MEET THE FOUNDER of Illuminaura

Dr. Xena Rose Montoya

Hi, I’m Dr. Xena — also known professionally as Lindsay Montoya, DNP, PMHNP-BC. I’m a psychiatric nurse practitioner, trauma-informed therapist, nervous system educator, and the founder of Illuminaura.

For over a decade, I’ve supported individuals navigating anxiety, overwhelm, and the lasting effects of trauma. My work has spanned hospital units, community mental health, and private practice — but at the heart of it all is one guiding truth: healing begins when we reconnect with the wisdom of the body.

Through both therapy and coaching, I help motivated individuals regulate their nervous systems, release survival-based patterns, and reclaim a felt sense of safety, clarity, and self-trust.

I started Illuminaura to bridge the gap between clinical mental health care and intuitive, embodied healing. I wanted to create more expansive ways to help people move beyond just “coping” — to truly thrive. Whether we’re working together in therapy (for Washington clients), through resilience coaching, or inside a self-paced course, my goal is always the same:

✨ To help you feel safe enough in your body to become the most alive, grounded, and empowered version of yourself.

My approach integrates evidence-based strategies from neuroscience and somatic psychology with soul-aligned practices like breathwork, visualization, and ritual. It’s gentle, science-rooted, and always trauma-informed.

I believe that when you learn how to work with your nervous system instead of against it, everything changes — your relationships, your decisions, your energy, your peace.

If you’re ready to stop just surviving and start expanding into the sacred wholeness that’s been waiting for you all along, I would be honored to walk beside you.

Let’s build a healthier, happier version of you together — from the inside out.

  • Earned my Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology.

  • Earned my Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) in Nursing Programs and Outcomes Management.

  • Became a registered nurse specializing in psychiatric crisis stabilization.

  • Practiced Psychiatric Nursing for 6 years.

  • Earned my Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree, specializing in psychiatric mental health.

  • Became a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC)

  • Founded Illuminaura Resilience Coaching, combining evidence-based mental health practices with holistic, mind-body approaches.

  • Founded Illuminaura EMDR & Psychotherapy, a private practice dedicated to holistic, trauma-informed mental health care, empowering clients to heal deeply and reconnect with themselves.

Breathwork ✨ Grounding techniques ✨ Self-compassion rituals ✨ Nervous system mapping ✨ Mindful movement ✨ Guided visualizations ✨ Somatic resourcing ✨ Reframing practices ✨ Daily regulation habits

Always a nurse at heart

My Philosophy of Caring

To care for another is to honor the sacred within them — their body, their pain, their potential, and their divine design. I believe that healing is not about erasing wounds, but about integrating them into a larger story — one where the individual is no longer held back by the pain, but propelled by the wisdom it leaves behind.

I am here as a guide and channel, walking beside those who are ready to move forward in their lives, not through force or perfectionism, but through radical self-acceptance and the courageous choice to become someone new.

Caring, to me, is not just a practice — it is a prayer.

It is the physical act of service, the energetic transmission of love, and the spiritual recognition that every person is a beloved child of the universe. When someone comes to me in distress, I offer stillness, breath, and touch — not to fix, but to co-regulate and hold. I create space where silence can speak, pain can be felt, and the voice of their soul can rise to the surface.

Holding space means I listen — deeply, intuitively, energetically. I wait and witness what wants to emerge. I allow Source energy to guide me as I guide others, trusting that what comes through us is meant for healing.

I believe we are each powerful creators of our lives, and that by learning to self-regulate, release, and reorient toward our soul’s purpose, we become aligned with our highest timeline. Healing is sacred because it returns us to our divinity. Every time I help someone move from pain into purpose, I help raise the collective frequency of humanity — one breath, one body, one heart at a time.

I invite you to step into this space with me, not to fix or force anything, but to gently explore what’s ready to rise. So often, the wounds we’ve tucked away begin to surface when we feel safe enough to face them. Together, we’ll listen for what’s asking to be healed—whether it shows up as tension in the body, patterns in your relationships, or emotions that have been waiting for your attention. You don’t have to come knowing exactly what needs work. Just come as you are, and we’ll uncover it together—with honesty, compassion, and care.

My intention is always to help others:

  • Feel safe in their bodies

  • Love who they are, fully and unconditionally

  • Remember their spiritual nature

  • Step boldly into their life’s purpose

  • Create the life they truly want — from a place of clarity, courage, and deep self-trust

People have always opened up to me—often without knowing why—sharing their pain, their stories, their deepest wounds. I came to understand that this phenomenon was more than coincidence; it was a calling. Rather than turning away, I chose to honor it. I devoted myself to learning how to hold those stories with care, how to guide others through the layers of their trauma, and how to help them reconnect with the strength and wisdom that was never lost—only waiting to be remembered. This is the work I was made for, and I walk this path with deep honor every day.

Each time I hold space for someone to return to themselves, I contribute to a collective shift. I’m here to help build a world where people live with intention, feel at home in their bodies, and relate to each other with presence and depth. A world where worth is remembered, not earned. A world where transformation is not only possible, but inevitable—when love and awareness meet.

Through this work, I am helping create a world of awakened, embodied souls — people who live with intention, who know they are enough, and who connect with each other in meaningful, transformative ways.

Themes I Work With

Regulating the Nervous System

Healing from Trauma and Emotional Wounds

Building Safe, Loving Relationships with Self and Others

Releasing Self-Limiting Beliefs

Reclaiming Self-Worth and Inner Confidence

Creating Boundaries Rooted in Self-Respect

Transforming Anxiety into Empowered Presence

Trusting the Body’s Wisdom

Embodying Authentic Expression and Purpose

Copyrights 2025 | Illuminaura™ | Terms & Conditions