Founder & Faculty
You can see information about Former Faculty here.
Linda Hartley, MA, Dip Ed, Cert BMC, CTP dip Psych, ISMETA MSMT/E
Founder, IBMT
Originally trained as a dancer and Body-Mind Centering® practitioner and teacher, then a psychotherapist, Linda has practised since 1977 as a somatic movement educator and therapist, and somatic transpersonal psychotherapist. She founded what became the Institute for Integrative Bodywork and Movement Therapy in 1990, through which she developed and taught the IBMT Diploma training programmes for thirty years. She served as Director of the Institute for thirty-three years, as well as teaching in various settings in the UK and internationally.
Linda has an MA in Somatic Psychology, and Diploma in Dance in Education from Dartington College of Arts. She is author of Wisdom of the Body Moving, Servants of the Sacred Dream, and Somatic Psychology; and editor of Contemporary Body Psychotherapy, and The Fluid Nature of Being. Her studies in Authentic Movement with Janet Adler deeply inform her work and many years of practice in Buddhist meditation give support and inspiration.
A Teacher of the Discipline of Authentic Movement and a former member of the Circles of Four Faculty, Linda now focusses on her writing and offering retreats in the Discipline at her studio in Norfolk.
Website: www.lindahartley.co.uk
Jane Okondo Dip IBMT, MA, MSME, MSMT, CRST
Co Director & Trainer UK, Lithuania & Russia
Based in London Jane has been teaching in the field of Somatic Therapy since 1995. She has a private practice offering sessions in Integrative Bodywork and Movement Therapy, Continuum, the Discipline of Authentic Movement, Somatic Experiencing ® and NeuroAffective Touch.
She has a Master’s degree in Dance and Somatic Wellbeing from the University of Central Lancaster, is a member of the Continuum Teacher Association, and on Faculty for the Circles of Four programme, the Discipline of Authentic Movement.
Jane offers workshops and retreats in the UK and Europe with her focus and curiosity being embodied presence and integrating somatic movement approaches for working with trauma. She is currently on the board of directors for ISMETA and is the Co-Director IBMT.
Website: www.somaflow.co.uk
Paul Beaumont BA, Dip Coun, Dip IBMT, MSMT
Co-Director & Trainer UK
Paul comes from a background in Adult Mental Health and Community Arts, and has been involved in the somatic field for 20 years. He trained in Participatory Arts and Massage in the US in the 1990s. He went on to train with Helen Poynor and then with the Institute for Integrative Bodywork & Movement Therapy.
Paul was a Trainer for over 5 years with JABADAO, delivering developmental movement based courses in Early Years Education and Learning Disability. He ran a Dads & Babies project for 2 years, and is now a visiting lecturer within Higher Education, having taught on Masters courses in Drama-therapy (University of Plymouth), MA Dance & Somatic Wellbeing: Connections to the Living Body (UCLan) and Dance Movement Psychotherapy (Goldsmiths, University of London). Paul has a private movement therapy practice working with people of all ages, and provides movement therapy services within the adoption field. He has a diploma in Creative Supervision and is the Co-Director of IBMT.
Website: www.PaulBeaumont.net
Cornelia Schmitz Dip Psych, Psychological Psychotherapist, Dip IBMT, RSME
Trainer (Lithuania & Russia)
Cornelia studied psychology and is trained in various forms of psychotherapy and dance and movement education. She offers body-based psychodynamic psychotherapy, supervision and Authentic Movement in her practice in Braunschweig, Germany. She also teaches her own approach to supporting the unfolding of movement and the refinement of embodied conscious awareness, naming this approach “Bewegungsgewebe”.
She has taught at various Institutes in Germany. Her commitment to the Discipline of Authentic Movement, as student of Janet Adler and as teacher, is essential for her orientation in life, together with her profound interest in the subtle and material tissues that form us.
Frauke Burchards Dip IBMT, Physiotherapie, New Dance
Trainer (Lithuania & Russia)
Frauke is a physiotherapist with a background in dance, contact improvisation and choreography. For over fifteen years she has worked in a psychosomatic clinic in Gottingen, Germany, combining these skills with Integrative Bodywork and Movement Therapy. In private practice she also offers individual sessions and workshops in bodywork and dance based on developmental movement patterns and body systems. In her work she connects detailed knowledge about the physical body with sensitive touch, emotion and joy of movement. A source of wisdom and inspiration is Authentic Movement, which influences her work with clients.
“My deep interest is to support the process of exploring and unfolding the individual’s potential, deepen presence and follow the flow”.
Danguole Venslavice, Dip IBMT, RSME, RSMT
Trainer (Lithuania)
Danguole has adapted physical activity for people with psychosocial disoders and has a master degree in rehabilitation. She has work experience of physical activity with various clients. Danguole works as a Body Control Pilates teacher in a private practice since 2004. She also teaches anatomy and kinesiology in Lithuanian music and theatre academy. The interest in embodied movement and a lot of experience in different movement techniques and practices brought her to IBMT studies. Danguole combines all her experience while teaching the exercise or gives sessions as a therapist with special interest in developmental disorders, inclusiveness for movement and psychosomatic pain.
Maria Grudskaya Dip IBMT, RSMT/E
Trainer Russia
Maria has a private practice working as a somatic movement therapist. Since 2003 she has been practicing contact improvisation and somatic disciplines. Over 10 years she\’s taught CI, movement improvisation and body awareness classes in Russia, Europe, Japan, Thailand, Israel. Maria is a co-organiser and a teacher of the IBMT Diploma Programme in Moscow, Israel and international CI festivals.
Nina Kungurova Dip IBMT, RSMT
Trainer Russia
Nina is a Registered Somatic Movement Therapist (RSMT, ISMETA) and has a diploma in Integrative Bodywork and Movement Therapy. She lives and work in Russia, Moscow. Originally trained as a dancer, for 15 years Nina has been involved in the fields of dance and somatic movement therapy. She studied Somatic Psychotherapy, Process Oriented Psychology, Integrative Dance Movement Psychology and Psychotherapy, Trauma Work.
She completed the Circle of Four, an International Program for the Preparation of Teachers of the Discipline of Authentic Movement. Nina offers individual sessions and group work in weekend seminars, year-long groups, and retreats. She believes in the wisdom of the body and the healing power of the movement.
Website: ninakungurova.com
Anna Feoktistova Dip IBMT
Trainer Russia
Anna is a teacher of somatic movement with big interest in process work (Arni Mindell), somatic psychology in working with traumatic experiences (Annie Brook), and our possibilities of nervous system. In her personal practice, Anna combines these methods in group and individual work based on a somatic approach, supporting on the path of discovering one’s soul’s challenges, restoring wholeness and finding the best support to realize one’s goals. She creates support projects for parents to prevent emotional burnout, gain self-regulation tools and create a safe, resourceful and creative environment for all family members.
“I am looking for ways to create my life and play with it, to be in intimacy with myself and the universe. I love opening portals of creativity to others – through a deep encounter with our own body consciousness”