Lionheart Institute Faculty

Deborah is a graduate of the Barbara Brennan School of Healing. In 1996 and 1997, she taught Sexuality as a Healing Tool to over 800 people in the program. Since 1990, she has been teaching workshops on Women’s Sexuality and Sexuality and Spirituality in the U.S. and Europe. Between 1998-2003, she served as Senior faculty at the Snowlion School of Healing in Trimurti, France (along with other Lionheart faculty Dan Buffo and Scott Bader). Currently, she has a private practice (Healer's Forum) in Santa Cruz, California. She is the facilitator of a series of women’s workshops (offered as electives at Lionheart) and beginning a leadership training for women in both the U.S. and Europe.  Deborah’s passion is most alive in the area of relationship and group work, including family and community systems, intimacy and transitions, creativity and leadership.

Rinat holds a PhD in Transpersonal Psychology and a California State License in Marriage and Family Therapy. She has Certifications in Art Therapy and Naturalistic Hypnotherapy.  Rinat has been In private practice since 1982, working with individuals, couples, families, and groups in Israel and the U.S. Her approach is eclectic, integrating West and East psychologies and philosophies.

Modalities are taken from Carl Jung, Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers, Virginia Satire, Assagioli, Patanjali, and more. Rinat’s passion and focus is on “here and now”, meditation, interactive communication, expressive arts, and balancing of body-mind-spirit. 

Scott is a chiropractor, healer and certified hypnotherapist. He comes to us from a senior faculty position at the Snowlion Center School, a 4- year healing training center in the South of France. With the express intent of exploring the bodymind, he has developed the Living Body and Soul Series and the Biology of Love, Consciousness, and Healing. Scott is a graduate of the Barbara Brennan School of Healing and taught for four years on the faculty of the School for Enlightenment and Healing in San Diego. He has completed the Center for Intentional Living's three-year clinical psychology program to deepen his understanding of psyche and soma. After completing a phenomenological family constellation training based on the pioneering work of Bert Hellinger, Scott now facilitates Family Constellations weekends around the country. For the past 12 years, Scott has remained active with Hospice, working individually and with groups. Scott maintains a healing practice and teachers with The Healers' Forum.

Ann is a Naturopath, Certified Nutritional Consultant, Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist, Certified Iridologist, educator, author, and inspirational speaker. She has been in private practice for nine years in Studio City, California and specializes in allergies, digestive disorders, hormonal imbalances, blood sugar disorders, autoimmune diseases, and is an expert on the silent epidemic, Candida. Ann believes that perfect health, on every level, lies within one's own power. She was diagnosed with the debilitating disease Multiple Sclerosis and cured herself twelve years ago. Her book entitled, "Healing Multiple Sclerosis: Diet, Detox & Nutritional Makeover for Total Recovery" came out April 2007.

Susan Crimmins has studied and practiced the healing arts for over 20 years. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the State of New York and holds a doctorate in criminal justice from City University of New York. Both her NIH-funded research endeavors in homicide, substance abuse and maltreatment and the death of her niece influenced her to shift from epidemiologically based work to clinical interventions in the healing of trauma. Dr. Crimmins has been trained extensively in several healing modalities including: Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD), medical qi gong, somatic bodywork, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Healing Touch, Energy Healing and she is certified as an Energy Healer Technician (EHT) in the State of California. Currently, Dr. Crimmins is a Professor in the School of Social Work at California State University at Los Angeles. In addition, she serves as a consultant to educators, therapists and criminal justice practitioners in the healing of trauma, conducts trainings and workshops with multi-disciplinary professionals and has a somatic energy healing practice in Santa Monica. She is completing a three year certificate program in Somatic Experiencing with The Foundation for Human Enrichment, in Colorado. Most importantly, she lives and loves her life fully.

Laura Fannon earned her doctorate in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Transformative Psychotherapy from the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco, California, in 2007. While also maintaining an active law and mediation practice of many years, she currently is in the process of obtaining post-doctoral hours toward licensure as a clinical psychologist. Laura has worked with individuals and groups in a variety of contexts, using an integrative approach that holds psychotherapy in a spiritual framework informed by nondual Eastern traditions. Laura has long had an interest in energy healing and the bodymind connection, having graduated in the late 1990s from both Alive & Well Institute of Conscious Bodywork in San Anselmo, California, and the School for Enlightenment and Healing in San Diego, California. Laura previously has served as a Teaching Assistant for Lionheart’s Transpersonal Spiritual Counseling class and is honored to join the Lionheart faculty. She lives with her family in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Vicki, Energy Healing Therapist and graduate of the Lionheart Institute of Transpersonal Energy Healing, serves on the faculty at Lionheart Institute as Marketing and Recruitment Advisor.  Along with generating awareness of Lionheart Institute and working with potential and existing students, Vicki also teaches Applied Energy Dynamics at the Midwest Institute and is on the teaching team for the Characterology: The Five Developmental Life Stages series.  Vicki holds a degree in Sociology and Communication, and she currently attends the Center for Intentional Living in California – a three-year intensive program that is based in spiritual psychology.  She is passionate about the connection between creativity and spirituality and has taught workshops based on author Julia Cameron’s book, The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity.  Following her creative force, Vicki also finds great joy in designing sacred pieces of art that capture her interpretation of her subject’s essence.  In addition to practicing healing and transpersonal counseling, Vicki chooses to stay connected to the business community and works at a communications design firm in Milwaukee.

Rob has been helping individuals overcome a variety of "incurable" illnesses in his private practice for over 20 years. Integrating his knowledge of Craniosacral Therapy, Visceral Manipulation, Joint Manipulation and Biomechanics with his ability to perceive subtle energies, Rob has developed unique healing methods that facilitate the integration, alignment and coherency of the macro (human energy field), micro (cellular, molecular and atomic) and sensory (physical systems) levels of consciousness. He is the developer and teacher of various training programs, including "Perceive and Heal the Human Energy Field", "Healing the Respiratory Mechanisms of the Body", and "Qigong Plus". Rob is a graduate of the Barbara Brennan School of Healing, and is currently interested in raising funds for research to explore what effect if any; intensive and integrative natural healing will have with kidney disease, liver disease, and cancer. He plans to make the research project into a documentary film.

Joan Luly C.M.T.,S.E.P. is an Energy Healer and Psycho-Dynamic Counselor with practices in San Diego. She is currently teaching Holistic Health Practitioners at Mueller College in San Diego. Joan has trained with shamans in Peru and Yucatan. She is a 1993 graduate of the Barbara Brennan School of Healing and graduated from five years of Core Energetics Training (Characterology) taught by John Pierrakos M.D and Sigmar Gerken Ph.D. She is certified in Massage Therapy, Craniosacral Therapy and Somato-Emotional Release (traumahealing.com). After more than 10 years Joan is in the final stages of the International Teacher Training for the Diamond Approach work. She taught at the Barbara Brennan School of Healing and at the international Snowlion Center School in France. Joan comes from a lineage of healers. Healing became a life's work of "introducing people to themselves": "The deeper you go into yourself the more you get to know the universe."

Sandra teaches Developmental Life Stages and an elective course on Relationship Dynamics. Sandra comes to us form Croatia, via Switzerland and Canada. In her work she combines two of her passions: body-centered psychotherapy and scientific research. Her training is in psychodynamic counseling, craniosacral therapy and energy work (Snowlion Center School in Switzerland). In addition, she is a certified Imago Relationship Therapist, and practices with Maureen Brine and Associates Ltd. at the Canadian Institute for Imago Relationship Therapy, in Toronto. Sandra has received her PhD in Physiology at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Zurich (Switzerland), and has done extensive research on the mechanisms of communication and interactions at the molecular level of cells. Bridging her scientific and psychotherapy backgrounds, she is committed to exploring human communication and contact – on both molecular and inter-personal levels. Currently, she is attending a three-year clinical psychology program at the Center for Intentional Living. Her intention is to encourage and embrace moments of re-membering deeper aspects of ourselves, experiencing the larger force that supports our lives, and creating more fulfilling and joyful relationships. ribapriba@hotmail.com

Bunny, a Transpersonal Energy Healer and Counselor, has a private practice in San Antonio which includes many forms of body work including transpersonal energy healing, Shiatsu, therapeutic massage and essential oil therapy. She has been practicing and teaching personal and spiritual growth for twenty four years starting in the early 1980's as a trainer with Lifespring, a personal growth training company based in the San Francisco Bay Area. After battling two unrelated cancers diagnosed within a year, her cancer became her mentor and her path turned towards wholistic healing. A graduate of the School for Enlightenment and Healing in San Diego and the Lauterstein-Conway School of Massage in Austin, she has studied with many healers including the Barbara Brennan School of Healing, the full-circle process of death and dying with Zen Buddhist, Reta Lawler and Natural Reflex Therapy with Barry Krost. Bunny is Past President of the Office of Cancer Survivorship, a regular presenter at the Cancer Therapy and Research Center, and is a visiting teacher at the University of TX Health Science Center School of Nursing. Part of her focus in private practice has been working with cancer patients, survivors and their families. In addition to her role as President, Bunny is a Co-Director of Lionheart Texas and teaches Introduction to Transpersonal Energy Healing and Tools and Techniques.  bunny@lionhearttx.com

Nino is a graduate of Snowlion Center School in Switzerland, a four year training in psychodynamic counseling, craniosacral therapy and energy work. He has also completed Clinical Training at the Canadian Institute for Imago Relationship Therapy in Toronto, and is Certified Imago Relationship Therapist. Currently, he is attending a three-year clinical psychology program at the Center for Intentional Living. He has a private practice in Toronto and can be reached at ninos5@sympatico.ca.

Michele Shay is a Tony nominated and award-winning actress, director, Transpersonal energy healer and certified coach. She has performed on and off Broadway, in Regional Theaters around the country,on television and film. Clients include prominent actors, scientists, engineers and professionals from many walks of life. In 1999, through a grant from the Fox Foundation to study the connection between acting and the healing arts, Michele was introduced to the Energy System of Acting and Laura Fine whose exercises and wisdom about he human energy system and performance Michele incorporates in all of her work as an actress andteaches at intstitutions around the country. She was also trained as a Coach by world-renowned Master Coach Julio Ollala of the Newfield Network, studied NLP with Fortune 500 Coach Linda Sommer, Mask work with Pierre Le Favre; Dreamwork for Character Development with Alvaroand Gabrielle Lopez-Waterman; Acting with William Esper, Hank Berrings,Sandra Seacat,Harold Guskin, Corey Allen and Margie Haber; voice with Kristin Linkletter and Fran Bennett.

Cathy Stander is a licensed massage therapist, energy healer and bodyworker with over 12 years of experience in the field of healing arts. Cathy has worked in numerous medical settings. She is a graduate of Lionheart Institute of Transpersonal Energy Healing where she is now a part time faculty member.  Cathy has a private practice in Studio City doing energy healing and massage therapy.

Gloria is a healer and counselor with a private practice in the Milwaukee area. She is dedicated to the cultivation of Health and Healing combining both Eastern and Western Traditions. She offers a variety of modalities to her clients and students including Hypnotherapy,

Flower Essences, Transpersonal Energy Healing, Diet and Nutrition, Meditation and Movement. She aspires to bring loving presence to the therapeutic setting to create a safe space that encourages self healing and self reliance. Her hope is to provide a service that nurtures compassion for all living things so we may exist in harmony and respect, mindful of our individual responsibility to protect each other and the planet we live on. She received her Hypnotherapy Certification from the Leidecker Institute in Chicago, Flower Essence Certification from Flower Essence Society in CA and is a graduate of Lionheart Institute Midwest.

She is currently enrolled in the Center for Intentional Living's three year clinical psychology program where she continues to pursue her passion to understand the Human Psyche. Gloria is part of the Midwest Lionheart teaching staff.

Sheryl Grant Thompson, is a somatic psychotherapist with a private practice in San Antonio. She is committed to living authentically and assisting her clients in uncovering their true essence, while seeking to find the ease that underlies transformation. She has worked with diverse populations, from abused and neglected children to the elderly. She brings a wide range of knowledge and training including the Enneagram, Death & Dying, the Relational Cultural Model, death and dying, trauma resolution, emotional release, addictions, eating disorders, and women’s studies. She is trained in Hakomi, which is a body-centered psychotherapy based on the Buddhist and Taoist principles of mindfulness, nonviolence, and the unity of mind and body. She currently serves as Co-Director of Lionheart Texas and can be reached at: sheryl@lionheartinstitute.com

Adrienne Wilde is an Energy Healing Therapist with a private practice in Studio City.  She is also a Doula, movement and yoga teacher and has a background in the theatre arts having performed in TV and film in NY and LA. She has a special interest in parenting and the personal healing process that can take place when one begins this often bumpy journey. In addition to  Lionheart West, Adrienne is on the faculty at the Pasadena Waldorf School where she teaches Parent Child classes. She has a BA in the History of Art, is a graduate of Lionheart Institute of Transpersonal Energy Healing, Circle in the Square Theatre and is a wife and mother.

Miyuki is a former Regional Director of Lionheart Texas, who currently resides in Melbourne, Australia. She is a native of Japan and spent 12 years in San Antonio, Texas working as a palliative care nurse, educator, and healer.  She has a Master's degree in Nursing and worked as a registered nurse with dying patients and their families in both Japan and the United States for 13 years before she became a transpersonal energy healer. After the graduation of Lionheart Institute, she served the Lionheart Community as Regional Director of Lionheart Institute Texas for 2 years. She has had experience in working with various populations as an energy healer in Japan, Spain, France and Italy. She combines her scientific knowledge as a nurse with her intuitive skills and her heart in energy healing and spiritual counseling. She is now offering teaching programs on energy healing, Spirituality in Palliative Care, Characterology and Death Awareness work in Kumamoto, Japan. miyuki@senritsu-healing.com, (+61) 3 9888 7323.