I teach, coach, and treat clients and patients nationally and internationally using the foundational principles from my book, “Unlocking the Heart of Healing” (Healing Point Press, 2014.) My husband and I own 2 healing arts centers, one a quaint little place in the historic Codd Building across the street from Severn, and one in the state-of-the-art Medical Pavilion at Howard County General Hospital/Johns Hopkins Medicine. I have a B.A. in Psychology, a Master’s degree in acupuncture, Board Certification as a Clinical Hypnotherapist, and am certified as a Qigong (Meditation in Motion) instructor.

 

It’s funny--I won the Senior 2-D Art award and the Senior Superlative “Most Artistic” and Severn friends often ask me why I don’t do any art now. However I do art all day every day: I look at my clients and can perceive exactly where they are to help create a little more play, some relief, a touch of daring, and a connection with sacred awe in their lives. Tiny changes in the way a person feels or relates to their challenges can ignite their mind-body connection, and potentially impact their hormonal, neurological, immunological systems--it shows in their posture, and on their face! When a person comes alive in a new way it is epic art!

 

Lately, sprawling in the grass with my family listening to audiobooks. I also love just being with my family: having fun with my son and trying to out-perform each other in yoga or kettle bell functional movement exercises. And I’m crazy for salsa dancing!

For 20 years a portion of my work has been with clients with life-threatening illnesses. Over and over these clients tell me they wish they had taken the time to live more playfully, love more deeply, and to be in nature and with friends and family more. My husband Brandon and I planted grapes on an arbor last year and this spring they are covered already with masses of tiny grape clusters. The irony is, to get full-sized healthy grapes, more than half of those tiny clusters will have to be pruned or else the plant will not have enough energy to nourish any of the clusters to full size, and eventually, the size of the higher maturing clusters will shade the development of the lower ones. They must be pruned to account for the necessary light and life force requirements. The start of college is a time to widely expand your horizons. But ultimately, don’t be afraid to prune life to nourish and ripen what really matters. 

 

 

It’s kind of incredible for me to think back and realize how many Severn teachers impacted my life in deep and rich ways. Some were small and funny things; for instance, I still tell people, even as recently as just a few days ago that my name is spelled Bridge-T. That was Doc Heslin’s nickname for me throughout high school Latin (identifying the root word, ha ha!) Doc had an incredible capacity to make learning engaging and fun, and he instinctively drew out people who were shy. That nickname was like an alter ego for a more lighthearted part of myself that he helped me see and want to develop. I also had a close connection with Marjorie Pearsall and have stayed in touch with her for many years. I had one of the most important conversations of my adult life with her: whether or not to pursue fertility treatment. That is a conversation reserved for very few people. I am forever grateful for the firm nudge she gave me that resulted in our beautiful son. Ms. Pearsall also got to choose 2 students every year to train in the prestigious exhibit guide program at the National Aquarium in Baltimore. The year our class was up, I got chosen, along with now "Shark Man" Andy Dehart! It was a wonderful experience for which I am so grateful. Finally, Cameron Coe had such a meaningful impact on my life that my husband and I chose him to officiate at our wedding (at Severn we knew him as “Mr. Coe” but he is also a Lutheran pastor.) 10th grade honors English was riveting enough simply because of Mr. Coe’s charismatic way of bringing the material alive. But I will never forget that for 2 straight months in the middle of class, he would suddenly drop to the floor as if an attack of some kind had come over him. He would lay there like a stone and then suddenly get back up and start teaching as if nothing had happened. He would always leave us wondering whether he was joking or something was wrong, but it was immediately obvious that he had figured out how to capture our highest level of interest, attention, and sense of fun in learning. I have taken many more playful and creative risks in my own public speaking for Mr. Coe’s example.

Even my husband, who only knows Severn through my stories, has commented that my high school experience clearly set an early tone for what he considers an unusual capacity to research, learn, and develop unique perspectives. The rigor and excellence of the education and the encouragement of many respected teachers at Severn helped deeply build and nourish the confidence to be an innovative thinker and entrepreneur in the domain of health and wellness.