As an Art historian, I am a firm believer in the healing power of beauty and kindness. I believe there is still a tragic misconception and dangerous stigmatization of “mental illness,” and that the current medical paradigm of diagnosis and treatment aggravates the situation. In recent years, I have been involved in voluntary work in psychiatric care and creating the Justice, Action, and Education in Compassion (JAEC) Foundation in Switzerland. Our mission is to create awareness towards and support for the most vulnerable and misunderstood individuals of our society, their families, and communities, while at the same time promoting alternatives to the biomedical mainstream treatment model.

When as mothers, we lose a dear child, everything stops. From spiritual beliefs to daily habits, to privileges we took for granted. We will question everything. I am lucky to have my child in this world still, but I never stopped searching for answers, and in that search, I stumbled upon MIA, where I found scientific support to my suspicions: research, statistics, all well documented. And as I stand here today, I knew then that amid this crazy world, the craziest are those making money off illness, off the most fragile and defenseless sectors of society, the “mad,” the ill, the poor, the old, the very young. Questioning the mainstream mental health system—and the biomedical model story that presents psychotropic drugs as the panacea—was something I was going to do.

Robert Whitaker introduced me to Inner Fire, the only drug-free community healing center in the USA. I became an advocate for the organization.

When Beatrice, now a good friend, asked me to become a member of the Advisory Board, I was thankful. I admire Beatrice, her struggle, her passion, and her dedication and trust in the Universe. Honesty and generosity are two words that come to mind when I think of her. Beatrice's ideal of "soul health" versus "mental health" is inspiring. It is an honor to support the Inner fire Community, which offers the seekers the choice to overcome the challenges to their mental health without drugs and embrace the path of inner healing.

Dina’s interest in Inner Fire comes out of her years seeing the need for alternatives to conventional mental health care, that people should have a choice in their treatment, and supports Inner Fire’s vision to create a place of healing for those who have said “no more” to psychiatric hospitalization and medications.

Her many gifts include a natural medicine degree and psychosomatic awareness, medicinal plants as an evolutionary herbalism and astrologer related to medicine and brain-body relationship. In her 20's, she lived in an Israeli anthroposophical kibbutz where she had her first contact with several anthroposophic disciplines: Biographical Counselling and Artistic Therapy.

Through her experience with somatic healing she became a holistic health coach in New York where she has lived for the past 13 years focusing on understanding and helping individuals wrestling with substance use and misuse.

"Being part of this conscious community is what my heart is all about. It is my life's mission to be at service and help awaken awareness."

Most recently, she spent 8 years working for a non-profit which serves adults with intellectual disabilities, supporting them in gaining the skills needed for jobs in the community. These cumulative professional experiences familiarized her with the prevalent treatment model and its heavy focus on medication. After a lifelong exploration of the body’s inherent design for health and healing, she knew there were more natural ways to address these issues and is thrilled to support the work of Inner Fire.

She also looks forward to enjoying walks in nature, farmers’ markets and local cultural events in her new 'homestate', VT.

After moving to Vermont, Brian started sharing and teaching primitive technology. Working with both children and adults, he has developed programs for dozens of schools, camps and private organizations. He co-founded the Vermont Wilderness School in 1999 and continues to teach and advocate connections with Nature.

Working at Innerfire is a great opportunity to share the healing aspects of nature, awareness and connection with the natural world. It’s been a wonderful experience and joy working with the staff and seekers!

From his desire to offer the healing gifts of music to others, Brinton shifted his focus to therapeutic work. He traveled to The Netherlands to study under the guidance of the distinguished music therapist, AnnaMaria van Keulen of the Christophorus Camphill Community in Zeist. At the same time, he studied therapeutic drumming with Paul de Ritter, world master percussion therapist and teacher. In addition to the violin, Brinton now brings his knowledge of the lyre, flute, djembe, guitar and chrotta as therapeutic instruments.

As a graduate of Inner Fire, Brinton has a personal understanding of the difficult journeys and healing paths that seekers have undertaken, and the dedication of those at Inner Fire who are seeking wholeness. It is from his own experience of having traveled this path which ultimately brings him empathy for, personal experience with, and compassionate dedication to those at Inner Fire who seek healing.

Clif has also served as the Medical Director and practiced at Sojourns Community Health Clinic for many years offering Naturopathic primary care and consultations. Prior to medical school Clif was involved in Organic and Biodynamic farming and beekeeping in the Santa Cruz, California area, where he also earned his BA in Environmental Studies many years ago.

These remain passions of his. Clif joins Inner Fire as a return to some of these roots, with trust that the miracle of healing happens when fostered in the many ways that inner Fire has established.

Eleni’s lifelong passion for working with horses led her down a path of pursuing training in equine assisted psychotherapy (EAP). She has held certification through the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association and has completed the fundamental and intensive training in trauma focused equine assisted psychotherapy through the Natural Lifemanship Institute. Eleni believes that horses can provide us with a unique opportunity to encounter ourselves with clarity and compassion, and to practice being in deeper relationship with ourselves, others, and the world around us.

Eleni recently became interested in studying anthroposophy as a way to further her personal and professional growth. She is currently enrolled in a 3-year anthroposophical psychology course as well as a 2-year anthroposophic psychotherapy course through the Association for Anthroposophic Psychology. Eleni has found that the anthroposophical framework breathes life and warmth into the practice of therapy and she is excited to bring that life and warmth as a foundation for co-creating healing journeys with community members at Inner Fire.

Now, as a Flower Essence Therapist, I am continually grateful to the plants and trees for their healing gifts. Flower Essences can help us with the hard work of inner transformation. They can support our letting go of patterns and behaviors that we seek to change so that new possibilities can emerge. Through conversation and with the use of flower essence remedies, an individual can notice subtle shifts which in time can lead to significant changes.

In addition to working as a Flower Essence Therapist, I have been a teacher of Waldorf students, public and private school students, and homeschool students.

Having witnessed the debilitating struggles my cousin faced as an adult and his continued attempts to find people and organizations that might help him, I know how important the kind of work done at Inner Fire is and what a lifeline such a conscious community can be.

Her aim is to help people find their voice, literally and metaphorically, and to give space to the unfolding that can happen in recovering the silenced parts of the self. Additionally, Melody will be working as an assistant preschool teacher at a Waldorf-inspired outdoor school. She is based in North Carolina and is excited to be working on her mission at Inner Fire.

Mona has lived in Finland, Sweden, Iceland and several U.S. states. She immigrated to the United  States in 1994.  Now Vermont feels like home. Her studies in her native Finland led to a master’s degree in education. She is also trained in homeopathy. Professionally, her past includes care and activity programs for both elderly individuals and people with developmental disabilities – in various settings, including Camphill communities in Finland. She has also taught home economics at the middle-school level and worked as a gardener.

Anthroposophical, Naturopathic Doctor, Scientist, Registered Nurse, Journalist/Writer, Teacher.  Tamara is using integrative multimodal human- centered therapeutic approach based on a holistic understanding of man and nature and of disease and treatment.

She applies an integrated image of the whole human being in illness and health, focusing on prevention, education and self care. Tamara believes in the “Inner Physician” and the self-healing potential of the body which, if properly supported, empowers an individual to achieve the highest level of health possible in given conditions. Illness is an opportunity for positive changes and with a new balance in life, one is drawn closer to its meaning and purpose. Anthroposophical remedies support the self-healing forces of the body and which work with the patient and not for the patient, they do not suppress symptoms but address the cause of the disease.

Symptoms of disease are the manifestation of self-healing forces working to overcome the underlying condition, which is the illness.

Tamara is drawn to working with seekers at Inner Fire because she believes in giving people the opportunity to be proactive. Being responsible for one’s own health, actions and healthy choices is the right of human beings. Tamara Potselueva has a private practice in CT.

While attending a Tai Chi class after retiring as an educator for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students, Tami was recruited by an Inner Fire Guide. She said, “you, (pointing at Tami), you belong at Inner Fire”. And so the journey began.

The moment Tami stepped foot on the Inner Fire campus, she was intrigued to learn more. “What is Inner Fire?” “Who are the community members?” “How does healing happen?” And eventually, “What do I have to offer?”

Tami strengths are in forming connections and motivating others to learn. She grew up on a farm which instilled a lifelong passion for farming. Growing, preparing, and preserving food are central to her life. She also believes being engaged with the outdoors provides opportunities for growth and healing.

Tami’s skills in listening and building communication foster taking ownership and instill confidence. Tami joins Inner Fire as the chef. She sees her role as not only feeding the community healthy meals but also teaching the skills of cooking and preserving delicious, wholesome, gut-friendly food.

Although I was only in Hawaii the first five years of my life… I feel like those years were the most significant and influential in guiding my life’s path. My mother had a garden, my dad gave me my first dog on my first birthday, we had horses and lived on the mountainside of Maui

We moved to Colorado where I eventually studied nutrition and food science. I had considered naturopathic school.

After many years in Vail working as a ski instructor and in restaurants… I began to feel a pull towards the agrarian lifestyle. I wanted to do more meaningful work, grow my skills and help others.

In 2012, with the help of my life partner, we moved to Camphill Village in Copake, New York to become long term volunteers in their intentional community. It was here that I began to learn of anthroposophy while helping to care for the many folks with developmental differences.

I learned organic gardening and work for their biodynamic seed initiative. I became their cheesemaker using raw milk from their cows. One of my greater joys was becoming a shepherd to my own small herd of alpine goats and backyard chickens.

The real joy however, was daily helping and working with the people and developing everlasting friendships.

And so, after 12 years in the village, it was time to move on, and through some very serendipitous fortune I was made aware of Inner Fire and their mission at hand. I was glad to bring my skills, my big heart, my humor, my dog, my chickens and my goats to IF and to help empower those who are seeking to regain control of their lives…