The Coherence Protocol

WHAT IS IT?
The Coherence Protocol is the process of bringing your system back into alignment. The protocol doesn’t make you something “better.” Instead, it reveals what is already there—the inherent strength, intelligence, and vitality that is you, and in that uncovering, you find the empowered self who easily moves into joy, opportunities, relaxation, connection, creativity, and expansion.

Most people exist in a state of conflict between the conscious mind (“My dream is….”), the subconscious (“Eek, don’t do anything scary!”), and the physical body (“ugh, this conflict makes me tired!”). Through using the tools of Coherence, sources of your misalignment begin to move and release, and the system naturally reorganizes.

This isn’t about adding something new or becoming someone different. It’s about removing interference so the system can function as it was designed to—clear, responsive, and capable.

As coherence increases, people often notice changes that can feel surprising at first: a burst of creativity, clearer thinking, stronger dreams, intuitive insights, and an increased awareness of opportunity. These are not special abilities being turned on—they are natural expressions of a system that is no longer constricted. When reactivity decreases, perception expands. You begin to see more of what is actually there, both internally and in your environment. Coherence work is not about escape or transcendence; it is about becoming more accurate, more grounded, and more able to participate in your life with clarity and agency.

WHAT DOES THE PROCESS OF COHERENCE PROTOCOL LOOK LIKE?
You will spend between 2-3 hours each week for five weeks, either in person (in Pasadena) or remotely (via FaceTime), working the protocol with me, in a one-on-one situation. We will discuss what you want to work on in your life before proceeding deeper. Issues that previous clients looked at were: healthy romantic partnerships, fulfilling of life long dreams, stage fright, alleviating symptoms of PTSD/OCD/depression, how to earn more money.

I will teach you how to move into an altered state of awareness using visualization and sonic driving*. Once you’re comfortable with the process, you will lay back wearing an eye mask and headphones and slowly move into the altered state. We will record the session and listen back to the experience afterwards, noticing places of interest and healing.

Each session builds on the previous. By the end of the 5-session protocol, you will have journeyed through a full arc, and benefits will begin to unfold. Most people notice a difference after the first session, although others notice shifts after completing the full cycle.

This is an example of the set-up for Coherence training

EXAMPLE OF THE PROTOCOL DURING ALTERED STATE
This is a brief excerpt from an altered-state session. The client (in this case, me!) is already in an altered state of awareness, and describes what unfolds as she moves through an unexplored landscape of conciousness:

WHERE DOES THE COHERENCE PROTOCOL COME FROM?
Coherence draws from core shamanic practices, including the work of anthropologist Michael Harner, and has evolved through years of direct client work into its own living process.

READ ONE CLIENT’S EXPERIENCE OF THE COHERENCE PROTOCOL
This client noticed an influx of creative inspiration, and, at the same time a decrease of anxiety symptoms. Read here.

Drawing, dated 1609, of a Sami shaman playing his drum. Indigenous groups have used drumming to induce altered states of conciousness for millennia. The Sami people are part of Lizzy’s lineage.

*WHAT IS SONIC DRIVING?
Sonic driving drumming is the use of monotonous, repetitive drumming—typically 4–7 beats per second (roughly 220 bpm)—to induce altered states of consciousness, deep meditation, or shamanic trance. It works through auditory driving and neural entrainment, where brainwaves align with the steady rhythm, calming the thinking mind and activating the theta brainwave state.

WHAT THE COHERENCE PROTOCOL IS NOT
The Coherence Protocol is a mindfulness-based system using shamanic techniques. It does not replace psychotherapy or medical care. It is not therapy and is not intended for crisis support. No claims are made about its outcomes. Altered states are achieved solely through drumming. No psychedelics, plant medicines, or ingestible substances are used. All sessions are confidential.