Ruscombe is grateful to welcome the practice of Mira Tessman to our Community. Mira has studied a range of holistic, experiential, integrative, and psychospiritual approaches that affirm the whole person and the complex relationships among individual facets of the mind, body, and spirit including Gestalt and Jungian Psychology, intuitive processing, somatic release, authentic movement, mindfulness practices, conscious breathwork, Shadow Work®, and Voice Dialogue®. She is also a teacher of yoga and meditation and will be offering an ongoing series of mini retreats on mindfulness meditation. We caught up with her recently to learn more:

1. Tell us a little more about your practice and what you will be offering at Ruscombe? 

I am thrilled to move my psychotherapy practice, Wellspring Healing Arts, to Ruscombe and join the community of wellness practitioners serving the greater Baltimore community. While I was trained in Clinical Psychology, my specialty training has centered around Mindfulness and Somatic-Based, Trauma-Informed approaches. The modality I am most passionate about is Internal Family Systems (IFS), because it is a mindfulness-based and somatic aware approach that identifies parts within that may be carrying chronic stress, inner conflicts, and/or trauma. Accessing present Self-awareness and supportively interacting with internal parts, naturally leads to increased collaboration and resolution.

I am also hoping to offer yoga and meditation classes/workshops at Ruscombe. I currently teach Insight Meditation with IMCW and Therapeutic Yoga weekly via virtual classes.

2. How did you come to your current practice? What led you on your path? 

While teaching middle schoolers at The Waldorf School I applied to graduate school to study Clinical Psychology. Waldorf schools emphasize teaching the "whole child" and my interest was born out of regularly supporting my students through interpersonal conflicts with their families and friends at lunchtime and after school. My students sought me out because I was a non-judgmental listener and met them where they were. After grad school, I worked as a school counselor for several years before going into private practice.

3. What was it about Ruscombe that appealed to you as a place to share your work?

Seeing from a wellness rather than a disease perspective has always resonated with me. Since opening a private practice, I have been part of several wellness communities or centers including one that I co-founded and directed for five years called, The Heart's Journey Wellness Center, in Towson. I have not been a stranger to Ruscombe. I've led personal and spiritual growth workshops in the Ruscombe Community Hall and have had lunch in the kitchen with many colleagues and friends who work there over the years. Beside the fact that I live six minutes away, being at Ruscombe feels very much like home.

4. Tell us a little about yourself. How do you enjoy spending your free time? Hobbies? Pets? Organizations you are a member of? 

While I grew up in a desertous valley surrounded by mountains in the Southwest, I love the more dramatic seasonal changes in the Northeast where I've lived since college. My partner and I have been married nearly 40 years and love seeing our two adult children build their lives, both near and far, Brooklyn and Australia, and love cultivating a light-hearted relationship with our two, two-year-old grandchildren. 

I love to travel and have visited beautiful places such as Bali, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, Costa Rica, all over Europe and learn from different cultures. Next year, I am planning a personal pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago with a stop in Iceland. I am also hoping to lead one more retreat to Bali in March 2025.

My favorite physical activities include yoga, biking, and kayaking because they stretch and strengthen my body, help me build stamina, and clear my head for greater focus. My meditation practice keeps me grounded and heart-centered. Being among the trees in nature is some of my strongest medicine for staying sane.

Contact Mira for information on her next meditation workshops, or to schedule an appointment.  410-370-6764  wellspringhealingarts@gmail.com