Who We Are

James A. Dyson, M.D., M.A.

James Dyson, MD, was a co-founder of one of the few English speaking anthroposophical medical clinics, Park Attwood in the UK where he worked from 1979 to 2003. He has practiced as a doctor in Steiner Waldorf Schools and in centers for social therapy. His areas of special interest are developmental psychology and adult mental health, and he is a regular contributor to anthroposophic therapeutic trainings in the UK, USA, and Australia. Dr. Dyson has added a Master's degree in Psychosynthesis to his training and is a prolific lecturer of Rudolf Steiner’s body of work in the healing fields.

Simon Kuttner, Ph.D.

Simon Kuttner, PhD, is a practicing clinical psychologist in Israel, working with children and adults. In addition, he lectures in Waldorf teacher training and Anthroposophic psychotherapy institutions, teaching courses in child development and psychological theory and practice in relation to Anthroposophy. Simon also teaches in anthroposophic psychotherapy courses overseas, incorporating mainstream psychoanalytic ideas together with Spiritual Science. Born in New Zealand, Simon has also lived in Stuttgart, Germany where he taught in the Waldorf Teacher training and founded the International Masters Course for Waldorf Teachers. As part of his mission to develop a psychotherapy imbued with Spiritual Science, Simon has written several articles that have been published in mainstream journals, focusing on the connection and overlap between Steiner and Winnicott, Intersubjective psychology, Daniel Stern, and Christopher Bollas.

Susan Overhauser, Ph.D.

Susan is a licensed clinical psychologist working in private practice in California, specializing in treating trauma and attachment in all age groups.  Susan has taught in multiple venues including university, Waldorf teacher training programs, Waldorf schools, public schools and international anthroposophic psychotherapy programs.  She is a faculty member of the Association for Anthroposophic Psychology and regularly contributes to international psychotherapy conferences.  Susan’s specialized training includes:

• AAP Certification in Anthroposophic Psychotherapy

• EMDRIA Certification in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

• ISSTD Advanced Certification in Complex Trauma and Dissociation

• SPI Advanced Certification in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy

• Advanced Training in Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy

• Relational Psychodynamic Therapy

• Play Therapy, SandPlay, Expressive Arts

• Biography Work, Spirituality, Self-Development

• Paths to Social Healing Anthroposophic Meditation

Susan received her undergraduate training in psychology at U.C. Berkeley, and completed graduate training at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.  Areas of research and special interest include attachment, lifespan human development, adolescence, personality and identity development, relationships across the lifespan, child maltreatment, sexual abuse, dissociation, trauma therapy modalities, navigating multicultural issues in relationships, and deepening anthroposophic conceptualizations of psychological disturbances and dynamics.  Susan has provided numerous articles and presentations on these topics, including academic publications. 

Alex Schneider, LMHC

Alex is a practicing Licensed Mental Health Counselor with a group practice in Hudson, NY, having received a Master’s Degree from the State University of New York at New Paltz in 2009.  A graduate and continuing student of the Spacial Dynamics Institute, Alex practices client-centered, anthroposophically-informed psychotherapy. He works with a range of diverse clients to hold a warm, safe and relational space with a particular focus on Freedom, Love, Meaning, Purpose, Embodiment, Movement, Myth and Metaphor.  

Susan Overhauser, Ph.D.
See bio above.

Tonya Stoddard, LCSW

Tonya is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has completed the three year foundation program as well as a three year internship with AAP;  she now serves on the AAP Board.  Since 2018, she has been an AHA (Anthroposophic Health Assn.) Board member, representing AAP, and is on the AHA leadership team.  Her earlier experience includes a decade + working in supportive housing for adults struggling with mental illness, addiction and trauma in San Francisco. Currently, in her private practice, Threefold Counseling in Tampa, FL,  she offers Anthroposophic psychotherapy for children and adults as well as consults with Waldorf communities on child development, parenting, and how best to support the Waldorf curriculum.  Tonya is committed to creating access to anthroposophic psychotherapy for communities that traditionally have been unable to receive these services.

Zheni Nasi, M.A., R.P. (Qualifying)

Zheni has been practicing psychotherapy in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada, since 2017.
She practices from a humanistic and transpersonal approach, along with other modalities such as cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), family system, and Adlerian therapy. She works from a trauma-informed perspective, primarily with adult population, with diagnoses of adjustment disorder, depression and anxiety disorder, PTSD, and OCD, among others. Beyond psychopathology, she focuses on the inner growth and empowerment of the individual, who is in the lifelong journey of knowing oneself, in community with other fellow humans.

Christine Huston

Christine has spent decades as a student of anthroposophy, supporting the growth and development of Anthroposophic initiatives – Waldorf Schools, Camphill communities and AAP.  With a degree in Education, she worked from 2007 - 2015 as a mentor/life coach to co-workers in a Camphill community under the supervision of Dr. William Bento; graduated from the 3 Year Certificate Program in Anthroposophic Psychology in 2017 and the AAP graduate program “Personality and Personality Disorders” in 2018.  She achieved her certificate as an AAP Associate through the 3 year AAP internship program in 2021.  She has served on several Boards including a community bank, Waldorf Schools, a local TimeBank, and, since 2015, on the Board of AAP.  She is senior partner of Counselors AdVenture, acts as C.O.O. of AAP and serves as AAP’s representative on the Council of Anthroposophic Organizations (CAO).  She lives near Kimberton, PA, is active in the SE PA Branch of the Anthroposophical Society in America and thoroughly enjoys working with her private clients – through offering services in “Anthroposophic Soul Care.” 

Gillian Schoemaker

Born in Glasgow, Scotland, and trained in Interior Design at the Mackintosh School of Art, Gillian has been active within the Camphill Movement for many years and completed the Eurythmy training in the Camphill Ringwood/Botton School.

In 1997, she joined Camphill Special Schools (a.k.a. “Beaver Run”) in Glenmoore, PA, where she is eurythmy teacher, therapist and mentor, and also a teacher of eurythmy and of esoteric studies in the Camphill Academy Training Course in Curative Education.

Gillian has been engaged since 1997 with Psychosophy conferences, and later the Anthroposophic Psychology seminars, bringing eurythmy as an integral part of the coursework.  She teaches eurythmy annually at the Summer School of the Philosophy Department of the University of Athens, Greece, and adds Taiwan and the Philippines to the places where she leads courses in Anthroposophy and aspects of eurythmy and education for developmental disabilities.

Starting in 2002, Gillian organizes and leads small groups in Odyssey Journeys to the sacred places of Greece, Egypt, Italy, Ireland and Scotland.

Karen Derreumaux

Karen Derreumaux, born and raised in Norway, between the lakes and the fjord, left her homeland for England in 1974. There, she completed her Eurythmy training in 1984. She is teaching Groupwork, Facilitation and Conflict Resolution at the Camphill Academy in upstate New York. Karen has engaged with the work of William Bento since 1996 and completed the 4-year Psychosophy Seminar in 2004. She has practiced Social Therapeutic work in Camphill Centers in England, France, Norway, and the USA for a total of 28 years. Karen is a free-lance eurythmist, giving courses in her local area of upstate New York, in a variety of contexts and also across the country. She is also serving as an adjunct faculty and eurythmist for the Association for Anthroposophic Psychology. She is married and has three grown sons.

Vincent Philip Roppolo

Vincent, the son of a coal miner’s daughter, was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY.  A bohemian lifestyle led to an eclectic destiny path.  A thread of teaching weaves itself through Vincent’s life as he followed his path from a young trainer in the banking world and moving on to be a foreign exchange and money trader for a number of International Banks during the 70’s and early 80’s, while studying dance with Merce Cunningham, then transitioning to the Theater world where he worked with a number of repertory companies in NYC, while teaching voice and speech at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in NYC.  Meeting Anthroposophy in the late 1980’s, Vincent studied the Michael Chekhov acting technique and worked with the Actors Ensemble in NYC during this time.  Vincent is also trained as a Shiatsu practitioner.  After 12 full years in the theater world, Vincent returned to the corporate world as a Vice President and Senior Trainer for Citigroup, where he retired after 25 years.  During his time at Citigroup, Vincent was involved with studying and receiving the three-year Certificate in Anthroposophic Psychology.

Vincent is currently on the board of AAP, as well as a faculty member, and is certified in the Myers Briggs Typing Instrument (MBTI).

Roberta R. Nelson, Ph.D., L.P.C.C., L.A.C.

Certified Supervisor
EMDR Practitioner
Psychosynthesis Trainer

Roberta brings the fruits of her heart, thought, and will forces to conversations with others. Schooling in counseling, human development, and the transpersonal, or spiritual, psychologies of psychosynthesis and anthroposophy have contributed to her personal and professional development.  She has a doctorate degree in Counselor Education from North Dakota State University. A doctorate in Counselor Education qualifies her to supervise, educate, and counsel. In addition, Roberta is dual licensed as a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) as well as a Licensed Addiction Counselor (LAC) in the state of North Dakota. Besides the above credentials and licensures, but not limited to, Roberta has been trained in following modalities:

•    Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR);
•    Non-violent Communication (NVC);
•    Beyond Trauma attributed to Stephanie Covington;
•    Dialectical Behavioral Therapy;
•    Psychodrama;
•    And, the spiritual or transpersonal psychology introduced by Roberto Assagioli known as Psychosynthsis.

Dr. Nelson has been employed at a residential treatment facility journeying alongside men and women who have co-occurring diagnoses starting in February of 2008. She resigned in October of 2015 taking a position as core faculty for Association for Anthroposophic Psychology (AAP).

From Roberta: When asked about my professional involvement, I often say that I specialize in spiritual psychology. The enthusiastic listener’s reply is notable and revealing. Almost always the listener takes-off disclosing an extraordinary experience viewed as a spiritual episode. While these so-called “weird” events are invaluable and even life changing, I wonder if the listeners know that there is much more to spiritual psychology than having and sharing amazing stories. The psycho-spiritual psychology of Anthroposophy reveals a profound vision of what it means to be a human being. It is a vision that I longed for throughout my mainstream academic activities spanning from a bachelor’s degree through a doctoral degree. While being invaluable, none of these pursuits exposed the heights, depths, and widths of human makeup and development except for Anthroposophy.

David Tresemer, Ph.D.
(Founder, Deceased)

Editor and contributor to The Counselor... As If Soul and Spirit Matter and Slow Counseling. Founding member of the International Federation of Anthroposophic Psychotherapy Associations (Dornach, Switzerland). 

With a doctorate in psychology from Harvard University, Dr. Tresemer has followed many paths of research into the transpersonal realms of consciousness, including the Diamond Heart method of A.H. Almaas, Psychosynthesis with David and Judy Bach, Jungian analysis, Star Wisdom (enlightened astrology), Barbara Brennan training, University of the Seven Rays training, and other techniques attuned to Anthroposophia (the angel mediating the possible human being – anthropos – and wisdom - divine Sophia). In 1989, he co-founded the StarHouse in Boulder, Colorado, for community gatherings and workshops ranging from music to personal development. It was completed in 1990 (www.TheStarHouse.org). He has led numerous workshops there over the years.

His writing has a wide range including: purely psychological works (such as Fear of Success, and several articles in psychological journals); "spiritual horticulture" (as in The Scythe Book: Mowing Hay, Cutting Weeds, and Harvesting Small Grains with Hand Tools); star wisdom (as in the astro-biography of Rudolf Steiner in Star Wisdom & Rudolf Steiner: A Life Seen Through the Oracle of the Solar Cross). Recently he wrote The Venus Eclipse of the Sun 2012, concerning the social-psychological impact of a rare celestial event that is still with us. With his wife, Lila, Dr. Tresemer has co-authored: the DVD, "Couple's Illumination" on energy dynamics in relationship; the DVD, "Brain Illumination"; the book, The Conscious Wedding Handbook; a trilogy of theatre scripts (which have all been performed in various places); and Illuminated Relationships (forthcoming, see www.IlluminatedRelationships.com). More recently they have pioneered the initiative of the Mountain Seas Arts and Wilderness Community in remote Australia (MountainSeas.com.au), and The Sophia Element Meditations (SophiaLineage.com, with a serialized workbook on that process available from the website).

He also founded the Star Wisdom website (www.StarWisdom.org), and conceived of and wrote the Oracle of the Solar Cross, relating to the heavenly imprint received on a person's day of birth and its consequences for personal development. He has written several articles for the "Journal for Star Wisdom," making the connection between celestial phenomena and social-psychological events on the earth. He writes a column on anthroposophic psychology for the quarterly Lilipoh Magazine.

William Bento, Ph.D.
(Founder, Deceased)

He presented at an international congress on psychotherapy in Dornach, Switzerland, in 1997, creating links with the Dekkers. He was a founding member of IFAPA. He taught seminars in Brazil.

He wrote Lifting the Veil of Mental Illness, contributed to Signs in the Heavens: A Message for Our Time, contributed to The Counselor … As If Soul and Spirit Matter. Every year, many would await his Holy Nights Journal that tracked those important nights between December 24 and January 7, helping many find insights into the year past and the year to come. His final achievement was the establishment of the foundation of AAP, for which he gathered an excellent faculty who continue to offer this program in the United States. His legacy continues to inspire AAP.

The founder of this initiative, crossed the threshold on June 5, 2015, just before his 64th birthday. He had created many different relationships with many clients as a psychologist, a mentor, and one who consulted the workings of the heavens (astrosophy — astro, star — Sophia, wisdom). In the late 1990’s, with James Dyson, he organized a series of seminars on the East coast on anthroposophic psychology. This became a four-year intensive, three seminars a year, with a committed group of people. It evolved into the Psychosophy Circle which continues to meet annually. At the same time, in Boulder, Colorado, he created working relationships with the StarFire Research Group, who applied intelligent astrology to individuals and world events. At the same time, he nurtured the development of psychology at Rudolf Steiner College, where he worked for several years.

Read an obituary of William Bento’s life by Ad Dekkers and Henriette Dekkers-Appel.

Michele Guarino
Business Manager

She has held such positions as Paralegal, Executive Assistant to C-Level and other top level executives, Office Manager, Facilities Manager, and Supervisor. 

Her responsibilities encompass: Executive Assistance/Management, Office Management, Operating Systems and Procedures, Project Management and Administration, Licensing Agreements and Compliance Processes, Contract Initiation and Management, Right-Hand Support for Mergers and Acquisitions, IPO Process, Employee Supervision and Training, HR Administration, Liaison with Board Members and C-Level Executives, Maintaining Corporate Records, and other related areas too numerous and diverse to list here.

Michele is a National Federation of Business and Professional Women Clubs (NFBPWC) leader.  Since 2010, she has volunteered for this international organization and served in various roles, including:  President, Board of Director, President-Elect, VP of Marketing, Communications Chair, VP of Technology, Strategy Team Leader, Social Media Chair, Webmistress, Recording Secretary, Grant Review Committee, and Newsletter Chair.  And, is currently the Magazine Editor for their monthly e-magazine since September 2017; and the National Bookkeeper since May 2024.

Michele Guarino is the Owner and Founder of A Second Office, LLC.  Michele brings over 41 years of experience supporting top-level executives in the not-for-profit, corporate, legal, financial, leadership, and solo-entrepreneurs.

We are also moved by the teaching diagrams of Leonardo da Vinci:

and those by Agrippa von Nettesheim: