University of Healing Arts and the Brain Optimization Institute Faculty

The University of Healing Arts and the Brain Optimization Institute’s dedication to quality is embodied in its faculty, who not only excel in their unique professional accomplishments and credentials, but also in their commitment to Truth and service to others.

Gian Paolo Girardi, MS, MA, Founder of the University of Healing Arts
and the Brain Optimization Institute

Gian Paolo has a Masters Degree in Engineering and a Masters Degree in Psychology. He practiced psychotherapy for 15 years and has, for the past several years, been dedicated to education. Along with the UHA faculty, Gian Paolo has personally taught courses in Nutrition with emphasis in Brain Nutrition Counseling, Life Coaching with emphasis in the Mystical Path to Success and some of the classes inAdministration and Marketing at UHA and BOI. However, his greatest expertise and most intense dedication is to the UHA courses in Spiritual Psychology.

Viviana Girardi, BA, CYT, Founder of the University of Healing Arts
and the Brain Optimization Institute.

Viviana is a multi-talented healer and teacher. She has a Bachelor degree in Physical Education from the prestigious University of Chile. She is a certified Yoga teacher and with certification in Flow Yoga from Erich Schiffmann, one of the top contemporary teachers in the US. She is a Swedish massage practitioner and a Reiki Master. Viviana also teaches Cooking Arts with emphasis in raw food. Her devotion to the UHA and BOI has been fundamental to the manifestation of these projects. Viviana teaches Yoga, Cooking Arts and Swedish Massage at UHA/BOI.

Larry is modern alchemist; a genius in the field of nutrition, as it applies to healing, youth and life extension, and brain optimization. Larry has degrees in Physics, Psychology, Oriental Medicine and is licensed in Acupuncture in the State of California. Larry teaches the Masters in Nutrition with emphasis in Youth and Life Extension as well as advanced classes on Brain Nutrition Counseling.

Rafael Estay, MD

Rafael has a doctoral degree in medicine and 25 years of clinical experience as a psychiatrist and psychodinamic psychotherapist. His especialty and passion is Jungian Psychology, specially the individuation process. He has written papers on the subject that have been published in scientific magazines, and a valuable book, in Spanish, on Jungian Psychology for the general public titled “Jung en fácil” or "Jung Made Easy." He is assistant professor of Psychiatry, University of Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile.

Kathy is gifted in several disciplines. Her formal art education began at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, continued over a decade of study at various studios, colleges and universities; culminating with an honors B.F.A. from the University of Western Ontario and a career as an exhibiting fine art printmaker. She proceeded to create and direct a multi-million dollar business in digital image consulting and sales. Most recently, Kathy earned a Masters in Life Coaching from the University of Healing Arts. She is currently teaching Marketing, and Life Coaching at UHA and is a frequent contributor to UHA/BOI in the areas of design, digital imaging, website management, editing and marketing.

Susan has a doctoral degree in nutrition and a certification in Brain Nutrition Counseling from the Brain Optimization Institute. Susan is presently teaching the Masters in Nutrition with emphasis in Youth and Life Extension.

Carlos has a Masters Degree in electrical Engineering and 20 years of experience as the head administrator in a successful alternative clinic for the treatment of cancer. Carlos has studied internet marketing with the best teachers in the world and has decoded the "internet marketing secrets" and use this knowledge to attain unusual professional success. Carlos teaches Internet marketing at UHA/BOI

Ignacio combines teaching Marketing at one of the leading online business schools in the world (Instituto Empresa in Spain) with a managerial position at a multinational company (Vodafone). His expertise in Marketing has been applied to the design and implementation of Marketing Strategies and Plans at four multinational companies, in five different countries. Ignacio is teaching Marketing and Administration at UHA.

Helle holds a Master's Degree in Spiritual Psychology Counseling with emphasis in non-duality. She also has certifications in Life Coaching and in Nutrition with emphasis in Brain Nutrition. Additionally, she has degrees in Nursing and Choreography.

Helle has a truly unique gift for reaching people and helping clients and students open up towards manifesting positive thoughts and feelings, becoming aware of their potential, and taking responsibility for the changes to be made in order to fulfill their dreams and improve their level of happiness.

Helle is also an inspirational speaker and presents workshops in America and Europe and is currently working on two books for publication.

Steve is an accomplished senior healer. He has more than twenty years of experience in many areas of the Healing Arts with consistent focus on preventing, alleviating and healing musculoskeletal disorders. Through the years he has presented workshops on Fedenkrais® at the University of Healing Arts.

Linde Farmer worked in theater and German television before coming to the U.S. Here she became a Registered Nurse and had ten years of psychiatric nursing experience. She also worked concurrently in video and received a B.A. in Film Production from the University of Southern California. Linde completed her Masters in Spiritual Psychology Counseling at UHA and obtained certifications in Life Coaching and Nutrition with emphasis in Brain Nutrition Counseling at the Brain Optimization Institute. As a Registered Nurse, working with patients for ten years, Linde could realize the superlative value of self-caring. She could see that failure in self-caring leads to mental illness, and eventually loss of one's life, while in-depth understanding of self-caring and systematic application of its principles, leads to physical, mental and spiritual stability, as well as positive inner transformation.

Charles is a multi-gifted individual and teacher. He has taught Eastern healing Arts, like Yoga, Jnana Yoga and Qi Gong. His deepest passion is Qi-Gong and as an advanced practitioner has more than thirty five years of experience. Charles teaches Qi- Gong segments of the Spiritual Psychology courses at UHA.

Arthur was an outstanding student that has graduated as a Life Coach from UHA. He has a friendly, empathic personality and is gifted with the ability to explain complexities in simple terms. Arthur is also quite successful in his career as a DJ and musician.

Suzanne has had a lifelong passion for yoga and the mind-body connection. She has been practicing yoga for over 15 years and teaching for nine. Her 500 hour yoga teacher certification was received in New York under Alan Finger and she has studied with the most renowned western yoga teachers as well as famous Indian teachers such as Ashtanga founder Pattabhis Jois. Recently she completed a feature documentary on Yoga where she personally interviewed many reputable Western teachers in an attempt to answer the most fundamental life questions about the human and soul condition. The video is titled, "YOGA :The Journey Within."

Suzanne has a BA in Journalism from NYU and certifications in Life Coaching and Nutrition as well as a MA in Spiritual Psychology from UHA. Her passion for wellness has also led Suzanne to study and research extensively the nutritional approach to cancer and heart disease prevention, as well as brain optimization and anti-aging.

To awaken the dreamer from the dream is to be no One
To realize the dream as the dreamer is to be One -- Jason Sawicki

This short bio was written by Jason at UHA's request and, except for minor details, left unedited. Jason has been one of our most advanced students and has a unique gift as a communicator -- not only in writing but also in person. Jason graduated as a Certified Spiritual Psychology Counselor from UHA, but most significant is his level of spiritual realization that transcends knowledge and degrees.

"Since I could remember, I had always found myself marveling at the inherent beauty of the world, feeling a deep peace in the silence and color of a sunset or a strange, compelling sense of expansion in a mountain range. Although I had never been religious [though my family was Catholic], this intuition kept me seeking truth. I studied the logical works of prominent atheists and witnessed the compassion in a love of God within religious followers. Still, I had a sense that Truth was beyond both. My first satori, a buddhist term for the word 'understanding', of my true nature, came to me on a foggy morning while driving down a quiet country road. Like a light switch that couldn't be turned off, I realized I had found what I had been looking for. Afterwards, I would come upon several spiritual teachers, both ancient and modern, whose teachings have helped point the way to further Self-realization. Having been a natural counselor to friends and family for many years, I was grateful to come upon the University of Healing Arts where I have since continued to develop both as a counselor and teacher.

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The University of Healing Arts and the Brain Optimization™ Institute offer information, counseling, courses with certifications and masters degrees on drug free solutions to ADD, ADHD, depression, anxiety, chronic pain, substance abuse and other forms of brain / mental suffering, UHA highly regarded Five Month Certifications include Nutrition with Emphasis in Brain Nutrition , Life Coaching with Emphasis in the Mystical Path to Success, Spiritual Psychology with Emphasis in Non-Duality. UHA's anti-aging program includes a five-month certification as a Physical Immortality Coach. UHA and BOI also offer masters degrees in several of these specialties. Additionally, every month the school presents a One Day Workshop Intensive with Certification on a variety of valuable topics for health practitioners or for anyone interested in personal and transpersonal growth. Subjects presented include Physical Immortality and Reversal of the Aging Process, Natural Healing, The Mystical Path to Success, Soul Psychology, Vocational Coach, Awareness Coach, Meditation Facilitator, How to Create a Private Practice in the Healing Arts, Brain Nutrition Counseling™, Hypnosis, Cognitive Psychology, and more.

Studies at UHA can be pursued in person in Santa Monica, or anywhere in the world on Skype or phone. Students from adjacent cities and locations, like Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Pacific Palisades, West L.A., West Los Angeles, Brentwood and Bel Air, can also take our courses in person. Students living in cities and locations located further away in the Los Angeles area, like Laguna Beach, Studio City, Glendale, Pasadena, San Fernando Valley, Irvine and Orange County, may choose to take some classes in person and some on Skype or phone. Students living in distant places like San Francisco, San Diego, New York, North/South Carolina, London, Paris, Spain, Madrid, Barcelona, Santiago Chile, Buenos Aires, Montreal and so on, most often take our courses on Skype or on the phone, unless they choose to come to Santa Mónica for the lenght of the course (Note: intensive courses are also available for students living far away who want to come to Santa Monica and participate in person. Please contact us.)

	FACULTY AT UHA/BOI
	The University of Healing Arts and the Brain Optimization Institute’s dedication to quality is embodied in its faculty, who not only excel in their unique professional accomplishments and credentials, but also in their commitment to Truth and service to others. Gian Paolo Girardi, MS, MA, Founder of the University of Healing Arts and the Brain Optimization Institute Gian Paolo has a Masters Degree in Engineering and a Masters Degree in Psychology. He practiced psychotherapy for 15 years and has, for the past several years, been dedicated to education. Along with the UHA faculty, Gian Paolo has personally taught courses in Nutrition with emphasis in Brain Nutrition Counseling, Life Coaching with emphasis in the Mystical Path to Success and some of the classes inAdministration and Marketing at UHA and BOI. However, his greatest expertise and most intense dedication is to the UHA courses in Spiritual Psychology. Viviana Girardi, BA, CYT, Founder of the University of Healing Arts and the Brain Optimization Institute. Viviana is a multi-talented healer and teacher. She has a Bachelor degree in Physical Education from the prestigious University of Chile. She is a certified Yoga teacher and with certification in Flow Yoga from Erich Schiffmann, one of the top contemporary teachers in the US. She is a Swedish massage practitioner and a Reiki Master. Viviana also teaches Cooking Arts with emphasis in raw food. Her devotion to the UHA and BOI has been fundamental to the manifestation of these projects. Viviana teaches Yoga, Cooking Arts and Swedish Massage at UHA/BOI. Larry Richardson, MA, LAc, Brain Optimization Institute Teacher. Larry is modern alchemist; a genius in the field of nutrition, as it applies to healing, youth and life extension, and brain optimization. Larry has degrees in Physics, Psychology, Oriental Medicine and is licensed in Acupuncture in the State of California. Larry teaches the Masters in Nutrition with emphasis in Youth and Life Extension as well as advanced classes on Brain Nutrition Counseling. Rafael Estay, MD Rafael has a doctoral degree in medicine and 25 years of clinical experience as a psychiatrist and psychodinamic psychotherapist. His especialty and passion is Jungian Psychology, specially the individuation process. He has written papers on the subject that have been published in scientific magazines, and a valuable book, in Spanish, on Jungian Psychology for the general public titled “Jung en fácil” or "Jung Made Easy." He is assistant professor of Psychiatry, University of Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile. Kathy May, BFA, MA, LCC Kathy is gifted in several disciplines. Her formal art education began at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, continued over a decade of study at various studios, colleges and universities; culminating with an honors B.F.A. from the University of Western Ontario and a career as an exhibiting fine art printmaker. She proceeded to create and direct a multi-million dollar business in digital image consulting and sales. Most recently, Kathy earned a Masters in Life Coaching from the University of Healing Arts. She is currently teaching Marketing, and Life Coaching at UHA and is a frequent contributor to UHA/BOI in the areas of design, digital imaging, website management, editing and marketing. Susan Scheinman, ND, N-BNC, Brain Optimization Institute Teacher. Susan has a doctoral degree in nutrition and a certification in Brain Nutrition Counseling from the Brain Optimization Institute. Susan is presently teaching the Masters in Nutrition with emphasis in Youth and Life Extension. Carlos Caridad, MS in Electronics Carlos has a Masters Degree in electrical Engineering and 20 years of experience as the head administrator in a successful alternative clinic for the treatment of cancer. Carlos has studied internet marketing with the best teachers in the world and has decoded the "internet marketing secrets" and use this knowledge to attain unusual professional success. Carlos teaches Internet marketing at UHA/BOI Ignacio Gafo, MBA, AMP (Advanced Management Program) Ignacio combines teaching Marketing at one of the leading online business schools in the world (Instituto Empresa in Spain) with a managerial position at a multinational company (Vodafone). His expertise in Marketing has been applied to the design and implementation of Marketing Strategies and Plans at four multinational companies, in five different countries. Ignacio is teaching Marketing and Administration at UHA. Helle Brisson, MA, LCC, NC Helle holds a Master's Degree in Spiritual Psychology Counseling with emphasis in non-duality. She also has certifications in Life Coaching and in Nutrition with emphasis in Brain Nutrition. Additionally, she has degrees in Nursing and Choreography. Helle has a truly unique gift for reaching people and helping clients and students open up towards manifesting positive thoughts and feelings, becoming aware of their potential, and taking responsibility for the changes to be made in order to fulfill their dreams and improve their level of happiness. Helle is also an inspirational speaker and presents workshops in America and Europe and is currently working on two books for publication. Steve Hamlin, BA, Certified Feldenkrais® Practitioner Steve is an accomplished senior healer. He has more than twenty years of experience in many areas of the Healing Arts with consistent focus on preventing, alleviating and healing musculoskeletal disorders. Through the years he has presented workshops on Fedenkrais® at the University of Healing Arts. Linde Farmer, MA, RN Linde Farmer worked in theater and German television before coming to the U.S. Here she became a Registered Nurse and had ten years of psychiatric nursing experience. She also worked concurrently in video and received a B.A. in Film Production from the University of Southern California. Linde completed her Masters in Spiritual Psychology Counseling at UHA and obtained certifications in Life Coaching and Nutrition with emphasis in Brain Nutrition Counseling at the Brain Optimization Institute. As a Registered Nurse, working with patients for ten years, Linde could realize the superlative value of self-caring. She could see that failure in self-caring leads to mental illness, and eventually loss of one's life, while in-depth understanding of self-caring and systematic application of its principles, leads to physical, mental and spiritual stability, as well as positive inner transformation. Charles Anthony, AA, Qi-Gong teacher Charles is a multi-gifted individual and teacher. He has taught Eastern healing Arts, like Yoga, Jnana Yoga and Qi Gong. His deepest passion is Qi-Gong and as an advanced practitioner has more than thirty five years of experience. Charles teaches Qi- Gong segments of the Spiritual Psychology courses at UHA. Arthur Galestian, BA, LCC Arthur was an outstanding student that has graduated as a Life Coach from UHA. He has a friendly, empathic personality and is gifted with the ability to explain complexities in simple terms. Arthur is also quite successful in his career as a DJ and musician. Suzanne Bryant-Cunha, MA Suzanne has had a lifelong passion for yoga and the mind-body connection. She has been practicing yoga for over 15 years and teaching for nine. Her 500 hour yoga teacher certification was received in New York under Alan Finger and she has studied with the most renowned western yoga teachers as well as famous Indian teachers such as Ashtanga founder Pattabhis Jois. Recently she completed a feature documentary on Yoga where she personally interviewed many reputable Western teachers in an attempt to answer the most fundamental life questions about the human and soul condition. The video is titled, "YOGA :The Journey Within." Suzanne has a BA in Journalism from NYU and certifications in Life Coaching and Nutrition as well as a MA in Spiritual Psychology from UHA. Her passion for wellness has also led Suzanne to study and research extensively the nutritional approach to cancer and heart disease prevention, as well as brain optimization and anti-aging. Jason Sawicki, Institute of Spiritual Awakeining, Founder To awaken the dreamer from the dream is to be no One To realize the dream as the dreamer is to be One -- Jason Sawicki This short bio was written by Jason at UHA's request and, except for minor details, left unedited. Jason has been one of our most advanced students and has a unique gift as a communicator -- not only in writing but also in person. Jason graduated as a Certified Spiritual Psychology Counselor from UHA, but most significant is his level of spiritual realization that transcends knowledge and degrees. "Since I could remember, I had always found myself marveling at the inherent beauty of the world, feeling a deep peace in the silence and color of a sunset or a strange, compelling sense of expansion in a mountain range. Although I had never been religious [though my family was Catholic], this intuition kept me seeking truth. I studied the logical works of prominent atheists and witnessed the compassion in a love of God within religious followers. Still, I had a sense that Truth was beyond both. My first satori, a buddhist term for the word 'understanding', of my true nature, came to me on a foggy morning while driving down a quiet country road. Like a light switch that couldn't be turned off, I realized I had found what I had been looking for. Afterwards, I would come upon several spiritual teachers, both ancient and modern, whose teachings have helped point the way to further Self-realization. Having been a natural counselor to friends and family for many years, I was grateful to come upon the University of Healing Arts where I have since continued to develop both as a counselor and teacher. ------------------------------------------------------ The University of Healing Arts and the Brain Optimization™ Institute offer information, counseling, courses with certifications and masters degrees on drug free solutions to ADD, ADHD, depression, anxiety, chronic pain, substance abuse and other forms of brain / mental suffering, UHA highly regarded Five Month Certifications include Nutrition with Emphasis in Brain Nutrition , Life Coaching with Emphasis in the Mystical Path to Success, Spiritual Psychology with Emphasis in Non-Duality. UHA's anti-aging program includes a five-month certification as a Physical Immortality Coach. UHA and BOI also offer masters degrees in several of these specialties. Additionally, every month the school presents a One Day Workshop Intensive with Certification on a variety of valuable topics for health practitioners or for anyone interested in personal and transpersonal growth. Subjects presented include Physical Immortality and Reversal of the Aging Process, Natural Healing, The Mystical Path to Success, Soul Psychology, Vocational Coach, Awareness Coach, Meditation Facilitator, How to Create a Private Practice in the Healing Arts, Brain Nutrition Counseling™, Hypnosis, Cognitive Psychology, and more. Studies at UHA can be pursued in person in Santa Monica, or anywhere in the world on Skype or phone. Students from adjacent cities and locations, like Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, Pacific Palisades, West L.A., West Los Angeles, Brentwood and Bel Air, can also take our courses in person. Students living in cities and locations located further away in the Los Angeles area, like Laguna Beach, Studio City, Glendale, Pasadena, San Fernando Valley, Irvine and Orange County, may choose to take some classes in person and some on Skype or phone. Students living in distant places like San Francisco, San Diego, New York, North/South Carolina, London, Paris, Spain, Madrid, Barcelona, Santiago Chile, Buenos Aires, Montreal and so on, most often take our courses on Skype or on the phone, unless they choose to come to Santa Mónica for the lenght of the course (Note: intensive courses are also available for students living far away who want to come to Santa Monica and participate in person. Please contact us.)