“In the depth of winter I finally
learned that there was in me an invincible summer. ”
“I would love to live like a river flows, carried by the surprise of its own unfolding.”
“Open the window in your chest and let the spirits fly in and out.”
philosophy
To connect and to express are gateways to the spirit of the heart. My life's passion is about finding the portals in which these ways of being human can freely grow and blossom.
Over 30 years ago I began my career as a performing violinist. My expression was through the conversation of music. It was the restriction of stumbling blocks in that form of communication which led me to the world of the therapeutic process.
There I discovered the mind/body connection and the path of meditation as a direct passage back to the true self. This is the journey toward alignment with an inner authentic core, which creates an ease of connection with everything else. The development of internal space allows life to flow and unfold effortlessly.
These experiences of expression and connection inform my work as a therapist, workshop leader, performance and creativity coach. I explore with my clients, by way of a gentle inquiry, the connection with their inner voice. This leads to the discovery of their narrative that can be stuck and limiting. As I guide the client into the intelligence of the body, expression finds its unique way out through an embodied and accurate experience of unveiled truth. What is essential for me above all is to create a warm, compassionate and respectful environment for this transformation to occur.
BIO
Private practice 2005 to present - I work with adults and adolescents, on a variety of issues including anxiety, loss, depression, relationship exploration, transitions and self-expression. I have a special interest in the journey toward health through creative expression.
Kwantlen Polytechnic University 2015 - 2017 - developed and presented a credited elective for the music department - The Psycho/physiology of Music Performance
Vancouver Coastal Health 2006 - 2013 - Youth Clinical Counsellor at East Van Youth Clinic, working with youth ranging from 12-25 years old.
Vancouver Opera Orchestra 1986 to present - section violin
Babayaga String Quartet 1986 to 1999 - jazz string quartet- Vancouver and Montreal Jazz Festivals, toured across Canada
Vancouver International Song Institute 2009 to 2014 - I created a course called The Embodied Musician: The Art of Performance Wellness. I have been offering it yearly to students from all over North America who come for a summer music intensive at UBC in the month of June. I have given similar workshops to many music departments including SUNY at Fredonia, New York, New Brunswick Registered Teachers Association, Moncton NB, UBC, Capilano University, Vancouver Community College, Kwantlen Polytechnic University and Trinity Western University.
Workshop development and presentation at Liberty Clinic: The Embodied Professional 2014, Meditation, Body Work and Process Group, 2014
Kitsilano Secondary School 2015 - lecture on Anxiety in Adolescents- given to teachers and counsellors
Teaching Private Violin Lessons - 1992 - 2015
Vancouver Academy of Music faculty, 1982 - 1992 - private teaching and group lessons with children and adolescents
Blazing Mountain Retreat Center 2009 - 2013 - studying meditation and body practices with Dr. Reggie Ray, meditation teacher, Buddhist scholar and author
Portrait photos by Beryl Woodrow