Journal Team Members

Craig Chalquist, PhD is department chair of East-West Psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco and adjunct faculty at Pacifica Graduate Institute, where he teaches ecopsychology, and at John F. Kennedy University, where he launched the world's first Certificate in Ecotherapy. He is the author of several books, including those of the Animate California Series and Terrapsychology: Reengaging the Soul of Place, editor of Rebearths: Conversations with a World Ensouled, and co-editor of Ecotherapy: Healing with Nature in Mind. His areas of professional interest include depth psychology, ecopsychology, mythology, history, ecoresilient communities, theoretical and qualitative research, phenomenology, and complexity science. He manages the Deep Educator Network at LinkedIn, and his website is Chalquist.com.

Valerie Maria Beltran, daughter of Alfred and Betty Beltran-Romero, is in her second year of the MA Integral Psychotherapy program at John F. Kennedy University in Pleasant Hill, CA. Originally from Las Cruces, NM, she received her BA in Psychology from New Mexico State University, but also attended California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, CA. She is a volunteer with Bay Area Integral and Maine Coon Adoptions, and is an Associate Organizer of the 2013 Integral Theory Conference. She is a certified Reiki master, Egyptian belly dancer, and an Academic Advisor at JFKU. In her free time, she helps people become more savvy with their Apple products, in a side business she calls iHelp. She plans to become a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.  Email Valerie

Marenka Cerny, MFT has a private practice at the Anam Cara Therapy Center in Berkeley, CA. She has been studying somatic psychotherapy since 1997. Her work is based on Hakomi, object relations and theories of intersubjectivity, self psychology, the development of sensory awareness and mindfulness, and Bill Bowen’s Psycho-Physical Therapy. Marenka received her Master’s degree in somatic psychology from CIIS in 2002. She has practiced therapeutic massage for 21 years and taught massage at NHI for two years. For five years Marenka taught experiential anatomy and physiology at JFK University, as well as CIIS, and for one semester she also brought her skeleton and projector to the 5^th and 6^th graders at COVA elementary school in Oakland. Three objectives for her anatomy/physiology classes are for students to enjoy soaking up an immense number of basic terms and concepts, to gain insight into the way each system interacts with all the other systems, and to be inspired to continue a life-long journey of understanding the amazing functions of the body. Marenka also loves making pottery and proofreading. To see further information on her work, please visit: http://www.somatic-psychotherapy.org.

Lynn Ireland has been a Professor of Holistic Counseling Psychology at John F. Kennedy University for 17 years.  In addition, she has been a licensed Psychologist (#Psy10925) doing individual and group psychotherapy, as well as consulting, training and teaching in various venues for over 25 years.  Her transpersonal orientation has been highlighted by her love for poetry.  She discovered poetry at age 7, when her mother shared poems written by her Irish grandfather.  The magic of his lines made a deep imprint and initiated a poetry journey that has included reading, publishing, studying, performing and teaching.  Lynn’s life work has been to integrate psychological insight and spiritual healing modalities.  Poetry has given this integration a creative voice.  She considers poetry to be a lifeline to the soul, and is grateful to this Journal for inspiring and supporting fellow travelers in their journey of awakening and discovery.

Originally from the metro Boston area, Dave Walcott lives in Berkeley, CA, and is a graduate of the John F. Kennedy University Transpersonal Counseling Psychology MA program in Pleasant Hill, CA. He received his undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Rochester in New York state, and then moved to California and spent over a decade working in business technology and playing and teaching music before returning to school to get his masters degree from JFK. Dave now works as a Marriage and Family Therapist registered intern (supervised by Patricia E. Craven, LMFT #24859) at Heart in Balance Counseling Center in Oakland, CA, and draws from contemplative, existential, humanistic and somatic modalities in his therapy work with clients. Aside from working at Heart in Balance and as an editor for the Journal of Holistic Psychology, he enjoys travel, music, poetry, photography, writing, snowboarding, hiking, mountain biking, and his cat Monk.  www.davewalcott.com