanding, beautiful, and deeply humbling all at once. WATSU® is a modality that asks for your full presence—body, mind, and heart—and this level of training stretched me in the best possible ways.

There were moments that felt effortless, like the water itself was teaching me… and there were moments that were genuinely hard. Times when my body was tired, my brain was overloaded with technique, and I wondered if I could absorb it all. But I kept showing up—breath by breath, float by float, connection by connection.

Our training took place in a beautiful pool house nestled among giant trees, where sunlight filtered through leaves and the gentle sway of the branches created a natural rhythm all its own. Flowing in the water beneath this canopy of green, I felt grounded and connected—this was truly a retreat for my soul and a wonderful adventure for my spirit.

Between sessions, we embraced creativity and community: painting with watercolors during breaks, taking turns cooking nourishing dinners, and finding rhythm and harmony in a “see a need and fill a need” mentality. These simple rituals made the experience feel like a living, breathing ecosystem of care, learning, and shared joy.

I’m incredibly proud to say: I passed WATSU® II! I’m officially moving forward on this incredible path. Of course, the journey isn’t over yet! I still have 100 hours to complete before I finish this practitioner training, and I’m excited to continue learning, growing, and refining my skills. Every hour in the water brings new insights and deeper understanding of this profoundly healing work.

I’m grateful for the guidance of Mary and Maria, whose teaching balances mastery with compassion. Their dedication to this work—and to their students—shines through every cue, every correction, and every moment they hold the container for learning and growth.

I’m also grateful for my fellow students, for the support, shared laughter, collective learning, and those quiet, meaningful moments that can only happen in the water.

Most of all, I want to thank my husband, Milind, for supporting me unconditionally—through long hours of training, the challenges of intense practice, and the times I was away from home. Thank you for letting me practice on you, even when that meant dunking you underwater! Your love, encouragement, and unwavering belief in me made this achievement possible.

I also want to thank my mom, whose unwavering encouragement and belief in me have always been a guiding light. Your support gave me the confidence to pursue this journey and reminded me that following my passions is always worth it—even when I doubted myself or worried that a career change might seem “silly.”

This journey has deepened my love for WATSU and strengthened my commitment to bringing this healing, intuitive, water-based therapy to others. I can’t wait to continue learning, practicing, and offering this beautiful work.

Here’s to the next step. Here’s to the water. And here’s to showing up for ourselves—even when it’s hard.