I am a psychosynthesis therapist, and now also a Reiki practitioner, who has for the past 25 years divided my work experience between private practice through The Synthesis Center and mental health agencies where I have worked with people with serious and chronic mental disorders. For the past 10 years I have worked with 11-14 year-olds, their families and teachers as a mental health clinician within a middle school.

Psychosynthesis is the framework, which orients my life in my family, work, neighborhood grass roots political group, and emerging social activism. Psychchosynthesis is the scaffolding, which supports my efforts to find and/or maintain a synthetic vision in all these spheres of life.

Synthetic vision means the belief in, and the looking for, the potential integration of separate parts into a working whole. Whether in a client’s integration of conflicting aspects of themselves, conflict resolution with young adolescents, families, or local and international political polarities, inclusion of all parts is the healing process. One principle, evolution toward unity, is the same in these different dimensions of life.

As a psyhosynthesis therapist at the Center, I see myself as a guide who often works with people caught up in our “yes/no”, “should/shouldn't”, “want/don’t want” conflicts. We all have times when we are stuck within our own polarities. I like to help people question, talk, imagine, role-play, think through and sense through their bodies’ feeling cues, whatever will lead them to clearer understanding of their own uniting truth. Then, like the old game show, “Will the real (you)” stand up?” and practice expressing that truth in the world. I feel honored to witness and participate in this unfolding process within people.

Synthesis, or the uniting of separate parts of oneself into a more whole person is the process of healing. In recent years, I have become interested in healing that happens through the power of the unseen energies that are involved in our physical/mental/emotional lives. This has led me to the practice of Reiki energy work for healing. This hands-on, gentle healing-touch process brings “universal life force energy” (ki in Japanese, chi in Chinese, and prana to Hindus) to people to use in their own integrative process.  Reiki treatment sessions are very relaxing, meditative, and offer universal life force energy for a person to use to support their physical, mental, or emotional healing. You can learn more at www.imagroupmembers.com/websites/index.php?sid=93119

As with psychosynthesis counseling, with Reiki I also feel honored to witness and participate with each person’s movement toward wholeness.