Introduction:

The "branches" at ABMST aim to offer specialized programming and support for practitioners. It is understood that different types of practitioners tend to have unique challenges as they become integrated bodymindspirit practitioners. Bodyworkers tend to have certain assumptions and skills that are naturally different from practitioners who begin their careers as mental health professionals. The purpose of the branches is to offer tailored support for practitioners who start their careers as bodyworkers and are in the process of integrating the body, the mind, and the spirit in their work.

-Eric Moya, Executive Director ABMST

The Vision:

I am fascinated with people and the human experience. Nature is my closest ally. My first experiences at my grandfather’s small farm taught me valuable lessons about the complexity of natural systems, the circle and rhythms of nature, and the patterns of life and death. I studied ecology as my first career because I was fascinated to learn about complex systems and how each part of those systems knowingly and unknowingly affects each other and the whole. 

In 2000, my husband and 6-month-old daughter moved from Vienna, Austria, to New Jersey. I left my personal and professional lives behind to live in a foreign country without a support network. That time tested my courage, strength, and resilience.  I experienced major postpartum depression in 2005. It was the darkest time of my life, but also marked the starting point of a deeper understanding of myself and the world around me. I began looking for ways to be of service to others. I took several trainings in coaching and spiritual counseling. Eventually, I realized that we often carry emotional burdens in our bodies. Intensive trainings in the Hawai’ian Healing Arts embedded in the embracing container of Mother Nature on the beautiful island of Kauai opened my eyes and my heart to the deep interconnectedness and integration of body, mind, and soul/spirit. Several profound opportunities, including a stay with the White Lions in South Africa, finally helped me break free from my scientifically trained, narrow, and relatively inflexible mind-cage and allowed me to open up to a more integrated and holistic way of seeing my own as well as the healing processes of others. There was suddenly the possibility of “and” and not only “either–or”. 

Still searching, CranioSacral Therapy found me in 2018, and I obtained a massage therapy license. I immersed myself in the teachings of Dr. Upledger and I learned to understand anatomy, physiology, and pathology. I also discovered how the body serves as a vessel for our emotional and spiritual experiences, trials, and tribulations. I went deeper into trauma work and became increasingly fascinated with the complexity of the human experience in the face of adversity and its remarkable ability for resilience and healing. As I worked with more people who presented with “mystery” illnesses and symptoms that traditional Western medicine cannot explain, I leaned even deeper into understanding the integration of body, mind, and spirit. I was searching for answers on how the different aspects of our experience are interrelated, inform each other, and how we as practitioners can create treatment spaces that invite all aspects of the person into the therapeutic conversation rather than keeping them separate. To understand the mental health presentations and their relationship to the body even better, I decided to go back to school and obtain a master’s degree in clinical social work. Coming from a strong body- and nature-based background, it was interesting for me to explore how mental health professionals engage with the body, and I found that there is still a lot for all of us to learn from each other to facilitate more integrative and holistic approaches. I also discovered that magical things happen as a practitioner willing to create a more comprehensive container where a client can address aspects of body, mind, and spirit within the continuum of the same therapeutic relationship (often even within the same session). There is a strong connection between somatic and emotional/mental health presentations, and it seems that when a person is seen as an integrated whole rather than the sum of random, disjointed parts, the healing process unfolds on a deeper and more integrative level. As a result, I frequently witness transformations that seem magical and unexplainable, and I genuinely love this way to practice!

When I found Eric’s work on Chronic Depletion, Complex Systems, and Mind-Body-Spirit Integration, I immediately felt at home. I am very passionate about promoting this integrative approach as well as a deeper understanding of the complexity of systems and how we can work with them in practical ways. I understand from my own experience how challenging it can be to work across the aisles, challenge and soften siloed thinking, and bring different fields and schools of expertise together while staying true to one’s scope of practice.

The Body Branch of the ABMST aims to provide a safe and supportive environment for practitioners who have received their main education in a body-focused modality and who are interested in exploring ways to safely and responsibly bring other aspects of the body-mind-spirit continuum into their therapeutic practice. I envision to help create a community that invites you to explore and ask questions, stretch beyond your comfort zone, learn how different professions go about assessing and treating certain presentations, do your own inner work, and tune up or expand your toolbox. I also hope that beyond focusing on our own scopes and practices, we can develop a supportive network of practitioners to learn from on and get inspired by as we embark on this pioneering work of bringing integrative mind-body-spirit approaches into all the different settings we work in. I am excited about this opportunity, and I look forward to embarking on this journey together!

- Andrea Winzer