Allison was born in New York City and spent much of her youth involved in music, dance, and theatre arts. While in college she began practicing yoga and exploring alternatives to western medicine as a result of a prolonged illness.  She found that these practices helped her find inner guidance and cultivate true health.  Throughout her life she has been inspired to teach what she learns.

Devoted to the healing arts for over twenty-five years, Allison has studied and taught many forms of massage, meditation, and qi practices, along with their accompanying traditional medical and philosophical theories.  Her focus has always been relaxation, deep listening, joyful embodiment, and health cultivation.

In 1996, with her husband Stephen Cavaliere, Allison helped open Miraval, Life in Balance, near Tucson, Arizona, now one of the top spas in the world.  There, they created the Asian Bodywork Department, trained staff, and worked with guests.  While at Miraval she and Stephen were inspired to write Unwinding the Belly to provide a non-technical and accessible introduction to the essence of breathing and self-healing.

Allison continues to offer the Skills of Embodiment to the general public and to create a series of audio recordings based on her personal practice and teaching.