About Mary's Journey
The Emergent Hippie Becomes...
I was born with a broken heart, a sensitive soul, and a deep connection to Divine. That sensitive hippie soul was slowly burned away as life handed me a slew of traumas to fill my life's experience bucket...
....open heart surgery at a young age (nobody talks about the emotional toll medically complex experiences take on us!)
....as a child, watching someone I loved endure a string of abusive relationships (vicarious trauma and survivor guilt anyone?)
....sexual assault (my turn to be used and abused)
...being part of a "Christian" cult for 12 years (spiritual abuse strips your identity and core beliefs!)
...parenting adopted children with their own difficult behaviors from previous trauma and abuse (we don't talk about secondary trauma to caregivers either!)
and going through it all feeling alone, unseen, unheard, abandoned...
Diagnosed with Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, I knew I had to do better and stop taking out my anger on those I loved the most. Traditional talk therapy was helpful - but it didn't make me feel any more whole or grounded. And so I embarked on a journey to rediscover that hippie soul I'd left behind in my childhood self.
And slowly she emerged as I....
....discovered the glorious healing properties of plants through their essential oils
....learned to "tap" into the trauma and release it for good through Emotional Freedom Techniques ("Tapping")
....learned to listen to the language of my body and physically move the trauma through and out
....practiced the ancient art of Qigong - Chinese yoga - and learned to link my breath to my body movements
....studied with a Mindfulness Master and learned to focus in the present moment
and, most importantly, in 2015 my life partner and I moved our family out of the suburbs of Baltimore and into the woods of rural South Central PA where we've been creating a Ramshackle Sanctuary where all things grounded to Divine Spirit in the Earth and Sky can permeate our souls.
It is my heart's song to sing wholeness and joy back into fellow travelers who are also emerging into authentic self again.
Meet Kobe
Emergent Hippie Collaborations has a Canine Collaborator!
Kobe is a gentle goof who is always in his spot when Mary is meeting with collaborators. He's always up for...
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system littles who might want to pet him or give him a "work cookie"!
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interacting with ministage figures and becoming part of the collaboration!
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even adult collaborators who want to hang out with him and just chill for a minute.
Otherwise, he'll be in his bed napping or watching nature outside his window until duty calls!
GET IN TOUCH
I'd love to collaborate with you on your journey!
Mary Kalbach holds degrees in Theater and World Religious Studies. She has served her large, adoptive family as a therapeutic adoptive mom for over 25 years. She is certified as a Clinical EFT Practitioner by EFT Universe with a specialization in complex trauma. Mary is also a Certified Mindfulness Mentor by the Mindfulness Mentoring Institute, a certified practitioner of Havening Techniques (TM) and has completed over 800 hours of training in trauma focused psychodrama techniques. She is a certified and insured Energy Psychology practitioner.
Mary teaches workshops and works with clients wherever her hippie soul dances.
If you would like to work with Mary 1:1 or bring her to speak or workshop with your group or organization, please contact us at support@marykalbach.com
