Our Vision & Values
Co-creating resilient and sustainable communities around the world!
WE CARE
Seeds of Wellbeing... shared Ethics...
rooted in Compassion... stemmed Accountability
co-creates Resiliency & Effectiveness...
You kNOW More
Introduction
Aloha. I’m Dr. Valerie Simonsen, founder and volunteer president of You Know More. Mahalo for your interest in our service and the vision that continues to guide us. At You Know More, we know that those who dedicate their lives to caring for others deserve to be cared for, too. Through restorative education, compassionate support, and practical resources, we serve frontline workers, first responders, and those who give so much of themselves in service to others. Our service honors the innate wisdom of the body, mind, and spirit, the knowing that lives within each of us. We invite people to reconnect with that wisdom, restore what has been depleted, and remember that caring for oneself is an essential part of caring for others.
But how did You Know More come to be? The seeds were planted long before the organization had a name. In the 1980s, I experienced a series of near-death experiences. Following the final one in 1989, I awoke from surgery with a profound sense of purpose: to become a bridge between traditional and conventional medicine and to bring healing care wherever it was needed.
My background as an Emergency Medical Technician and first responder, followed by decades of experience as a naturopathic physician, prepared me to serve people in moments of vulnerability and to witness the remarkable relationship between care, connection, and the human capacity for healing. This calling led me to expand my practice into international crisis relief.
In 2010, while volunteering at the Bumi Sehat clinic in Bali, I met a 35-year-old woman who had been paralyzed for ten years following a massive stroke. Unable to walk, speak, or swallow, she and her family had endured years of profound hardship. Through restorative care at the clinic, she spoke for the first time in a decade. Quickly she began to regain abilities that had long seemed beyond reach, astonishing her family, friends, and members of the medical team. That experience stayed with me. It deepened my understanding of the power of hope, relationship, and the possibility of healing. Looking back, I recognize that encounter as the conception of You Know More. A seed planted through the meeting of human connection, compassionate care, and belief in what may still be possible.Y
Click above to play video... WE CARE
Years later, during the COVID-19 pandemic, I witnessed too many of my fellow caregivers struggling with exhaustion, overwork, and burnout where five peers took their own lives. I also recognized that familiar tendency within myself: to devote so much to the well-being of others that my own restoration came last.
The truth became clear. Those who hold others through life's most difficult moments need support, nourishment, and care themselves. It was time for the non-profit You Know More to be born. What began as a personal calling has grown into a shared invitation: to restore the caregiver, honor the wisdom within, and cultivate a culture of care that extends to everyone.
At the heart of this work is a simple remembrance: we each carry an innate wisdom that can guide us toward greater connection, restoration, and self-sovereignty. Sometimes, we simply need the space, support, and encouragement to hear it again.
Mahalo for being here and for your interest in our mission and vision. We invite you to join us in nurturing those who nurture our communities, so that care may flow in every direction.
With aloha and gratitude,
Our Team
Vice President, Practitioner
Secretary, Practitioner
CFO
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The Nature of YOUr Nature... the Journey hOMe to YOU kNOW MORE.....
I believe in you!
Dr Valerie lives in her internal knowing & honors everyone's innate wisdom. As a revered metaphysician, licensed naturopathic physician, humanitarian, human rights activist, philosopher, philanthropist, founder & volunteer president of the non-profit You Know More, she is a global citizen, serving the world with 43 years of global healthcare. She is distinguished as an international expert in mind body spirit medicine, Earth based ecological medicine, play therapy, integrative medicine, integrative functional wellness, disaster relief, author, illustrator, public speaker, television production, fashion designer, & expressive arts docere coined as craftivism. She facilitates individuals to return to the nature of their nature & reconcile their value. Naturally this effect ripples out to the care & health of local & global communities.
As the intuitive bridge between ancient wisdom & the modern world and addressing the GAP between the Earth & her clients, she believes in your innate wisdom & supports in personal renaissance for all.
Dr Valerie has co-created and co-facilitated over 30 events as
she continues to serve Maui's recovery with 10 months of integrative medicine to those affected by the fires. Educating & empowering individuals, organizations & communities as the purification & renewal flows through the island.
Maria Knauer is a renowned holistic health care practitioner and therapeutic spa expert with over 38 years of experience. She has built a strong reputation working with clients from all corners of the globe, offering a wide range of healing modalities tailored to their unique needs.
With licenses in massage therapy and esthetics, Maria's expertise extends beyond traditional spa treatments. She has received extensive training in various healing practices, including classical homeopathy from the American Medical College of Homeopathy. Maria's knowledge in this field led her to write the acclaimed "ABC's of Homeopathy" article series for Maui Mama Magazine.
Maria's qualifications also include a diploma in Ayurvedic medicine and certification as a Healing Touch practitioner. For a decade, she dedicated her skills at Kaiser Permanent's volunteer Healing Touch clinic on Maui. Additionally, Maria is an accomplished aromatherapist, reflexologist, and Reiki practitioner.
Before relocating to Hawai'i in 2000, Maria owned and operated her own spa in the United Kingdom, where she served more than 35,000 clients. She then joined the Four Seasons Resort Maui Spa, where she worked for 21 years. In 2021, Maria launched Maria Gold Wellness, her own wellness company..
In 2022, Maria underwent Atma Kriya Yoga teacher training and initiation on the enchanting island of Mauritius. She became an initiated devotee under the guidance of her Guru, Paramahamsa Sri Swami Vishwananda, in 2021, and in 2017, she became an Om chanting leader with Bhakti Marga.
Maria's dedication to personal growth led her to complete the Leadership in Health and Well-Being program at Duke University in 2023, through Duke Integrative Medicine. Her commitment to advancing her skills and knowledge allows her to provide cutting-edge wellness solutions to her clients.
In 2023, Maria lead transformational wellness retreats on the picturesque island of Maui, immersing participants in a rejuvenating experience. Looking ahead, she plans to expand her retreats internationally in 2024, sharing her expertise and passion for holistic health on a global scale.
Maria is currently serving as the Vice President of the nonprofit organization "You Know More." She combines her extensive experience in holistic wellness with a passion for social change to empower individuals and communities with knowledge and resources for personal growth and well-being. Maria's commitment to promoting holistic health and her role as Vice President exemplify her dedication to making a positive impact and transforming lives.
Maria also nurtures her spirit through global travels, visiting sacred temples and sites alongside her clients and Guru, creating memories and enriching her understanding of the world's diverse spiritual traditions.
Beyond her professional achievements, Maria cherishes her role as a mother to her two beautiful children, Zak and Anela. She resides on the slopes of Haleakalā on Maui, where she finds solace and joy surfing in Hawaii’s blissful waves.
Jessica Brazil, LCSW, is a visionary clinical social worker and psychospiritual therapist with over 25 years of experience, deeply inspired by her love for nature and the diversity of healing and expansion practices. Practicing with deep compassion on Maui for over 17 years, Jessica has built integrative and multicultural teams that improve access to mental health care. She focuses on the connection between mind, body, and spirit, guiding clients through self-discovery and transformation with evidence-based treatments while also consulting and inviting in diverse and Indigenous healing wisdoms.
With advanced training in Hypnosis, Brainspotting I & II, Kundalini Yoga, Mindfulness CBT, TF-CBT, Accelerated Resolution Therapy, and more, Jessica is particularly inspired toward advancing access to breakthrough treatments, including breathwork and psychedelic-assisted therapies. She helped bring Accelerated Resolution Therapy to Maui, which offers rapid recovery in just a few sessions, making a meaningful impact in a time of crisis. As the founder of Mindful Living Group and the Healer’s Voices Podcast, Jessica is a leader in creating sacred spaces and strengthening communities that foster resilience and healing.
For over 20 years, Jessica has been studying and practicing a variety of meditations, engaging in mentorships, and exploring ways to connect more mindfully and lovingly with herself, nature, the spirit world, and others. In her free time, she enjoys surfing, stepping into the forest, traveling to places that speak to her heart, taking a deep dive into music, and spending time with loved ones.
"We are so much more than the identities and roles we have embodied and there is nothing more special than sharing in a meaningful moment with people as they realize their capacity for healing, change, growth, and potential."
Prior to retiring in 2020, Craig was a senior director of product management at a large aerospace corporation located in Southern California, using the power of data to enhance commercial airline safety and improve operational efficiency. He has extensive experience in creating innovative products and solutions and bringing them to market and was responsible for the financial performance of projects, programs, and product team building.
One of his favorite projects was leading the development of a simulation of the International Space Station’s power system. Earlier in Craig’s career he was an accountant and financial auditor for a worldwide accounting firm, Coopers & Lybrand.
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Raechel has her Bachelors in Business from Coastal Carolina Community College and American Intercontinental University. She was born and raised in the Ruby Valley in Southwest Montana. She served two years in the U.S. Army and has traveled and lived in Florida, Coastal NC, East Bay, CA, and now resides in Phoenix, AZ.
In 2014, she obtained a certificate of Web Design HTML and CSS Certification from Online Consulting, Inc. in Sacramento, CA. She is also certified in Graphic Design from Shaw University as of April 2020. She can navigate all website design platforms and has access to and acumen for all Adobe Creative Cloud™ applications. She is also certified in Google Analytics as of 2023. As of 2024, Raechel specifically dedicated to Wix website management. In 2026, Raechel was honored as an Influential Woman of Phoenix for her leadership and contributions to the digital marketing industry. She plans to become a certified Wix editor by 2027.
Through diligent research and dedication, Raechel fuses creativity and technical skills to create professional, original, and captivating digital media.
Raechel is passionate about helping clients reach their goals, whether it’s through websites, social media, written content, digital marketing channels, or consulting and teaching.