The Open Mind Center Teachers and Lecturers

All of our teachers and lecturers are professionals in their fields. Many are renowned experts who have practiced for numerous years locally and nationally.

The goal of all The Open Mind Center teachers and lecturers is to impart knowledge and wisdom on the receptive mind, body and spirit.

It is our hope that we can help you achieve self-awareness and enlightenment, enabling you to live to your full potential.

Our teachers and lecturers are listed below:

Kym Kennedy

Kym Kennedy is a Personal Life and Radical Forgiveness Coach. Using a variety of extremely effective tools, Kym assists people from all walks of life remove the blocks that are keeping them from living lives full of joy and passion.  

Prior to establishing her coaching business, Kym held roles as a Director with The Boys & Girls Clubs of America, management positions with Nationsbank, IBM, and Mellon Bank. She also enjoyed 8 years as president of her own computer training business.  

Kym earned a Master’s degree from Clemson University in Human Resource Development. She attended Inner Visions Institute for Spiritual Development for two years, where she received a certificate in Spiritual Life Maintenance.  Most recently she was certified by the Institute of Radical Forgiveness as a Radical Forgiveness coach and has since completed advanced training to facilitate workshops for the Institute. 

Kym offers individual coaching in person or by telephone.  She also facilitates workshops and talks on topics of Self-Love, Radical Forgiveness and Discovering Your Passions.

Melody LeBaron

Melody LeBaron is a Professional Organizer, a Space and Personal Clearing practitioner, Instinctive Feng Shui consultant, and a Life Coach. She is also a Kundalini Yoga teacher and has been a public speaker for over 20 years.

Gay Wolff

Though raised in a conservative family, Gay has been on a lifelong journey for spiritual truths and personal healing. Her quest has exposed her to many great teachers, healing modalities, and growth experiences. Her careful studies have helped her find true jewels of wisdom, and she brings these to her students and clients. Her classes are designed to share the compilation of her lifelong studies, and to empower participants with healing and growing opportunities. Gay also provides Shamanic Energy Therapy. Shamanic Energy Therapy is a deep healing process that removes blockages and heals wounds at their energetic source.

Gay is certified in Shamanic Energy Healing, Integrated Energy Therapy, and Yoga instruction, has studied with many great teachers including Deepak Chopra, Doreen Virtue, and Anthony Robbins, and is in a Mythology w/ Depth Psychology PhD program.

Julie Sutton

Julie is a Hatha Yoga Svaroopa® Style Yoga instructor (Member SATYA - Svaroopa® Association of Teachers Yoga Association) and Embodyment® Yoga therapist and is currently working toward her second certification as a Registered Yoga Teacher. Julie is also a Reiki practitioner.

After spending many years as a long distance runner and experiencing knee injuries, Julie began exploring other options to keep her body in shape. She soon discovered Svaroopa® Yoga and immediately embraced its subtle approach of “undoing” the stress and related tensions which were beginning to take a toll on her life. Julie’s journey into Svaroopa® Yoga has been life-changing and has helped her heal from both fibromyalgia and migraine headaches. She acknowledges that becoming a Svaroopa® Yoga Teacher really taught her about body awareness in a way that running never could. She loves to have the opportunity to share and teach others a practice that has helped her out in so many ways. Namaste

Tammy Dirkman

Tammy Dirkman is a Certified Life Coach and has been coaching professionally since 2003. Her objective is to assist and guide others in the areas of Relationships, Life Purpose, Career and Finance. She successfully completed her Certification for Life Coaching in 2002. She also completed courses in “Counseling for Healing” and “Life Skills Public Speaking”. Tammy has also attended many intuitive classes through the instruction of Wanda Lasseter-Lundy of Rays of Healing Church, Falls Church, Virginia. She continues to educate herself by attending a variety of seminars and classes. Her coaching skills have also come through her own life experiences and interactions with people who have crossed her path. Her goal is to empower and encourage others to discover their unique path and assist them in their process.

Jennifer McKenna Weinbaum

Passionate about inspiring the human spirit to emerge and soar, Jennifer shows others how to live a life of prosperity and purpose by empowering them to create their own personal connection with the Universe.

She's a pattern recognition specialist. Jennifer identifies unconscious mental patterns, which she consistently proves to be at the root of every struggle. Therefore, she doesn't motivate people. She moves them into action. And it isn't just action. It's total transformation.

For the past five years, Jennifer's clients have been as diverse as the human race. They range in race, gender, religion, sexual orientation and age (from 21 to 61), and all of them- no matter what their challenge, struggle or addiction- have taken their lives to new levels as a result of the program. From chronic physical conditions to chronic financial conditions; from sexual dysfunction to family dysfunction; from jail time to suicidal tendency to an EEO lawsuit within a well-known government agency; she has been witness to a diverse array of issues and has moved individuals, couples, and whole teams through steel mental walls.

Sharon Foote

Ms. Sharon P. Foote has over twenty years experience in the communications field as an instructor, actress and lecturer in corporate, collegiate and performing arts environments with an emphasis on public speaking and drama. Her other experience includes curriculum development, casting for film and professional modeling.

Sharon is a professional actor and a member of SAG/AFTRA and AEA, the professional acting unions, and has extensive acting experience in New York, Los Angeles and the Southeast. Her experience includes professional theater, television and film as well as TV commercials, soap operas, narration and convention spokesperson. 

She began her acting career while in high school starting with a national television commercial for a popular soft drink “Wink” from Canada Dry and print ads for Delta Airlines. She pursued her acting while studying drama at the Alliance Theater Company in Atlanta and furthered her education in New York City.

Sharon’s soap opera credits include playing the characters of Susan Aronson on “One Life to Live” and Sally on “Texas” and other roles on “Another World” and “The Catlins.”  She has performed in movies for ABC, MTM Productions and Warner Brothers to name a few.  

She was also an associate casting director for several films including the Academy Award winning movie “Driving Miss Daisy”.
	
Sharon is a faculty member and lead teacher for numerous film and television classes at the Alliance Theatre Acting Program in Atlanta, GA, where she has designed a variety of top selling classes and workshops for the Acting Program and Education and Community Outreach division.  She was also chosen to be a guest speaker for the Alliance Theatre Company’s Speaker Bureau “Talk It Up”.

She was a professor at Bauder College in Atlanta, GA for four years.  She taught Speech Communications, Drama and College Success. In 2003, she received the Award of Excellence for outstanding service to students.

Sharon was also a national lecturer and teacher for the International Meditation Society and a guest speaker and panel member for the Alzheimer’s Association.

She is the founder and principal instructor for Foote Communications, a corporate training company, in the art of presentation skills. 

Ricia L. Maxie

Ricia Maxie is an internationally renowned Intuitive Consultant/Mystic, a gifted Healer and Reiki practitioner, and a sought-after Speaker.  Having studied with master teachers and practicing numerous approaches to meditation from several traditions, Ricia has been providing intuitive consultations/readings, leading spiritual retreats, and teaching classes and meditation for more than 20 years.

Additionally, Ms. Maxie has professionally recorded two meditation CDs that have received enthusiastic reviews from those who have listened to or purchased them.  Each CD holds four meditations.  Calm the Body includes: Calm the Body-Quiet the Mind, Wastebasket, Breathe, and Sleep Deeply.  I Am That includes: Acceptance, Fear or Excitement, Co-Creation, and I Am That.

Proud of her dual career in both the business and spiritual disciplines, Ricia is also a professional business woman, Organization Development Consultant, and Trainer.  She provides interpersonal communication and leadership development, management coaching, conflict mediation and resolution, team building, mediation, strategic planning, stress reduction techniques, and numerous training classes.

Ricia earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Dominican University and a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from the University of San Francisco.

Amani Jabril

Amani Jabril is an instructor and choreographer based in Atlanta, Georgia. She has studied and performed extensively throughout Europe, the Middle East and North America. Nominated in 2004 and 2006 for Zaghareet Magazine's Favorite Oriental Dancer of the Year, she is best known for her fluid and deeply sensual style, and is adept with a wide variety of dances from across the Middle East.

Catherine Weiss

Catherine Weiss is committed to the incredible possibility that the parent-child relationship can bring permanent peace to each of our hearts and, in turn, bring permanent peace to the world. She invites parents to see that possibility and to see their own unique contribution to that cause. She is an intense scholar of parent-child relationships and the human brain. She began doing coaching after she had a life-changing experience while working as an award-winning team leader in the corporate world. She now writes, coaches, speaks, trains, facilitates and mentors others in the area of parenting development and is the founder of Here and Now ParentingTM. She is completely in love with her husband, two beautiful teachers (children) and her wonderful life.

Ien van Bekkum

Ien van Bekkum is a Medical Doctor. She trained and specialized in Preventive Health Care for children in the Netherlands, and has 30 years of experience working with parents and children. She is trained in Europe and the U.S. in the field of the body and mind connection and in subtle release techniques.
      
Ordained as a Minister, it is Ien’s joy to work with people of all walks of life, supporting and empowering others while raising awareness and giving counsel.

As a Licensed Massage Therapist, she is trained in Cranio-Sacral therapy techniques. She is also certified in “Nurturing the Mother” (Pregnancy & after birth Massages, Couples classes), and in Infant Massage Instruction, at the Atlanta School of Massage. Convinced of the healing value of touch, she gives and teaches massages. 

Ien is a strong believer in the body’s inherent capacity to heal itself, using the breath to release, and has more then 20 years of meditation experience. She trained in Atlanta with Michael Casteel to become certified in Conscious Integrative Breathwork.
   
Coming from a preventive health background and having to deal with health issues herself she became a life style coach, using BIA (bio-impedance analysis) to assess percentages of water, cell mass and fat in your body, and find indicators that show how healthy your cell membranes are. This is a very personalized effective way of coaching when you want to loose weight and/or become healthier and live a less stressful life.  
     
Ien has such an eclectic background and is educated in so many different modalities, that  she has now integrated her Healing Touch training into her work, incorporating all modalities when working with clients on Physical, Emotional, Mental, Spiritual and Energetic levels. Her individualized sessions are called Integrated Body Mind Energy Balancing. In this new and unique holistic approach, your body is asked with Applied Kinisiology (muscle testing), what level is most important to work on first. This work is great for resolving blocks or sabotage mechanisms, preventing you from healing and/or being happy. And to release trauma’s of any kind. 

Ien’s message for you:
Never forget: you have your own healer inside, it is just a matter of accessing this part of you, and/or allowing the divine to work through you.

Pamela Bellamy

Pamela Bellamy, L. Ac., graduated with honors, achieving a Masters of Science degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine, including Chinese herbology, from Yo San University, founded by Master Hua Ching Ni and his sons, Mao and Dao Ni, who carry forth a lineage of thirty-eight generations in this healing art. Pamela has studied alternative healing modalities for the past thirty years and offers a unique blend of the best of Western alternative healing with the incredible power of Chinese medicine. She has trained in Tai Chi and Chi Gong with several Chinese masters as well as practicing meditation for twenty plus years and teaches her patients how to enhance thier energy and health with these gentle yet very effective exercises and practices. Pamela also obtained her Masters in Usui Reiki and Karuna Ki energetic healing, which empower and further complement her Taoist energetic practices. She offers training and certification in both Reiki and Karuna Ki. Pamela has a singular passion for working with patients and endeavors to teach them the skills necessary to create wellness and balance in thier own lives so they may enjoy optimal health and well-being.

Sassha Jones

Sassha Jones is an amazing and gifted intuitive. At the tender age of seven her gifts began to develop and her grandmother knew she had the gift. At the age of 16 she began actively using her gifts. This allowed her to motivate and guide others on their spiritual path. Sassha knows that her life serves a purpose, and that her spiritual intuition should naturally be used to inspire and enhance the world. Sassha’s gifts are derived and prompted by natural tendencies, obtained through intuition rather than reasoning or observation. This enables her to speak words of wisdom and knowledge channeled through the spirit of love and light. Receiving a message from Sassha will be nurturing to your spirit, allowing you to have more clarity, comfort and peace of mind.

Laina Orlando

Often referred to as the Guru of Practical Spirituality, Laina Orlando is committed to making spirituality super simple. Life is meant to be a delicious experience we are to enjoy NOW! Too many spiritual teachings share what is possible when you "get" enlightened, or they make spirituality something that only a few select folks can attain. I believe we are ALL already enlightened and when we aren't experiencing that it's simply because our "mind" has gotten in the way. 

As an avid student of a wide range of teachers and philosophies, such as Eckhart Tolle, Debbie Ford, Adyashanti, The Bhagavad Gita, Don Miguel Ruiz, The Buddha, Jesus, Christianity, Rumi, Gandhi, Anthony De Mello, Plato, Socrates, etc, like them, Laina has come to realize that achieving enlightenment is easier when one fully understands how the mind is designed to operate.

A modern day philosopher, Laina Orlando, takes a fresh and fun approach to redefining spirituality for today’s seekers of Truth. Laina’s own spiritual awakening propelled her to trade a successful career for the privilege of inspiring folks to remember the Truth of who they are: Magnificent!  As an author, speaker and coach, Laina is a tireless crusader, committed to helping others trade in their self-limiting thinking for thoughts that empower them to create a joy-filled life. Laina’s simple techniques and practical tools help transform weighty spiritual concepts into bite-size morsels that can be applied into everyday life.

Tiffany Bruce-Nixon

Tiffany Bruce Nixon began exploring the Ashtanga Vinyasa style of Hatha Yoga in 1999 while living in Colorado. She always felt drawn to practice, especially because of the spiritual and physical benefits. She has studied at a variety of yoga studios across the country, allowing her teachings to portray a variety of styles. Tiffany completed her 200-hour Teacher Training in June of 2009 with David and Ruthann Aukamp and Mitchel Bleier. Tiffany feels each student should honor and give gratitude to their body, mind and spirit and reach individually to find their divine light. 

Tiffany enjoys being with her family and is quite an outdoor enthusiast. She is often found running or biking with friends at the river or escaping off to the beautiful beaches of Florida or the mountains of North Carolina. Along with her compassion of yoga, Tiffany is the owner of Petals and Paws, a pet-sitting service, as well as recently began designing her own line of jewelry.

Barbara Kumara

Barbara Kumara has been developing and teaching spirituality, meditation and well-being workshops for nearly ten years. She is a certified Chopra Center Instructor- in Deepak Chopra's Primordial Sound Meditation and Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga programs. Barbara became enchanted with the benefits of meditation and the spiritual path after an incredibly stressful career and lifestyle resulted in major health challenges and a forced slow-down. The change has been significant. Barbara's approach is light-hearted and pragmatic. She enjoys helping others with concepts, tools and practices- sharing what she knows to be true from personal experience. Barbara's newest creation is Soul-driven Business Planning- a unique integration of business principles and spiritual practices- to encourage creativity, intuition and from-the-heart thinking for those contemplating a new direction.  

Sally Phillips-Rushing

Sally C. Phillips-Rushing is a Financial Advisor. Many of her clients are seeking financial independence and peace of mind and need to create a personal financial plan to pursue this goal. That’s where she can help, by structuring a plan designed to achieve your financial goals.
Sally helps people meet the challenge of financing the present while planning for the future. She works with clients on the issues that matter most to them: funding their children’s education, effective retirement planning and personalized investment advice to help increase their earnings. She would like to help you feel more in control of your finances – present and future.

Caryn Colgan

Since 1984 Caryn Colgan has worked with people from all over the world leading workshops in the U.S., Holland, Austria, and England plus coaching clients from every continent except Antarctica. 

Her primary goal is to help clients “remember what you are” and free them from the patterns and belief systems that keep them from living the joy-filled life every person deserves.

She is the author of the award-winning book Ancient Pact, Volume 1: The Element of Air, the related deck of cards and the forthcoming book, Karma Boot CampTM.

She serves on the board  of the Coalition of Visionary Resources (COVR), a member of the Green Press Initiative and a certified Toastmaster (CTM). Caryn is also a graduate of the National Speakers Association’s (NSA) Mentor program.

Additionally, Caryn has been trained in Matrix Energetics, Re-evaluation Co-Counseling, Reiki, aromatherapy, Touch for Health, Self Esteem Training (Jack Canfield), Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), Herbal Aromatherapy and more.

Her articles have been featured in print and online news media such as Examiner.com, Global Goddess, Pathfinder and more. She is dedicated to helping people find solutions that really work.

“Caryn’s style is easy-going and open. I felt safe to explore my issues and take risks to get what I want.” Sandy L., Reno, NV

“You are a wonderful speaker. Your information was very helpful & I did enjoy sharing with everyone." Patty Johnson

"Caryn has a wonderful way of presenting the information in a positive, easy to understand and nonjudgmental way. She makes the learning fun and easy to use." Jan VanNatta

Kimmy Keck

A Florida native, Kimmy has been working in the arts, specifically in choreography & visual arts creation/education for the past 7 years, and is excited about her new transition to Atlanta where she plans on digging deeper into her passion – movement.

The base of Kimmy’s movement fusion includes modern, jazz, improvisation, contact improv, Afro-Brazilian, & percussive movement. She served as an advocate in the Fine Arts Leadership Summit, to better the arts education in the public schools. Here she established a public school based dance & Pilates studio, including performance company, the National Honor Society for Dance Arts, an athletic movement program, as well as create student-led movement classes for the physically & mentally impaired.

For her work in public school dance arts education, she earned the Grand Bohemian Excellence in Fine Arts Education Award in 2007. In addition to her vibrant career in education, Kimmy has also been driven to create art that breaks free from the typical mold, which has earned her choreography & design recognition, and the opportunity to train, create, & perform in Italy.

Kimmy has studied under great names such as: Ric Rose, Judy Skinner, Staci Eubanks-Scatturro, Rusty Brandman, Kip Watson, Eliza Harwood-Watson, Monica Baroni, Chuck Davis, David Capps, Amy Chavasse, Mohammad DeCosta, & Michael Garrison. Other performance & choreographic credits include: Florida Dance Festival, NADT Fall Gala, Soul Play Modern Dance Fusion, Paradigm Independent, ProDanza Italiana, Pofhals Studios/Dance Alive, & the Phoenix Dance Company. Currently, Kimmy is an Artist in Residence for the North Atlanta Dance Theatre & on the artistic faculty for the North Atlanta Dance Academy. 

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