Participants attending the 10 week program make better decisions, positively manage stress, develop new coping skills, learn relaxation techniques and gain better control over their health."
Clinical Research indicates 55% of women conceive after attending a mind body program."
(Alice Domar, Ph.D)
Los Angeles Group:
June 23
(UCLA)
Orange County Group:
June 28
(Newport Beach)
Open Enrollment for these sessions is currently in process. Call today to reserve a space.
DEBRA ST.LAWRENCE SUSSMAN, MA., EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Ms. Sussman is an educational counselor and researcher in the emerging medical field of psychoneuroimmunology. A graduate of Pacifica Graduate Institute’s Masters Program in Counseling Psychology with Clinical training at Harvard Medical School in stress physiology and mind body medicine.
Debra has led support groups for over 6 years for adults, adolescents and currently researching stress physiology in women’s reproductive health issues. Her current work involves fostering an establishment of clinical programs in institutions that provide healthcare and quantifying the benefits of mind body programs.
KATIE BOLAND, FOUNDING DIRECTOR
Ms. Boland, is the author of the popular "I GOT PREGNANT, YOU CAN TOO! How Healing Yourself Physically, Mentally and Spiritually Leads to Fertility." She served as a key political strategist for Senator Dianne Feinstein in both of her Senate races and also worked as a media coach for Democratic Party candidates. Ms. Boland was appointed City Commissioner for the Disabled Access Appeals Commission by Mayor Tom Bradley. She was a Southern California radio talk show host, TV contributor and beauty editor for the start-up "Feeling Great" magazine.
Ms. Boland was diagnosed with lupus during her 3-year battle with infertility, a battle she ultimately won. She is the mother of an 11-year-old daughter, Mimi. While researching her book, she discovered the Infertility Program at Harvard and vowed to bring it to the West Coast. The Mind/Body Institute was born in the Fall of 1999 in Los Angeles.
DR. LAUREL KLINE, PhD., CO-FOUNDER
Dr. Kline is a licensed clinical psychologist, a graduate of the California School of Professional Psychology and trained in Mind Body techniques to reduce stress and increase pregnancy rates. She specializes in the treatment of infertility, couples/marital issues, sex therapy, depression, sexual abuse, and eating disorders. She also works at the Female Sexual Medicine Center at UCLA specializing in the treatment of women's sexual dysfunction.
Dr. Kline conducts psychological screenings of surrogates, ovum donors, and sperm donors. Her work has been featured on ABC and NBC news, VH1, The Berman and Berman show, and several national magazines.
BRENDA STRONG
Brenda Strong is a certified Yoga teacher who has taught at the Mind Body Institute as well as being the owner of Yoga Villa in Los Angeles. She is the creator/producer of a line of Yoga DVD’s supporting the journey toward parenthood; Yoga4Fetility, Yoga4Partners and the soon to be released, Yoga4Pregnancy.
Brenda is The American Fertility Association’s National Spokesperson, since 2005 and joined their prestigious Board of Directors in 2007. She was presented with the Beacon of Light Award in 2007 for her work with The AFA. Brenda has been published in Alternative Medicine Magazine, Shape Magazine for Pregnancy and Conceive. She has been seen on The View and Good Morning America among others, regarding her groundbreaking work in Yoga for Fertility.
She can currently be seen and heard as Mary Alice Young on ABC’s smash hit Desperate Housewives and has been an award winning actress for over 20 years.
http://www.yoga4fertility.com/
Dr. SAROSH MOTIVALA, PH.D
Dr. Motivala is an Assistant Professor in Residence Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior.
His work focuses on sleep disturbance, stress and health outcomes and the underlying physiological pathways that link these phenomena together. Stress impacts the immune system in ways that are just beginning to be identified. Immune processes, has a bidirectional relationship and is important for overall health as it plays a role in chronic low grade inflammatory processes and a number of autoimmune disorders. Dr. Motivala’s conducts educational sessions for men at Mind Body Institute and currently researches Insomnia and Energy Balance with the National Institutes of Health.
AMY L. SCHETTINI, MARKETING REPRESENTATIVE
Amy Schettini is an experienced marketing and fundraising consultant. For Years Amy assisted the non-profit performing arts organizations in Orange County & Los Angeles through her company, Schettini Management and Consulting (SMC) and was instrumental in providing management for marketing, fundraising and sales for organizations such as The Orange County Performing Arts Center, The Los Angeles Opera and many others.
Amy has been involved personally and professionally in the fertility community since 2001. Her commitment and resourcefulness lead her to take control over her health while her and her husband struggled through their own infertility and conceived a beautiful son in 2002. Amy has been involved in the infertility community ever since working with Resolve, a national association for infertility and currently is involved in the marketing and advancement of the educational programs at The Mind Body Institute.
JILL VALLE, MA, YOGA INSTRUCTOR
Ms. Valle has her degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Lesley College. A recent Los Angeles transplant, Ms. Valle worked at the Division of Behavioral Medicine and the Mind/Body Medical Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, affiliated with Harvard Medical School. She led the Education Initiative Study of Mind/Body Interventions for college students at Harvard University. Ms. Valle was an instructor for the Harvard Medical School Continuing Education Course, Clinical Training in Behavioral Medicine. She presented corporate seminars in stress reduction and yoga for various Boston corporations and she has taught yoga to infertility patients, cardiac patients and to children
GARY S. BRUSS PhD, GROUP LEADER FOR MALE PARTICIPANTS
Dr. Bruss is a clinical psychologist who specializes in working with individuals and couples undergoing fertility treatments. Dr. Bruss has had extensive experience both clinically and research wise in the psychological aspects of infertility medicine. He has presented his research findings at national scientific conferences. Dr. Bruss is also an associate professor of psychology and program chair of the masters and doctoral programs in clinical psychology at Argosy University, Orange County Campus in Santa Ana, CA.
