Kyle:
Kyle’s journey in transpersonal psychology began when he was sixteen years old, when he suffered a near-death experience due to a traumatic snowboarding accident. This event changed the trajectory of his life of wanting to move out west to become a professional ski bum. Instead of this, Kyle decided to use his traumatic experience to explore his own untold and forgotten stories by pursuing his education in psychology. Kyle received his B.A. in Integral Psychology with a focus in Transpersonal Psychology at Burlington College. During his time at Burlington College, Kyle researched and epxlored the potential benefits of non-ordinary states of consciousness and how they could be used to help foster healing, creativity, and self-exploration and discovery. Kyle discovered and focused on two main topics during his years of study — Holotropic Breathwork and shamanic healing techniques. These two focuses have been the foundation of creating SettingSun, and Kyle is greatly appreciative of all the teachers who shared their wisdom with him. Kyle studied and practiced Holotropic Breathwork with the guidance of Holotropic Breathwork facilitators, Lenny and Elizabeth Gibson. Kyle also studied shamanism, ecopsychology, narrative therapy, and Reiki energy healing with shamanic practitioner and psychotherapist, Michael Watson, and Reiki master and expressive art therapist, Jennie Kristel. Kyle received his Level 2 Reiki attunement. From these studies, Kyle crafted a 3-credit course for his senior “capstone” project, which was called, “Stanislav Grof’s Psychology of Extraordinary Experiences,” which explored the history and future of holotropic states of consciousness. Kyle has been practicing and researching Holotropic Breathwork for over four years. Kyle has also has experience working with at-risk youth in a clinical residential setting at a crisis stabilization program, and will start a new journey of working with people experiencing early episode or first-break psychosis.
Ayla:
After watching her father cure himself of stage-3 cancer through natural methods, Ayla has dedicated the last four years of her life to learning everything she can about health and healing in all its forms. Throughout the last few years, Ayla has worked as a raw, vegan chef at the Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center in Arizona, managed an organic juice bar in Whistler, Canada, traveled to over 15 different countries to various communities learning about sustainable living, culture, alternative and ancient medicine and shamanism, all while weaving each of these pieces into her college studies. Ayla is now starting up her own small business helping people to become more self-sustainable, build stronger local communities and live healthier more integrative lives.
Lucas:
While raising a diverse range of plants and animals on a small homestead in the Green Mountains of Vermont, Lucas dove deep into his psyche for the answers to questions many people no longer bother to ask. He emerged from the woods with a number of tools gathered from various ancient and contemporary traditions. This has led him to the far corners of his inner and outer worlds in anticipation of bringing back tools for helping others along their own healing paths. Lucas’ primary interest lies in plant medicines and how they can be guides for transforming our health, our minds, and our planet. On a recent trip to Guatemala, Lucas explored the healing powers of cacao and this amazing plant ally remains a keystone of Lucas’ inner work. Lucas also has a keen interest in Holotropic Breathwork, shamanic drumming, sacred geometry and other “technologies of the sacred”. It is from these various perspectives that Lucas wishes to share with others.
SettingSun 