BodyTalk Vancouver | Instructors & Coordinators

BodyTalk Vancouver
t. 604.736.8623
f. 604.648.8294
info@bodytalkvancouver.com

BodyTalk Vancouver Visiting Instructors
2002-2008

Gilly Adkins PT, PaBP, CBI (2004-2006)
Allison Costron BA, BSc, PaBP, CBI (2006)
Sandra Davis PhD, ThD, CBP, CBI (ret) (2003-2005)
Janet Galipo BA, MA, DOM, PaBP, Senior CBI (2008)
Katharina Hirsch BA, PaBP, Senior CBI, VP International BodyTalk Association (2007-2008)
Kristy Kenny BA, RMT, PaBP-CBI Senior VP International BodyTalk Assocation (2005, 2008)
Sylvia Muiznieks BSc, RMT, PaBP- Sr. CBI, VP International BodyTalk Association (2004-2006)
Brenda Miller RMT, PaBP, CBI, Breakthrough Instructor (2007-2008)
Ka'imi Pilipovich DAc, LMT, CBP, Sr. CBI, PaBP, VP International BodyTalk Association (2006-2007)
Amanda Rollefstad BSc, RMT, PaCP, CBI (2007-2008)
Alexis Scott BSW, MA, PaBP, CBI (2008)
Susan Stenson BEd, MEd, CBP, ACCESS Instructor (2007)
Richard Stuart DC (ret), CBP-CBI (2002-2005)

Dr. John Veltheim DC, BAc, CBI, Founder of the BodyTalk System TM (2003)

Gilly is a multi-faceted professional with a degree in Physiotherapy from London, England and many years experience in the healing and body-mind field. As a junior in her native England, Gilly ranked in the top 10 in tennis. Her early athletic experiences encouraged studies (in addition to physiotherapy) in mental sports training, personal and professional performance training, certified Inner Game Coach, and nutritional consulting. Gilly is also a certified Bikram Yoga Instructor and owned and directed the original Yoga College of India in Portland, Oregon from 1996 to 2004.

Discovering the BodyTalk System in 1999, Gilly was "deeply impressed with Dr. John Veltheim and immediately and intuitively understood the significance of the System". After introducing BodyTalk to Portland, as a Certified Practitioner, she became a Certified BodyTalk Instructor in 2002 and is currently pursuing studies in advanced BodyTalk, through the PaRama College. She teaches Module 1 & 2, BodyTalk ACCESS and Advanced Practical in Portland and San Francisco (USA), London (England) and Vancouver (Canada).

Gilly is well known for her understanding and articulation of the body-mind complex. Her expertise as a physiotherapist, along with her significant training background and mastery of BodyTalk, creates a wonderful learning environment for BodyTalk practitioners. Infusing her teaching/learning environment with grace and joy, Gilly delights in assisting practitioners with their own healing and helping them build their confidence in practice.

In her private practice, which includes both adults and children, Gilly addresses a wide variety of physical and psychological conditions, including musculoskeletal problems, viruses and infections, depression, insomnia, learning and behavioural disorders, chemical sensitivities, food and environmental allergies and blood sugar imbalances.

Born in London, England, Gilly has lived in the United States since 1986 and has three children. She loves to travel and has toured extensively in Europe and Africa (she is fluent in French and is currently studying Italian. Every summer Gilly travels to England to visit family and teach BodyTalk.

Academic & Professional Achievements: Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy, St. Mary's University, London England (1980); Certified Inner Game Coach (1982); Certified Bikram Yoga Instructor (certified by the Founder in 1997); Certified BodyTalk Practitioner, IBA (2001); Certified BodyTalk Instructor, IBA (2002)
Certified to teach: BodyTalk Modules 1 & 2, Advanced Practical 1 & 2, BodyTalk ACCESS. Able to confer practitioner certification in BodyTalk.
Home: Portland, Oregon USA
Memberships: International BodyTalk System Association
Teaches in: Canada: Vancouver; USA: Portland & San Francisco; England: London

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Allison Costron is a BodyTalk Access Instructor and is certified to practice BodyTalk and PaRama. She has a B.Sc. in Anatomy and a B.A. in Psychology; both of which were obtained with high honours from the University of Saskatchewan. Her background includes research in neonatology and the completion of two and a half years of medical school. After a personal health crisis, Allison explored complementary healthcare and found the BodyTalk System to be both simple and effective in healing her condition. In addition to being a Certified BodyTalk Practitioner, a Certified PaRama Practitioner and a member of the International BodyTalk Association, she is certified in both Reiki and Quantum Touch.

Allison is dedicated to continuing her education and is continuously training in the PaRama Courses and is scheduled to complete the first PaRama Unit 2, taking place this August in Florida. She has currently completed all the BodyTalk Modules in addition to the PaRama Life Science Courses (BreakThrough 1 & 2, FreeFall 1 & 2, and Mindscape). Her instructors have included a variety of Senior BodyTalk Instructors throughout North America, as well as the founder of BodyTalk, Dr. John Veltheim and his wife, Esther Veltheim.

Allison enjoys working with people (including children of all ages) and animals. Her focus and commitment lie in facilitating optimal health. She is currently operating a BodyTalk clinic full-time.

“The body has a natural ability to heal itself and this can be enhanced, allowing greater levels of health to be reached. BodyTalk enables this to occur with the utmost efficiency. My joy and excitement over the effectiveness of The BodyTalk System have inspired me to teach and share these simple techniques.”

Academic & Professional Achievements: Bachelor of Science in Anatomy (high honors), University of Saskatchewan (2001); Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (high honors), University of Saskatchewan (2001); Certified BodyTalk Practitioner, IBA (2004); Certified BodyTalk Access Instructor, IBA (2004).
Certified to teach: BodyTalk Access; currently certifying in Modules 1, 2, Advanced Practical 1&2
Memberships: Association of Massage Therapists & Wholistic Practitioners (Canada); International BodyTalk System Association
Teaches in: Canada: Vancouver, Saskatoon;

Sandy spent the majority of her working life as a government and corporate executive. She was surprised to discover the potential of animal communication, while searching for a healing solution for her dog. She studied with renowned animal communicators, Penelope Smith, Kate Reilly, and Jeri Ryan to develop her own intuitive abilities. As she states "my acceptance of these abilities was not an easy transition, as it involved a fundamental change in many of my belief systems". Sandy has practiced animal communication for several years, and has clients across Canada and the United States.

After some years of practice as an animal communicator, she became increasingly frustrated that while she could advise people on what their animals might be thinking and feeling, she was unable to help them to heal. At this time she was pursuing competitive horse sports and studied with several well-known horse trainers. Her interest in helping animals began to develop into a strong belief that releasing emotional trauma or "active memory" could help animals to heal and could be accomplished without re-traumatizing the animal.

After initial studies with Dr. Norm Shealy and Caroline Myss, Sandy enrolled in a doctorate in Energy Medicine program to seriously study various healing methodologies that would be specifically helpful for animals. Further studies with Norm and Caroline, as well as with Mietek and Margaret Wirkus, Linda Tellington-Jones, John Veltheim and Bill Stratton, introduced her to healing philosophies, scientific research and healing modalities, which are able to identify and assist in the release of emotional and physical trauma. Her PhD thesis studied the application of the BodyTalk System to a flock of birds. She then adapted the System to for animals in 2002.

Now, after several years of study in animal intuition and energy medicine, Sandy is devoting her time and energies to the teaching, research and practice of energy medicine with animals and their people. She welcomes practitioners from all modalities and systems and strives to contribute positively to the respectful and wonderful interchange between humans and animals. A popular and inspiring instructor, Sandy dedicates herself to understanding and sharing the most up to date research and application of energy medicine, and its application to animals.

"I believe that we all have the opportunity to develop a closer and deeper connection with animals and nature, and that our bodies have the ability to heal themselves at deep levels. My joy comes not only from practicing energy medicine with animals, but also from teaching and coaching people to develop these skills and abilities to enrich their lives and those of the animals they love."

Academic & Professional Achievements: Bachelor of Arts in French/German (University of Calgary); Bachelor of Education with Distinction (University of Calgary); Masters in Business Administration (University of Calgary); Doctorate in Energy Medicine (Greenwich University); Doctorate in Theology & Energy Medicine.
Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Publications: PhD Thesis on Remote Healing in Birds (utilizing BodyTalk). Available for sale. Contact: info@bodytalkvancouver.com; Animal Consciousness Basic and Advanced; Animal BodyTalk 8a Basic.
Creator of: Animal Consciousness - Basic and Advanced; the Path of the Animal Healer; Adapted the BodyTalk System For Animals (2002)
Teaches in: Currently on sabbatical

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Dr. Janet Galipo holds a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and a Master’s degree in Counseling from Boston University. With full professional qualifications in Acupuncture, Homeopathy and Chinese herbalism, Dr. Janet Galipo is a certified Body Talk Senior Instructor who teaches in the US and internationally. Janet is a highly regarded lecturer at Hospitals and Wellness center on holistic and Oriental Medicine. Janet Galipo has also been a featured speaker at Universities, forums, and conferences throughout the world. She is the founder and president of Be Healthy, Inc a not-for profit corporation dedicated to promoting Body Talk to socially the socially and economically disadvantage throughout the world. She has her private practice in Miami Beach, Florida.

Katharina Hirsch was born in Berlin Germany and moved to the US (California) in 1976. Her background includes a degree in psychology, therapist training with Arthur Janov at the Primal Institute in Los Angeles, and 20 years' experience in the art world as a motion picture make-up artist. Integrating her expertise, Katharina has lectured and lead workshops in communication and self-exploration through art around the US.

After relocating to the Pacific Northwest in 1989, where she now lives with her two sons, Katharina obtained her Instructor Certification from the Oregon College for Oriental Medicine (OCOM) in 1995 and opened the 'Qi Gong Studio of the Healing Arts' on Vashon Island. Her teaching certifications include Soaring Crane, Jade Body and Turtle Longevity Qi Gong.

Katharina discovered the BodyTalk System in 1998. She was deeply impressed with Dr.John Veltheim and intuitively understood the significance of the BodyTalk System at once. She was instrumental in bringing BodyTalk to the West Coast, and in 2001 Katharina became a Certified BodyTalk Instructor.

Katharina is the Senior Vice President as well as a senior instructor of the International BodyTalk System Association (IBA) She is a member of the International Qigong Society. She currently teaches BodyTalk Modules 1 & 2, 3, 4&7 and Qi Gong seminars throughout the US and Canada.

The body and communication have been key elements for inspiring and shaping Kristy's commitment to energy medicine. She graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Special Interest Rehabilitative Medicine (Speech Pathology and Audiology). Acknowledging the healing benefits of massage therapy, she became a Registered Massage Therapist and eventually, Instructor for accredited massage colleges in both Alberta and British Columbia. Kristy is also a certified Doula and has worked with pregnant women as a professional childbirth assistant (including post partum support) in cooperation with midwives and medical teams.

Kristy's extensive postgraduate studies in manual therapies eventually led her to explore a presentation by Dr. John Veltheim on The BodyTalk System. She quickly recognized BodyTalk's state of the art approach, synchronizing the body-mind, and its potential as ans integrative and complementary health care system. Tangible results sparked Kristy's enthusiasm for BodyTalk and inspired her to become a master practitioner and instructor.

"I feel very fortunate to teach such a powerful system to people who want to grow themselves and help others. Offering BodyTalk to clients and witnessing incredible results adds to my enthusiasm. Apparently my enthusiasm is contagious, according to my students! Those who know me, have witnessed the joy and excitement that has entered my life since that first training in Module 1 & 2."

Committed to life-long learning, Kristy is a student of the PaRama College, the advanced system available after mastery of BodyTalk. Participating in ancillary courses such as BreathThrough, FreeFall and Mindscape (part of Life Sciences series) has further inspired Kristy to share these techniques for enriching our personal lives. Currently an Instructor Trainee for these courses, Kristy will, in 2005, be traveling to the United States, England and South Africa to undergo certification training. Participants can anticipate these course offerings in British Columbia as early as September 2005.

Academic & Professional Achievements: Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Rehabilitative Medicine, University of Alberta (1991); Diploma in Massage Therapy, West Coast College of Massage Therapy (1996); Infant Massage Instructor, International Infant Massage Association (1998); Certified Doula, Doulas of North America (2001); Certified BodyTalk Practitioner , IBA (2001); Certified BodyTalk Instructor IBA (2002)
Certified to teach: BodyTalk ACCESS, BodyTalk Modules 1 &2, Advanced Practical 1 & 2; Breakthrough 1, Mindscape Basic and FreeFall 1. Able to confer practitioner certification in BodyTalk.
Memberships: College of Massage Therapists of British Columbia; Alberta Massage Therapists and Wholistic Practitioners; International BodyTalk System Association
Teaches in: Canada: Victoria, Kelowna, Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Vancouver and Montreal; New Zealand and Australia

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Sylvia has extensive experience in the complementary health field as a practitioner, educator and administrator. She discovered BodyTalk in 2000 and was among the first Certified BodyTalk Practitioners in Canada. She became a Certified BodyTalk Instructor (CBI) in 2002 and was appointed a Senior Instructor in 2003. She was elected by her peers as Junior Vice-President of the International BodyTalk Association (IBA) in 2003.

Students have consistently praised her ability to break down complex concepts into easily understood units, to facilitate learning, retention and application. They value her open teaching style and the sense of fun she brings to her trainings. Sylvia's clinical expertise and approachability are also appreciated by her clients. Her website at www.innatewisdom.net contains testimonials about her clinical work and effectiveness as a BodyTalk and Mindscape instructor.

Sylvia possesses advanced competencies in anatomy and physiology which she taught, along with massage technique courses, in the Massage Therapy program of Mount Royal College. She developed a series of three correspondence courses in western Anatomy and Physiology that have been recognized by the IBA. Committed to continuous learning, Sylvia has completed the PaRama BodyTalk 1 training, PlantTalk and Animal BodyTalk Basic during 2004.

It was Sylvia's passion for helping clients with their health challenges and for teaching BodyTalk that led her to leave the Program Administrator position she held for nine years with the Centre for Complementary Health Education at Mount Royal College. Over 50% of Sylvia's busy clinical practice is now comprised of remote treatments utilizing Mindscape techniques.

"I have been involved with many natural therapies and nothing compares to the profound results of BodyTalk," says Sylvia. "I have seen many people experience dramatic improvements in health and well-being-sometimes as soon as they get off the table."

Academic & Professional Achievements: Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology & Health Studies 1978 (University of Waterloo); Registered Massage Therapist 1991 (Mount Royal College); Adult Educator Certificate of Completion 1992 (Mount Royal College); Certified BodyTalk Practitioner 2000 (IBA); Certified BodyTalk Instructor IBA 2002; Senior Instructor IBA 2003; Certified Mindscape Instructor 2003; Junior Vice-President IBA 2003.
Certified to teach: BodyTalk Modules 1, 2, 3, 4(7), 5, 6, 9, Advanced Practical 1&2, BodyTalk ACCESS and Mindscape. Able to confer practitioner certification in BodyTalk and train and certify new instructors.
Home: Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Publications & CDs: Journey to the Magical Healing Place CD, three Anatomy & Physiology Manuals (part of her A&P course), the BodyTalk Module 5 Manual, regular contributions to the IBA Newsletter, and articles in local alternative health care publications.
Memberships: Alberta Registered Massage Therapists Society - ARMTS; Alberta Massage Therapists and Wholistic Practitioners; International BodyTalk System Association
Teaches in: Canada: Vancouver, Vernon, Kelowna, Calgary, Brooks, Saskatoon, Toronto, Thunder Bay, Vancouver, Winnipeg; New Zealand: Roturua; Australia: Brisbane; Sweden; Singapore
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Ka'imi is licensed acupuncture physician and is a former faculty member at the Traditional Chinese Medical College of Hawaii. Currently he is the Vice-President of the International BodyTalk Association and Senior Instructor in the BodyTalk System.

Prior to entering the healing arts Ka'imi graduated magna cum laude with a BSc in Information and Computer Science from University of California at Irvine. Kaimi spent seven years in language processor design and artificial intelligence research. Kaimi became disenchanted with a career in computer science, however the knowledge about information theory and complexity management has served him well in teaching BodyTalk. Kaimi also applied his computer skills to architectural design and has designed a number of custom homes and commercial buildings.

A positive experience with acupuncture led Kaimi to study traditional Japanese meridian massage. His interest in massage therapy and studies in Hawaii encouraged him to leave computer science for the healing arts. After some time as a Shiatsu-Anma therapist, experience slowly led Ka'imi to the idea that opening the meridians was in some measure inviting the Qi, and hence the mind, to permeate the body more completely to bring about healing.

The philosophical perspective of oriental bodywork made the BodyTalk principles seem self-evident. This perspective, combined with a ready grasp of binary decision protocol (yes/no, 0/1 - same thing!) assured that BodyTalk would have instant appeal from the outset.

Ka'imi has been an instructor since 2001, and has been a Senior Instructor and a Senior Vice-President of the IBA since 2003.

Ka'imi lives and practices on the Big Island of Hawaii. His practice is almost exclusively BodyTalk, but draws on his extensive training and experience in acupuncture, manual therapy, oriental bodywork, and chinese herbs, all under the direction of innate wisdom using the BodyTalk protocol. He is certified as a Shiatsu-Anma instructor as well. He dances ballet and particiaptes in kayak and outrigger conoe paddling for exercise and relaxation.

Ka'imi teaches internationally.

Amanda Rollefstad Amanda graduated from the University of Calgary with a Bachelor of Science majoring in Exercise and Health Physiology. Following her interest in holistic health care she was drawn to the BodyTalk System.

Currently Amanda is a Certified BodyTalk Instructor and is extremely excited to be spreading this cutting edge system throughout parts of the world!

Training with Amanda includes:

Ample hands-on practice to ensure you are comfortable with all the techniques before you leave; Various demonstrations by the instructor to show application of the concepts and techniques learned; Excellent visual aids, including fun and exciting activities that are sure to accelerate the learning experience; An introduction of the set-up and maintenance of your own business in the art of BodyTalk; An exciting new experience that will introduce you to concepts leading to a less stressful and more peaceful life; Amanda's approach to teaching is to provide a balance between theory/concepts, practical application and fun.

The goal is to have the participants leave with the confidence and tools to begin working on others immediately. Amanda also provides on-going support to her students as to limit any learning or clinical challenges they may encounter.

Amanda's passion for teaching is refreshing and inspiring. She enjoys working with people of all ages (including children)

Alexis Scott

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"The BodyTalk System TM. may very well help bridge the gap between Eastern and Western medicine in the 21st Century."
Dr. Carolyn Dixon MD, CBP (Florida, USA)