Henry is a Somatic Therapist and Educator with more than 25 years of clinical experience and over two decades of teaching Structural Integration and movement practices. His approach is grounded in a deep understanding of the body, informed by thousands of hours of training in diverse manual therapy modalities and an academic foundation that bridges science and somatics.
He holds an MA in Somatic Psychology and a PhD in Civil and Structural Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley—an unusual combination that enriches his insight into the human body’s structure, function, and potential for healing. Henry is also a former nationally ranked Tai Chi athlete, having earned multiple gold medals in both national and international competitions.
For 14 years, Henry collaborated with Rolfer and psychologist Dr. Edward Maupin, traveling internationally to teach and co-author the influential text A Dynamic Relation to Gravity, a widely respected resource in the field of Rolfing®/Structural Integration.
Carol A Agneessens
has been a practitioner in the art of Rolfing/ Structural Integration and movement for 40 yrs. She began her studies at the Rolf Institute in 1981 and has taught both Rolf manipulation and movement trainings since 1994. Carol expanded her inquiry into ‘dimensions of the body’ to include cranial sacral therapy, the formation of the body through embryology, and the effects of trauma on the nervous system. She teaches both nationally and internationally.
Carol is the author of the book, The Fabric of Wholeness and numerous articles.
MIA GLEASON
has worked at the San Diego Center for Children for more than 50 years. As the Director of Music he harnessed the power of rhythm to help Center students adopt new ways of dealing with their anger, emotions and suffering. The powerful inspiration of music used for outcomes that have less to do with music and more to do with health and well-being changing the lives of children at the San Diego Center for Children, restoring trust and hope in children who have suffered trauma, abuse, or have severe behavioral and emotional challenges. Through music, Kata helps these children cope with their pain and destructive behaviors. Sund is Vice President of our Board of Directors.
Henry Kagey
Kriota received massage certification from the Chicago School of Massage Therapy, is a licensed massage therapist (LMT) in New York State. She holds additional certificates in Personal Training, sports massage, and bioethics. In her first decade of practice, sports massage and injury rehabilitation were the focus of Willberg’s massage career. She was a member of the AMTA’s National Sports Massage Team, and a LMT for the New York Giants football team. Later she worked at The Integrative Care Center affiliated with the Hospital for Special Surgery, then the Integrative Medicine Service a Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. At The Swedish Institute College of Allied Health Sciences, Willberg served as Chair of the Western Massage department and taught massage, anatomy/palpation, and pathology classes. She has taught anatomy in the dance departments of Marymount Manhattan College, Bard College, and NYU, as well as at the Center for Cartoon Studies. Currently she is Artist In Residence at the NYU Langone Department of Humanistic Medicine and the Center to Advance Palliative Care at Mt. Sinai. Kriota is on our Board of Directors.
Kriota Wilberg
is a co-founder and CEO of the TRAUMA RESEARCH FOUNDATION
She is also a somatic educator, bodyworker, artist, and musician. She guides transformational experiences incorporating dynamic observational exercises, music, movement, vocalizing, enhanced listening, and touch, to foster safe, transformative inner and interpersonal connection.
Her methods are informed by over 25 years as an artist, musician, bodywork therapist, yoga practitioner, and dancer; and integrate
poly-vagal theory, parts work, and the latest research on trauma and the body.
Sundiata Kata
LICIA SKY
I’m Mela Berger, and I’ve been devoted to healing work for over 50 years. I am not just a survivor—I am a thriver. My life’s path has been shaped by intergenerational and racialized trauma, and my journey has been one of deep recovery, resilience, and transformation.
My healing journey began with the arts. I started dancing at the age of three and later earned a BFA in Modern Dance, performing professionally for many years. Dance and the arts have always been my sanctuary—a sacred space where body, mind, and spirit come into alignment.
At 19, I began training in the Rolf Method of Structural Integration under Dr. Edward Maupin, eventually becoming his protégé. In 2000, with his encouragement, I founded the Caribbean Institute of Healing and Cultural Arts, which later evolved into the International Institute of Healing and Cultural Arts (IIHCA).
While Structural Integration remains a cornerstone of my practice, I have spent decades expanding my work to address the deep wounds of racialized and developmental trauma—focusing on restoring wholeness and balance to the entire person. I’ve studied with leading trauma experts including Dr. Bessel van der Kolk and hold certification in Traumatic Stress from the Trauma Research Foundation. I am currently pursuing certification in neurofeedback to further deepen my integrative and neurobiological approach.
With more than five decades of training, my credentials include:
International Association of Trauma Professionals
International Academy of Neuromuscular Therapy
Yoga Alliance (Registered Teacher)
Drum Circle Facilitators Guild
National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (Board Certified)
I also serve on the Board of the International Association of Structural Integrators and as President of 100% Humane International, a nonprofit committed to compassionate, culturally relevant healing.
My mission is to share the transformative practices that helped me thrive—with as many people of color as I can, in the time I have left.
If you’re seeking healing grounded in lived experience, cultural wisdom, and integrative science, I welcome you.
Meet Mela Berger
Founder & Director,
International Institute of Healing and Cultural Arts
Mia trained in Structural Integration at The Soma Institute (1997) and Anatomy Trains (2018).
Mia teaches life-affirming and restorative movement. She is certified in Polestar Pilates in 2011. She has studied traditional dance in Senegal, Guinea, and Brazil.
is a British-Barbadian Consultant Psychologist with over 20 years of experience supporting children, families, adults, and organizations across the UK, Caribbean, Middle East, and Africa. She combines traditional psychological assessment and intervention with holistic and culturally sensitive approaches to mental health. Beverley holds a BEd., MA, and MSc in psychology and is a member of the British Psychological Society (MBPsS). She is trained in the Solihull Approach, Integrative Relational Therapy (IRT), NLP coaching, yoga, and Reiki, which she integrates into her therapeutic practice.
Her career includes roles as a private consultant, social science researcher for the Barbados Ministry of Education, and work with UNICEF and government agencies. She is passionate about promoting equity in psychological assessment, particularly for Black and minority ethnic children, and advocates for culturally informed practices in both education and therapy.
In addition to offering individual and family support, Beverley leads workshops and retreats designed to nurture emotional wellbeing, healing, and growth through both evidence-based and holistic methods. Her work continues to have a transformative impact on communities globally, focusing on culturally responsive care and healing. Beverly is on our Board of Directors.
Beverly Drakes
H.O.L.L.A! (Her)History - How Lives Link Altogether!
Founded in the early 2000s within the New York State prison system, H.O.L.L.A! emerged as a grassroots movement driven by hope and the invisible energy of transformation. Without institutional support, it was born out of the need to heal and empower Black/Afrikan youth and communities impacted by the prison-industrial complex.
Mission and Theory of Change:
H.O.L.L.A! combats the Afrikan-Maafa by creating pathways for the spiritual, cultural, social, and political development of Black/Afrikan youth. Focused on healing the trauma caused by systemic oppression, H.O.L.L.A! works to engage youth in grassroots movements for Afrikan Sovereignty and Black Liberation. Rooted in the Non-Traditional Approach to Human and Healing Justice, the program centers on Afrikan Sacred Science, Afrikan-Maafa, and Healing Justice as a framework for empowerment.
Institutional Knowledge and Grassroots Impact:
H.O.L.L.A! draws on over 60 years of experience, blending generational knowledge with a deep understanding of local communities and prison systems. The program fills gaps in institutional practices around youth development, criminal justice, and Black studies, offering community-specific healing justice and programming to promote Black Liberation and youth empowerment.
Carmen Antonetty is a community advocate, birth justice practitioner, and healing artist committed to liberation from systemic oppression and the cultivation of compassionate connection. A product of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, Carmen brings a culturally rich, community-rooted perspective to her work. She is a DONA-trained birth justice advocate and birth assistant, former Program Coordinator at the Southern Birth Justice Network, and founder of Divinity Birth-Rite.
Affectionately known as The Dancing Doula, Carmen integrates movement and dance into her healing arts—offering private lessons, workshops, and one-on-one sessions that blend somatic healing with community care. Her passion for positive community development is grounded in the belief that communities hold the wisdom and resources to thrive when supported and empowered. She is raising two sons with radical love, awareness, and a commitment to collective liberation.
Kimosha Murphy ("Mama Ki") is a distinguished arts educator, bodyworker, and cultural ambassador with a career spanning several decades. She was the founding Artistic Director of the ALYO Children’s Dance Theatre, where she inspired youth through programs rooted in African diaspora traditions. A former principal dancer with MUNTU Dance Theatre, Kimosha has received multiple awards, including grants from the Illinois Arts Council and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs.
Beyond her artistic contributions, Kimosha is an accomplished bodyworker and wellness practitioner. As the owner of Ki Massage & Bodyworks, LLC, she combines traditional bodywork techniques with modern healing practices to promote physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Her work integrates holistic health education with culturally rooted practices, especially focusing on the healing needs of underserved communities. Kimosha also serves as a Better Belly Wellness Facilitator, where she leads workshops on self-care and wellness, helping individuals heal from trauma, stress, and physical tension through bodywork.
Her academic pursuits, which include African International Studies at Chicago State University and studies at institutions in Senegal and Ghana, complement her bodywork practice, grounding her approach in both cultural wisdom and scientific principles of wellness.
