about me
"At this point in my life, I have followed more than a few sacred threads of my own with therapists, spiritual teachers, wise women and men." - Belinda Boscardin -
As a private practice clinician for 20 plus years, I have accompanied many on their healing journey and have been tutored, stretched and shaped by many teachers: spiritual, clinical and practical healers. I continue to follow the threads of surrender and sacred practices, shared with me by those more experienced and further along, in an effort to be a better guide for those I serve.
I am originally from Chicago, Illinois, where I met three important wisdom keepers and influencers when I was 25 years old: Cecilia C. and Jimmy H., at the Chicago, Mustard Seed in Lincoln Park and Joan CT, a skillful and practical, social worker. These gifted individuals set me on my path as a therapist...though I could not know then, it would lead to now.
I moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota to complete my doctoral training in 1989 and spent 25 years living in Minneapolis, Minnesota and raising my daughter. During this part of my householder journey, I met many teachers: Dr. Mark W. a very talented, clinical psychologist, Barbara, a sandplay aficionado and analyst, the ISTDP and AEDP clinical supervision group, Steve Hagen of Dharma Field Zen Center, Mark Nunberg of Common Ground Meditation Center and the clinical dharma group at Common Ground. Time spent with them has been instrumental to my spiritual and clinical development. Minneapolis is where my yoga practice took root, 20 years ago, and as part of that practice, I traveled to India in 2013, and met my teacher, Swami Prashant Bharati, in Rishikesh, India.
In 2013, I received initiation into the lineage of Swami Rama and the tradition of Bharati (Bharati in Sanskrit means "lover of knowledge"). Swami Prashant Bharati has taught me that the path of direct experience, is the means to truth and clarity. Following the householder portion of my journey, I moved to Asheville, NC, in 2015, viewing this community as a forever home. I continue to learn from the extraordinary and talented clinicians and yogi's of the Blue Ridge Mountains and a special shout out, to my friend and colleague, Dr. Melinda Toney, for awakening the chrysalis within.
“CHARACTERISTICS THAT DEFINE ME HAVE BEEN A CONSTANT CURIOSITY ABOUT LIFE AND PEOPLE’S STORIES.” - Belinda Boscardin -
A deep and questioning exploration of the variety of spiritual practices, rituals and a personal, hard won wisdom about the universality of love as the great healer, the interconnectedness of all things and surrender to the power of something greater as essential for the spirit and a life well lived. The spiritual practices I have been privileged to experience have contributed to and are integrated with my clinical training in Western psychology and neuroscience as it applies to the areas of addictions, depression, anxiety, cultural and spiritual influences/healing traditions and relational conflict in families and cultures.
My clinical training began in psychoanalytic, psychodynamic and developmental psychology and I am a trained mediator. I have consistently participated in additional training in AEDP, CBT, MBSR, Hypnosis, evolving models of treating addiction, psychodrama, group therapy and trauma training, with leaders in these fields. I am a practitioner of the 12 steps of recovery in various forms and programs. I approach therapy from a holistic frame: healing the spirit, heals the mind-body-heart.