ouR MISSIoN IS To

dEvElop CoACHES WHo

WoRk WITH lIFE

SToRIES IN A WAy THAT

lEAdS To dEEpENING

RElATIoNSHIp,

TRANSFoRMATIoNAl

lEARNING, ANd

AuTHENTIC HEAlING.

ouR vISIoN IS A

CoMMuNITy oF HEAlTH

pRoFESSIoNAlS WHo

ENGAGE THE SkIllS oF

NARRATIvE HEAlING,

pRoMoTING lASTING

CHANGE IN INdIvIduAlS,

oRGANIzATIoNS,

ANd THE CoMMuNITIES

IN WHICH WE SERvE.

InterBeingNEWS FR oM THE NARRATIvE HEAlTH CoACHING CoMMuNITy vol. 1 No. 1 FAll 2017

Teleosis Institute is a 501 c (3) non-profit

organization dedicated todeepening the field

of Integrative Health and Medicine.

Editor: dina SaalisiGraphics: Betsy Joyce

863 Arlington AveBerkeley, CA 94707

www.teleosis.org

Copyright (C) 2017 by Teleosis Institute

It’s late summer and the roses flaunt the last of their bright colors, giving way to pomegranate orbs turning from pale green to ruby red. As I sit amid this beauty, I reflect on the experience of collaborating on this first edition ofInterBeing. Working together with several members of the Narrative HealthCoaching community to showcase a collection of our unique voices and share in our inter-relatedness has been an exciting journey into cultivating deep relationships.

I recognize how essential this is to human thriving and how good it feels. I want to thank: Joel and Reggie for spearheading this connection and for welcoming me on board as editor; the contributors for sharing the rich diversity of their healing modalities; and all of our students at Teleosis, for continuing to learn and grow in a manner of conscious whole-being. This issue is but a taste of the deliciousness our community has to offer. I look forward to traveling along this path, together and watching the seeds planted flourish into a spectacular garden where each flower is necessary and special.

WITH GRATITudE,

dina

From The Editor’s Garden

“We are committed to facilitating a community of healers in which narrative healthcoaching encouragesgrowth and transformation.”

Welcome to the inaugural issue of InterBeing:News from The Narrative Health CoachingCommunity.

We’ve been busy at Teleosis Institute developing ourbrand of coaching—Narrative Health Coaching.Engaging students and healers, writing about howwe view the healing landscape and facilitating others is powerful work. We continue to notice theimportance of the four principles of NarrativeHealth Coaching- Stories Matter, RelationshipsEngage, learning Transforms and Growth Heals.

What do I mean Relationships Engage? To me, interactions between coach and client, healer andpatient, teacher and student, and students amongstone another, offer a potent container for growth andhealing. Rather than attending to the content ofhealth coaching, we find that emphasizing a healthyatmosphere for interpersonal sharing enhancesongoing learning. Anyone in attendance at one of our classes is familiar with our opening meditationand check in.

Meditation? Relationships? Well, yes. At first, sittingin silence seems to be an individual affair, settlingthe mind. But when sitting in a group, energy flows.As one becomes more familiar with silence, theopening form of classes, this begins our relatedness—together as equals. No matter how crazy I mighthave been before class, after two minutes of quieting my mind, I am more able to connect to thepresence of other members of the class. From there,

Relationships Engagethe check in offers class participants time to share a small slice of this day. For some this may not beanything big, but for others, strong events loom close by. Sharing a celebration, an illness, a workrelated challenge, or simply a moment of blessings,in an honest open container is not as common asperhaps it once was. Creating a safe space to bringourselves forward provides a significant means forclassmates to listen, reflect and connect. over timethis deepens intimacy.

Thus InterBeing was born. Reggie and I askedrecent graduate dina Saalisi to be our editor of anewsletter with the goal of engaging our community. Together we have gathered severalglimpses into the people involved with our schoolof coaching and narrative healing. This first issuefeatures a question and answer with board ChairNina Fry-kizler, a mindfulness teacher in the Bay Area. Tanya offers insight into how her homeopathic practice has been shaped by NarrativeHealth Coaching, and dina shares her work withflower essence therapy. Creative director ReggieMarra shares his excitement about his new classoffered this fall for continuing education, LivingPoems, Writing Lives.

We are committed to facilitating a community ofhealers in which Narrative Health Coachingencourages growth and transformation. We cannotdo this alone. I invite you inside these pages withthe hope that you feel comfortable bringing yourself forward. The more we connect, the more you’ll find that the love flows. For truly, relationships engage.

We welcome poetry and photography submissions to be featured in our next issue of InterBeing. Please send to Dina: dshealingarts1@gmail.com

dr. Joel kreisberg, dC, pCC, CCH is the Executive director of the Teleosis Institute and he is co-author of Coaching and Healing: Transcending the Illness Paradigm.

www.drkreisberg.com

InterBeing pAGE 2

When asked to present our featured community member, I was inspired to create aunique set of questions that go beyond a basic bioand showcase the lively engagement with oneanother. The responses provide an intimate peekinto the heart of an individual within our collectivecircle. I hope you enjoy this delightful engagementwith Teleosis Board Chair Nina Fry-kizler.

In Reflective Conversation:Teleosis Board Chair, Nina Fry-Kizler

DS: What are you passionate about? 

NFK: I am deeply passionate about Mind-BodyMedicine and the role that consciousness plays inhealing. I believe we are living in an incredibly powerful time, when the necessity to see healthwithin the context of the whole person and community is at the forefront of the evolution ofmedicine and healing. It’s a very exciting time! I amalso a very active animal rights advocate. I haveworked with animal rescue and rehabilitationorganizations for about 12 years. Currently, I amworking with Wildcare Hospital and RehabilitationCenter for injured and orphaned wild animals.

DS: Who has most influenced your personalgrowth? How?

NFK: I would say two experiences have most influenced my personal growth rather than any oneperson: one was getting my Master’s degree inHolistic Health Education and then going on toteach in that program. I went into the program forprofessional reasons, but didn’t realize how muchlearning about whole person health would influ-ence me personally and push me to grow andstretch the boundaries of my perspectives. Thatwhole person approach helped me cultivate anunderstanding of learning and teaching which really impacted how I show up as a professor in theclassroom. The second experience was doing atraining in Mind Body Medicine Facilitation andlearning how to be a teacher and facilitator in thisfield. It helped me truly develop my own personalMBM practice and embody many of the tools andtechniques of the field.

“I believe we are living inan incredibly powerfultime, when the necessity tosee health within the context of the whole personand community is at theforefront of the evolution ofmedicine and healing.”

InterBeing pAGE 3

Nina Fry-kizler MA is a professor in the Holistic Health EducationMasters program at JFk university.She teaches health educators andclients to use mind body medicinetechniques to improve their emotional, physical and spiritualwell-being.

www.ninakizler.com

continued on page 4

— dina Saalisi

InterBeing pAGE 4

DS: What is your superpower?

NFK: Great question! let me think… I think it’sbeing a deeply compassionate and non-judgmentallistener. people often share with me things they saythey can’t share with others.

DS: What are you currently reading? 

NFK: The Signature of All Things by ElizabethGilbert

DS: Who is a fictional character that inspires you?Why?

NFK: When I was little, my grandparents boughtme all the Elf Quest books. I’m not sure what Iwould call them, maybe comics, but with incrediblydetailed illustrations and the books were hundredsof pages long. I was obsessed with the entire series.They followed the stories of half human/half elfcharacters who lived with wolves in the forest andhad to fight for their land and survival as well as thewell-being of their wolf companions (I am sure youcan see a theme here with the communion with animals!). There wasn’t just one character that Iresonated with but I loved the idea of living soclosely with animals and surviving off the land, andthe deeply good nature of the characters.

DS: What is your favorite way to spend a Sunday?

NFK: Spending time by the water, snuggling withmy kitties, brunch with a good friend, going on aphotography adventure with my husband, reading,and cooking a new and fun meal.

DS: What is the most unusual thing you own?

NFK: A life-sized baby elephant sculpture. peopleare always taken aback when they see it. It remindsme of the intense love between a mother and babyelephant. My mother died 5 years ago and it helpsme stay connected to the amazing bond we shared.It also helps me to remember to stay “in the middle of herd.” To stay connected to friends andcommunity.

In Reflective Conversation, continued DS: Where do you dream of traveling to? Why?

NFK: I’d love to go to Bali. Water is such a powerfulelement to me. It is cleansing and calming and myhusband and I spent a lot of time traveling to, andbeing with, bodies of water. Bali seems to integratetheir gorgeous water access deeply into their living,from building homes directly “in” the water, to having their food mostly derived from the sea.

DS: When do you feel the most at peace?

NFK: Following up on the question above, water isthe most healing and calming element for me. If Iam near, or in, water I am happy. I also feel really atpeace when I am working with animals. They seemto have a consciousness, which is not hindered by“over-thinking.” They just react to what is, in themoment, and what is true for them.

DS: Words to live by?

NFK: “our beliefs control our bodies, our minds,and thus our lives . . . ” Bruce H. lipton, The Biology of Belief: Unleashing the Power ofConsciousness, Matter and Miracles

InterBeing pAGE 5

Moving From Stuck to FlowWith coaching, Charlie is developing new awarenessabout his habits and energy patterns. Through thisprocess, Charlie became aware of hidden stress inhis marriage. Now he is actively working towardsgreater connection with his wife. He also discoveredthat relaxing in front of the Tv at night really wasn’tas restorative as he thought and instead, he is experimenting with meditation and gentle flowyoga. lastly, he accepted that ice cream before bedand his cheese snacks are contributing to sleepapnea, weight gain, and a feeling of sluggishness. In this case, Charlie managed well with remedies formany years, but ultimately wasn’t deeply healing.Through the coaching work, he has a new understanding of how to engage his energy patternsand effect greater change. His new insights andskills enable him to choose a new course. He feelsempowered through this coaching process and nowhe sees a clear path to fresh growth and new discoveries. With this new shift, Charlie’s symptomshave decreased and they are much easier to manage.Instead of feeling like 60 years old, he reports, hefeels like he is 40 years old.

Clients have a greater potential for healing withcoaching. They more fully engage their ownunique healing process. Health coaching createsspace for living a full and grateful life. Challengesbecome more manageable as new skills and habitsstabilize. our healing tools are enhanced when theclient consciously works with the healing process. I am grateful for how Narrative Health Coachingworks directly to bring this consciousness into thehealing process.

“Health coaching creates spacefor living a full and gratefullife. Challenges become more manageable as new skills andhabits stabilize.”

A s an integrative homeopath, I am dedicatedto helping people discover how to unlock their fullpotential. In my practice, I work with the energypatterns of my clients. patterns that have becomedisorganized and congested create a combination of physical, emotional, mental, and sometimes spiritual discomfort. These dysfunctional energypatterns or habits can be influenced by differenthealing modalities such as homeopathic remedies,acupressure, massage, nutrition, and chiropracticcare. Turns out, these habitual energetic patternscan also be powerfully influenced by the client’sown efforts. This is where coaching assists.Everyone has the capacity to directly engage his orher own energy patterns, thus most people benefitfrom coaching when energy is congested or stuck.

The following story illustrates the power of combining a healing tool like homeopathy withNarrative Health Coaching.

Charlie owns a personal Finance ManagementService. over the years he has suffered from sleeplessness, backaches, and elevated blood pressure. Not surprisingly, these symptoms trackwith financial market trends. Between homeopathicremedies, herbs, diet, and some moderate exercise,his symptoms have been well managed even whenthe markets are down. But in the last few years, wehave noticed, that the symptoms are increasinglyharder to control. last year, we decided to addcoaching to Charlie’s plan.

Tanya Renner, CCH,RSHom(NA) is a holistic wellness coach and homeopath.She is professor at NashuaCommunity College andrecently served as a core faculty member of TeleosisHomeopathic Collaborative.

InterBeing pAGE 6

“There is no true healing unless there is a change inoutlook, peace of mind and inner happiness”

— EdWARd BACH

Much of the work I undertake as a floweressence practitioner is on a personal level. Asidefrom using essences daily to help me maintain agreater sense of balance, I regularly take hikes onthe many California trails burgeoning with wildflowers. Each hike is a new experience of discovery.I immerse myself in the adventure and give myselfover to the mystery. I return home after each excursion with new insights into how nature abundantly affords us opportunities for healing andhow I can best transfer this in my work with others.

The Synergy of Flower EssenceTherapy and Coaching

In 1930’s England, renowned physician, bacteriologist and homeopath, dr. Edward Bachdeveloped a system of using plant essences torelieve the disharmony of disease. He felt stronglythat there was a simple method of medicine thatwould allow for the mind, body and soul connectionof each individual person, without placing anemphasis on physical symptoms. He was a pioneerin his field as he left behind a successful practiceand he immersed himself in nature in search of abetter way. Through keen intuition, clever insightsand deliberate trials he discovered that challengingemotions could be balanced with positive, energeticqualities using liquid extracts or “essences” from 38 select flowers of wild plants and trees. As dr. Bach explained: “The action of these remedies isto raise our vibrations and open up our channels forthe reception of the Spiritual Self; to flood ournatures with the particular virtue we need, and washout from us the fault that is causing the harm.” 

“Flower essence therapy provides a catalyst for growthby asking us to pause andreflect on the emotions thatare being experienced,enabling a connection withthe potent, reciprocating energy offered.”

dina Saalisi is a Bach Foundationregistered practitioner and a recent graduate of theNarrative Health Coaching certificate program.

www.dshealingarts.com

continued on page 7

InterBeing pAGE 7

In the nearly 100 years since dr. Bach’s introduction of this healing modality, floweressence therapy has grown to include practitionersin more than 60 countries. patricia kaminski andRichard katz of the Flower Essence Society havedeveloped over 100 essences of California flowers.others have developed flower essences in far offlocales including Australia, Scotland and Hawaii, to name a few.

When beginning work with a new client, I use theintake session to discover and clarify current challenges. At the end of this session, I mix a combination flower essence remedy that relates to the emotional imbalances the client is experiencing. Each client leaves with his or her own personalized formula and takes it internallyuntil our next session. When the client returns, I am most often impressed with the positive innershift that has occurred. This provides a solid foundation for a coaching program, offering support for growth challenges and enabling a deeper healing process.

I recently completed a coaching program with awoman whose healing topic was simply stated: To be better able to cultivate a stronger sense of self-acceptance. When she came to me, she wantedto address her negative self-image. She had feelingsof anger and resentment over what she felt werephysical limitations of being in a female body.  I attuned to her need to develop a sense of love andacceptance toward her self even though her bodyhad been the subject of her wounding throughouther life. After our intake session I prescribed Alpine lily, which is used to promote a radiant feminine energy, grounded in physical presence.Alpine lily would allow her to connect more deeply with her body. When we met again for her second session, I instantly noticed her softenedappearance and calm demeanor; she was feelingmore open, accepting and capable of taking ondeeper work in order to go more fully into her healing process.

The Synergy of Flower Essence, continued

We worked through her learning objectives: To be more able to embrace my feminine energy; To be better able to express my needs and feelings toothers; To be more able to cultivate a mindful rhythmthroughout my day, with practices such as reading empowering stories about the feminine,participation in sensual movement activities andreflective writing questions. These exercises alongwith the flower essences helped unfold into a morewhole way of being.

Flower essence therapy provides a catalyst forgrowth by asking us to pause and reflect on theemotions that are being experienced, enabling aconnection with the potent, reciprocating energyoffered. “They are able, like beautiful music or anyglorious uplifting thing, which gives us inspiration,to raise our very natures, and bring us nearer to oursouls and by that very act to bring us peace andrelieve our sufferings.  They cure, not by attackingthe disease, but by flooding our bodies with the beautiful vibrations of our Higher Nature, in thepresence of which disease melts away as snow in thesunshine.” (Bach )

InterBeing pAGE 8

Beginning october 2nd, 2017, I’ll be offeringLiving Poems, Writing Lives for coaches and healers to deepen their narrative healing experience with a challenging, accessible dive intothe healing power of poetry. over an eight-weekperiod, each of the six online sessions introducesone poetic device and invites us to write about whatlongs to be healed in our lives. This class emergedfrom my 2004 book, Living Poems, Writing Lives:Spirit, Self and the Art of Poetry, which explored 13poetic devices as both literary tools and paths forliving intentionally.

living poems, Writing livesCoNTINuING EduCATIoN

This current offering of Living Poems, Writing Livesrepresents the most up to date version of the program I developed and first taught in 1998 at theHudson valley Writers Center in Sleepy Hollow,Ny. Nine brave souls explored both the craft ofpoetry and the craft of living an intentional lifethrough poetic devices. “What I have noticed in myexperience through this class is that I am goingmuch deeper in understanding the roots of many ofmy points of suffering – whether physical, mental,emotional or spiritual . . . What I find amazing iswhat comes up in the time we are given to freewrite after hearing a poem,” reflected JimMacNaughton, a participant in a 2015 iteration ofthis class.

providing a safe, accessible space for coaches andhealers to deepen or begin a poetry practice as ahealing process, the class devotes one week each topoint of view, image, diction, line, metaphor/simileand rhythm/sound with an underlying awareness ofrevision throughout the sessions. during the twoweeks class does not meet, participants write,revise and integrate learning. Mar Walker, anotherparticipant, notes: “things come up that I had notconsidered.  I think Reggie clears a space, makes asuggestion and gives us permission so those thingsthat are not in consciousness can pop up, thingsthat need to surface. It's really helpful.”

“What I have noticed in myexperience through this class isthat I am going much deeper inunderstanding the roots ofmany of my points of suffering– whether physical, mental,emotional or spiritual.”

12 hours CCEU

Reggie Marra, MA, pCC is Creativedirector at Teleosis. Author of threevolumes of poetry, including his2016 And Now, Still: Grave and GoofyPoems, and four books of nonfiction,Reggie is also a co-author of the 2016 Integral publishers release,Coaching and Healing: Transcendingthe Illness Narrative.

www.reggiemarra.com

I’d like to invite you to explore healingthrough poetry writing in a process thathas evolved, and helped me evolve, over 19 years. For more information contact medirectly at reggie@teleosis.org.

InterBeing pAGE 9

Living Poems, Writing LivesStarts October 2nd

12 ICF Resource development CCEus available

deepen your narrative healing experience througha six session exploration of poetry writing as a healing practice. In this class we write in order toexplore poetry and ourselves through poetry. No writing experience is necessary.

Prerequisites: Courage, vulnerability and sense ofhumor.

Narrative HealingStarts October 20th

18 hours of ACHENA continuing education in application

This class explores our understanding of how weheal with story.  We discover how our stories influence our healing through sharing narrativesin writing and coaching. We examine how our healing narrative increases resilience and we provide guidance into using narrative healing skillfully in your coaching practice.

upcoming Classes at Teleosis

The Certificate Program in Narrative Health Coaching

Starts March 6th, 2018

Find out more:

http://www.teleosis.org/certificate-program-in-narrative-health-coaching/

Foundations of Narrative Health CoachingStarts October 28th

12 hours of ICF & NANp CCEus Available

Introducing the skills and mindset necessary forengaging both the coach’s and the client’s fullpotential for growth and healing. This introductory12-hour class embraces the key principles ofNarrative Health Coaching: Stories Matter,Relationships Engage, learning Transforms andGrowth Heals.

InterBeing pAGE 10

We’re committed to ongoing educational support of our community. We maintain a growing onlinelibrary that is updated regularly. This regular columnwill feature some of the recently added articles.

Focus on Research: Compendium of the Health and WellnessLiterature, Sforzo et al. (2017), American Journal Of Lifestyle Medicine

Simply the most up to date review of the literature on health and wellness coaching. Thisdocument provides a comprehensive organized compendium of the current literature, looking attreatment of diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia,heart disease, cancer and other chronic disorders. A must for coaches working in clinical settings.

A Qualitative Study of How Health CoachesSupport Patients in Making Health-relatedDecisions and Behavioral Change, Thom et al.(2016), Annals of Family Medicine.

With a focus on the coaching relationship, thisqualitative study interviewed coaches and patientsin an effort to articulate how coaches supportpatients. key themes identified including education, personal support, practical support andacting as a bridge between patients and clinicians.

News From the libraryA Systematic Review of the Literature on Health and Wellness Coaching: Defining a KeyBehavioral Intervention in Healthcare.Wolever et al. (2013), Global Advances in Healthand Medicine.

of the 800 or so abstracts identified inpubMed, 284 full text articles were finally includedin this seminal review. key findings from thisstudy include an emerging consensus as to a definition of health and wellness coaching which is“a patient-centered process that is based uponbehavior change theory and is delivered healthprofessionals . . .” The article provides a significantsummary of the literature to date.

Community MembershipExplore the many benefits of our collective circle

• Exclusive attendance in the live onlineCoaching Clinic

• 20% off individual classes

• unlimited access to our online library

• A 1-hour mentor session with Joel or Reggie

• ongoing connection with colleagues andfriends

Your support enables us to thrive and flourish.

Consider joining now!Annual Membership dues: $395

Student Annual Membership dues: $295

Join us