• BIO
• CALENDAR
• NEWSLETTER

Journeys: Meet Our Staff

Susan Lipshutz, LCSW
The trip's primary facilitator is Susan A. Lipshutz. These groups are lead by Susan A. Lipshutz, LCSW, who has more than 25 years of experience teaching and practicing integrative psychotherapy. She brings a foundation in Western medicine and indigenous spiritual practices to her work. Previously, she has served as the Director of Behavioral Sciences for the Family Practice Residency Training Programs with the Illinois Masonic Medical Center and West Suburban Hospital.

Today, as a student of crosscultural spiritual practices including Andean wisdomkeepers and Mapuche ceremonialists, Susan integrates the ancient divine feminine wisdom of our grandmothers with her own powerful modern teachings, crafting an easy-to-understand style of empowerment and self-love attuned to the complexities of today's modern woman.

Because the sacred feminine archetype is always growing and evolving, Susan is dedicated to weaving this understanding into ongoing training, studies and sacred journeys around the globe, as well as in her individual practice in Chicago. She has worked to create intentional communities where healing and evolution can occur at the deepest level, and encourages others to offer their personal change in service of the greater collective. Her passionate work in support of universal divine feminine wisdom teachings, embodying heartfelt love and shared purpose, offers both women and men the realization of an ancient and timeless dream — a dream that we have the privilege and responsibility not only to witness, but also to co-create.

See more in Susan's Bio >>

Robin Varnado
Trip coordinator Robin Varnado is an integral part of the Everyday Medicine Woman community, recently facilitating several women’s gatherings in Tulum, Mexico. As a lifelong advocate for social justice, Robin has also led service trips for adults and students to East Africa and developed a fair trade company that expanded economic opportunities for East African women’s groups, including the “Vision Mothers” who care for AIDS orphans. She currently works at a Chicago children’s charity that strives to provide opportunities for low income children. Robin is a djembe drummer and a mesa carrier.

"I am delighted to be of service to this community of women, and am dedicated to supporting women’s spiritual growth in whatever way I am called."

Corinne Peterson
Corinne Peterson has been teaching yoga since 1994. She received her first yoga instructor certification through the Temple of Kriya Yoga in 1995 and a subsequent certification as a teacher and yoga therapist through the American Viniyoga Instittute in 2006. She is registered through the Yoga Alliance at the 500-hour level. Corinne has a nurturing teaching style influenced by 20 years of study in the traditions of Viniyoga, Kriya and Iyengar yoga. She has been a nationally certified massage therapist since 1997, specializing in therapeutic needs and women's health. Corinne also holds a masters degree in public health in the area of health education and promotion. Her certifications include pregnancy massage, doula services, infant massage instruction, oncology massage, and yoga for people with cancer/heart disease.

"I am awed and amazed at the strength, power and grace with which women move through the world. Yoga offers us breath, movement, sound, prayer and ritual to support this journey. I love creatively blending these tools to offer practices that speak to every woman, individually and collectively - taking us into the labyrinth of ourselves with compassion and back out into the world with joy."

Mary Ellen Sullivan
Mary Ellen is writer who first opened up to indigenous medicine and shamanic healing through her travels around the world. She has studied Earth-honoring traditions for more than a decade, is a mesa carrier and has assisted with numerous medicine workshops for women. She is deeply committed to helping women find their voices and their place in the world.

"Doing this medicine work has helped me come home to myself. And being a part of this community of women committed to personal and global transformation is nothing short of amazing. It is an honor to serve it, and is breathtaking to assist others through their own journey— seeing them transform into the beautiful, empowered women they were always meant to be."

Heather Rae Allen
For the past seven years, Heather Allen has been working as a holistic massage therapist who incorporates sound, vibration, energy work, and spiritual healing into her practice. In addition, she has been a student of world religions for more than 20 years and a co-creator / facilitator of ceremonies, rituals, and retreats for the past 15. She has studied and worked in depth with earth-honoring and indigenous medicine teachers, healers, ceremonialists, and shamans across the United States, Mexico and Jamaica. Heather is a strong believer in spiritual activism. The concept of faith in action – that is, daily celebrating, honoring and cherishing the gift of living – is a cornerstone for her existence.

"My intention is to assist hearts, eyes and minds open to, and remember the love that saturates the universe… our interconnection and inner-connection."

Birdy
Birdwoman, affectionately known as Birdy, began her spiritual path in 1969 after reading Don Juan, A Yaqui Way of Knowledge. She followed her spiritual path through nature-based indigenous studies.

In 1996, Birdwoman met Maria Katsi Boani at a Bear Tribe Medicine Wheel. Maria became Birdy's best friend and inspiration, as she encouraged Birdy to connect more deeply with her divine feminine. Up until that time, Birdy was spending much of her energy holding up a "tough-guy" attitude in the patriarchal community in which she worked.

Through Maria, Birdy was graciously introduced to the juicy live energy of LuzClara, a Chilean light and sound worker. While studying with LuzClara, Birdy challenged herself in 1997 to a spiritual quest in which she traveled deep into the Chilean Andes on horseback. It was on this trip that Birdwoman received her spiritual name and healing medicine drum, the kultrun, from Quinturay Raipan, an indigenous Mapuche Medicine Woman.

Birdwoman is a kultrun carrier, a ceremonial mask maker, ritual tribal dancer and percussionist. She teaches knitting, maskmaking and beaded jewelry. She is also a Reiki Master and was a founding member of the New York Women's Circle, which gathered monthly for 5 years embodying the work and energy of the Goddess.

Currently, Birdwoman is a producer on First Voices Indigenous Radio on 99.5 FM in New York City. She has been traveling for the past few years facilitating women's gatherings and is using these experiences to fuel new rituals and sacred choreography.

"Sourcing from the Divine Goddess, I am welcoming in a new paradigm to better serve the amazing times in which we are living. I feel privileged to be witness to the new myths and archetypes being called into existence while at the same time honoring our ancestors and the path they have walked before us."