"I heartily agree and support the concepts and work of the World Health and Healing Collaborative. We are finally reaching a point in healthcare where we will truly be intensively caring for people. In order to do this a total approach to wellness will be necessary. The World Health and Healing Collaborative will be an asset in helping all this come to pass."
Bernie S. Siegel MD
Author of Love Medicine and Miracles

The WHHC Director

Ryma Bielkus, As a Health Coach, Trainer And Holistic Consultant, Ryma is dedicated to helping individuals, families and companies create processes for healthy changes and health-supportive strategies. Ryma has been a Health Coach for over ten years. From her coaching work she created the namo 7 steps of change that integrate body and soul. Her ability to be present, share dialogue, and have compassion helps people realize results in one session. Ryma coaches people in the NAMO Seven Steps of Change for one session or as part of a Health Coaching Series. Incorporating the NAMO Ten Rules For Health And Healing into everyday life helps people shift their perspective to health and wholeness. Responding to the need for Health and Nurse Coaching services and training programs she founded and directs the World Health and Healing Collaborative (WHHC). Health Coaching tele-classes and in person programs are for people seeking personal growth/health and for learning health coaching skills. WHHC also trains qualified professionals and licensed healthcare providers to become Certified Health Coaches. She has brought integrative health solutions to the Midwest Center for Health and Healing, Swedish American Health System in Rockford Illinois, the Wege Center of Mind Body Spirit, Mercy System in Grand Rapids Michigan, and Olive Leaf Wholeness Center in New York, New York, St Joseph's Health System in Santa Rosa, California, the Marino Center for Progressive Health in Cambridge, Massachusetts and MediMerge Health in Manchester By the Sea, Massachusetts.

Faculty and Advisors

Rudolph Ballentine MD studied psychology at the University of Paris and completed residency training in psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at LSU in New Orleans. He was a post-graduate fellow at the State Ayurvedic and Unani Medical College in Lucknow, India after which he did a lengthy preceptorship in homeopathy. He has practiced integrated holistic medicine for over twenty five years and was Director of the Combined Therapy Program at the Himalayan Institute where he was instrumental in developing a highly successful model of holistic medicine which has been adopted in clinical settings around the world. He was invited to train the staff of the acclaimed Marlebonne Holistic Medical Center in London before it was opened in 1986 with the patronage of Prince Charles.
He has been training holistic physicians since 1974 and was cited for excellence in the training of Homeopathic physicians by the American Institute of Homeopathy. He has lectured on Holistic medicine in Europe, South America, China and India. He is the author of Diet and Nutrition, Transition to Vegetarianism, and the recent Radical Healing, as well as co-author of Yoga and Psychotherapy, Science of Breath, and The Theory and Practice of Meditation.
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William Branden Blinn has been a management consultant for over twenty years. Combining the management disciplines of Operations Research (Systems Analysis) and Organizational Development, William's primary focus has been the facilitation and empowerment of Complex Adaptive Systems (interrelating individuals and organizations for committed engagement amidst dynamic influences). William began his career in the Boston Teaching hospitals as a management systems engineer. He has consulted CEO's, Department Heads and employees in the development of corporate visions, statements of purpose and management strategies, along with the design and implementation of management systems to support them. His efforts have cultured transformation in a variety of businesses including manufacturing, distribution, hospitality and education along with alternative/holistic health care.
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Josef DellaGrotte, MA, PhD, RMT is a Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner© and trainer, licensed therapist and muscular therapist. He utilizes integrative body mind processes for postural pain and client education, offers assessment and designs programs for clients in the practical understanding of body and psychophysical fundamentals. He also conducts training programs in M. Feldenkrais-Integrative Somatic Process. He received his B.A. degree from Tufts University, 1958, his M.A. degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of South Florida, 1976, and his Ph.D from Syracuse University, 1965. A former university professor, Dr. DellaGrotte redirected his career into somatic studies, complementary medicine, and is the director of the Somatic Training Institute. he has published several articles, including, "the Feldenkrais method" in: COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE: FAST FACTS FOR MEDICAL PRACTICE (Blackwell, 2002).
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Mike Harris has a propensity and talent for bringing healthy community living into his work and personal life. For over thirty-five years he has nurtured a family owned business to provide continuous years of service to his clients, employees, and neighbors in Rockford, Illinois. Mike's dedication comes from his belief in the ability of the human spirit to build a sustainable world. Mike's authenticity and ethics drive his leadership. He was educated at Lawrence University in Appleton Wisconsin, and graduated with a BA in Economics and community development. Mike is also a certified WHHC LifeGuide coach, and has been associated with and assisted in the development of the collaborative since early in its inception. Mike has been married to the Rev. Mary S Harris for 40 years, and has two sons. Positive life energy, and balance in mind, body and spirit guide Mike's life and coaching strategies. So too, in business and community leadership work. Continually a student, Mike is interested in growth of the human spirit; concentrating on ethics, inquiry, truth and wisdom as foundation stones for clearing awareness, shifting patterns of behavior and emotion, and other personal work that leads to transformation and more fulfilling ways of living. The model of servant leadership has assisted Mike throughout his business career to be more than just a provider of merchandise and service. Mike's mission is to assist in opening eyes that cannot see; awakening minds and hearts that are asleep; dislodging walls that separate and isolate people; and that prevent healing of life's most challenging encounters.
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Carol G. Klint is a Registered Nurse with a Master's degree in Community Health Nursing. She has over 40 years experience in a variety of clinical, teaching and administrative positions. Carol was the first Executive Director of the Midwest Center for Health and Healing (now the Swedish American Center for Complementary Medicine-SACCM) in Rockford, Illinois. Currently, as a Health Coach, she is defining the role of the Health Coach at SACCM and refining a Holistic assessment process being used in their Holistic Clinic. Throughout her career, she has concentrated in the area of Lifestyle Medicine and assisting individuals in taking responsibility for their health and well being by making healthy life style choices. As a Health Coach, this role is expanded to empower individuals to experience optimal health in body, mind and spirit. Carol desires to work with individuals, especially women, who wish to incorporate Biblical principals into their personal healing journeys. Carol continues to weave Holistic health principles into her own journey always striving for balance and a state of Optimal Health. Carol has completed the requirements of the World Health and Healing Collaborative coach training program. Currently, she is completing a video training course with the American Association of Christian counselors.
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Cynthia Lester has experienced visionary phenomena since early childhood. Her desire to understand and master her experiences has led Cynthia to dedicate her life to the study of the body, mind, and soul. Her extensive esoteric research includes studying with Tibetan Buddhist masters as well as master teachers from the Western traditions in healing, psychology and creativity. Her academic credentials include degrees in English, art, and education from UC Irvine and San Jose State University. She is also an ordained minister. Cynthia is committed to helping others awaken and utilize the gifts inherent in every individual.
Today, Cynthia is an internationally celebrated teacher and counselor giving lectures and instructional workshops around the world. She is a frequent guest on various television and radio human-interest programs. Her workshops have included parent and child education; healing techniques; and nursing educational programs in pain, stress, and disease management. Cynthia continues to offer her insight and expertise incorporating twenty of years of experience as a therapist and teacher to individuals and groups.
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Mary Mitus, R.N., M.S.N, is an advanced practice nurse, a coach, a holistic health practitioner and an entrepreneur. Mary successfully blends her nursing experience in healthcare administration, project management, organizational development, and public health and home health care with expertise in holistic health care and energy medicine. As a Health Coach at the Wege Institute for Mind, Body and Spirit, she provides health coaching, education and mind/body/spirit health assessments, as well as Reiki and aromatherpay. As the owner of Light Touch, she provides life coaching, Reiki, Therapeutic Touch, light and sound tuning, and aromatherpay. Mary bases her practice on the principles of balance, harmony and wholeness and gently guides others as they move toward healing in a holistic framework. She is passionate about partnering with others as they identify and realize their hearts' desires. She is a member of the International Coaching Federation, West Michigan Coaching Chapter, Nurse Healers Professional Associates, Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society, and the American Holistic Nurses' Association.
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Joan Phillips's health care experience involves more than 25 years of operational, administrative and consulting expertise, including extensive experience in turnaround hospitals and multi-facility manager. Her managerial experience began as a Nursing Supervisor and progressed through a Vice President/Assistant Administrator positions to CEO in a number of hospitals. Joan has more than twenty years experience in senior executive leadership demonstrating successful strategy in physician relations, governance relations, strategic program development, managed care and healthcare related operations. These leadership positions span healthcare environments on both the east and west coasts. Prior to assuming her role as Vice President with a National Healthcare Consulting firm, Joan managed both non-profit and for-profit systems, demonstrating successful achievements in hospital turnarounds, program start-up, expansion of services and system integration. Joan is also a graduate of the WHHC Health Coach Program and utilizes many of the concepts and techniques in her leadership development and change management projects.
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