Faculty

John Davis
BA, Wake Forest University
MA, University of Colorado, Boulder
PhD, University of Colorado, Boulder

John Davis is a professor and former chair of the Transpersonal Counseling Psychology Department at Naropa University. He is also the director of the low-residency MA in Transpersonal Psychology at Naropa. The author of The Diamond Approach: An Introduction to the Teaching of A.H. Almaas, John has also been published on the topics of transpersonal psychology, ecopsychology, wilderness rites of passage and research methods. Read John Davis’s article We Keep Asking Ourselves: What is Transpersonal Psychology? www.johnvdavis.com

Suzanne Duarte

Suzanne Duarte taught Buddhist meditation and Shambhala warriorship for more than twenty years. She was active in the international rainforest movement and co-wrote Lessons of the Rainforest. As an advocate of deep ecology, she has led many group processes. After working with the Rainforest Action Network, she began teaching environmental philosophy at Naropa University where she taught four courses as senior adjunct faculty. She currently lives in Amsterdam where she is working on two books, one on relating with animals and one on paradigm change, tentatively titled Letters to the Future: Life at the Great Turning.

Sherry Ellms
BA, University of California, Los Angeles, Psychology
MA, Naropa University, Environmental Leadership

Sherry Ellms is chair of the Environmental Studies Department, teaches a variety of contemplative practices, including meditation, and facilitates earth-based experiences and their application to leadership, earth stewardship and personal sustainability. She leads wilderness solos and other nature-based programs that facilitate a deep connection with the power and insight of the natural world. For the past twenty-five years, she has been conducting retreats and teaching meditation in secular settings such as Outward Bound, as well as in spiritual settings throughout out the country. She teaches an online course, Meditation for Social Change Leaders, in the Ecopsychology concentration of the MA Transpersonal Psychology Program. Sherry is a longtime meditation practitioner and a student of the university’s founder, Choygam Trungpa Rinpoche.. Her master’s thesis was titled "Tonglen as a Tool for Transformative Environmental Engagement." In addition to her contemplative scholarship, she served as Naropa University’s dean of students for twelve years. She has studied with Joanna Macy and trained at the School of Lost Borders. She is committed to investigating the interdependence of landscape and the psyche and facilitating activities that transform human consciousness.

Aurora Hill
BA, Temple University
MEd, Temple University
PhD, Institute of Transpersonal Psychology

Aurora Hill teaches the online master's paper class at Naropa University. She also teaches at Bucks County Community College in Pennsylvania. She is an intellectual property specialist and founder of Heartstone (www.heartstonepub.com), a company that invites awareness of transpersonal, ecopsychology, Native American Indian and feminine perspectives. Her teaching style integrates traditional and non-traditional approaches with a focus on experiential and mindfulness practices, guided journaling and the works of Angeles Arrien. Dr. Hill has authored numerous works such as A Woman’s Moon-Time Journal and The AnimalTeacher™ Journal for Children.

Her current interests include the intuitive inquiry research method, innovative teaching and somatic recognition practices and positive experiences such as joy and creativity.

Nancy Jane
BA, French and Education, Lake Erie College
BS, Natural Resources Conservation, University of Massachusetts
MA, Transpersonal Psychology / Ecopsychology, Naropa University

Nancy Jane is an educator, wilderness guide and council facilitator. On staff at the School of Lost Borders in CA, a training center for wilderness rites of passage guides, she leads youth, adult, and elder wilderness solos and has pioneered bringing this work to school settings. She has trained in the way of council with the Center for Council Training, Ojai, CA. For many years a naturalist and forester, Nancy is also an author (Bicycle Touring in the Pioneer Valley), an editor, an instructor of English as a second language, and formerly the director of admissions for a Waldorf school. Nancy has a special interest in working with people in deep ways, by connecting them to nature and furthering personal growth.

Michael Jospe

As a therapist, educator and wilderness guide, Michael is passionate about helping people learn about themselves while being out in nature.  Michael has a BA in outdoor recreation leadership, an MA in adventure education, and a certificate in Gestalt psychotherapy.  In addition, Michael’s approach to working with people has been influenced by author and educator, Tom Brown, Jr., outdoor educator, Jon Young and Gestalt therapist, Roger Strachan. Michael believes that each person has a unique purpose in life, a purpose that is important to the health and balance of our society, as well as the environment. Michael's website is www.earthbasedinstitute.org.

Lori Pye
MA, Mythological Studies, Pacifica Graduate Institute
PhD, Mythological Studies, Pacifica Graduate Institute

Lori Pye teaches Ecology Concepts and Applications for Ecopsychology at Naropa. She received her M.A and Ph.D. in Mythological Studies with an Emphasis in Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute, Carpinteria, California. Her background consists of nonprofit executive management for organizations such as Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society and Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. As an environmentalist, Lori worked with NGO’s to co-develop the Eastern Tropical Pacific Seascape Corridor with the Ministers of the Environment from Costa Rica, Colombia, Panama and Ecuador. She is currently a professor of ecopsychology at University of California in Santa Barbara.

Publications include: The Naïve Dream of the Return to Nature: A Depth Psychological Perspective on Environmentalism. In Psyche and Nature, Spring Journal & Spring Journal Books, 2007.

Soltahr Tiv-Amanda

Soltahr is a therapist in private practice in Boulder as well as working as the Director of the Outreach program at the Safe Shelter of St. Vrain Valley in Longmont. She has taught Multicultural coursework in various capacities at Naropa University since 1999. She also teaches at CU Boulder and Regis University. She has published a journal article in the Journal of Counseling and Development. She is a certified Reiki Master as well as a named Healing Woman in the Hopi healing tradition where she studied healing ceremony with her teacher Moonhawk. She is a Certified Mindfulness Instructor for Naropa University, and has been a priestess for the last 23 years in the Pagan Earth Centered Tradition. She is one of the featured healers in the 2001 book by Carol Kronwitter: Women of Grace--Women Healers and Healing Practices.

Colleen Stewart
MA, Transpersonal Counseling Psychology, Naropa University
BEd, University of Alberta

Colleen is an adjunct faculty member for the MATP program. She is a graduate of Naropa’s Transpersonal Counseling Psychology program and has been a staff member here for over five years. Her interests include issues concerning death and dying, specifically with children. She was also an international student coming from Canada, so she is sensitive to the issues associated with international study.

Hannah Upham
B.S. Art Education – Northern Michigan University
M.A. Transpersonal Counseling / Art Therapy – Naropa University
Certificate in Horticultural Therapy – Horticultural Therapy Institute

Hannah Upham, MA, ATR, HTR, is currently an academic advisor in the TCP department and in the MATP-Ecopsychology Online program at Naropa University. She has a private practice where she offers transpersonal experiential counseling, art therapy and horticultural therapy to help children and adolescents, students and their families. She specializes in anxiety and sensory integration issues. She has worked as an educator, therapist, advisor and coach in a variety of settings including K-12 schools, colleges, private homes, mental health facilities, senior centers and youth centers. She is also a former U.S. team biathlete, an NRA expert sharpshooter, a musician, landscape designer and jewelry designer.

Jan Wall

At Naropa, Jan teaches the Master's Paper Online course. She also teaches at Lesley University, Cambridge, MA. Her courses in the holistic psychology and professional studies programs include transpersonal psychology, a holistic approach to healing, and an introduction to ancient hindu texts. She co-leads summer travel programs exploring sacred places (India, Bali, Ecuador, Tibet, Morocco), contemplative practices and cross-cultural psychology. Jan also co-leads national workshops for therapists, health care professionals and educators interested in holistic principles. She is completing a doctoral program with a focus on transpersonal perspectives, learning and development in higher education.