Meet the Teachers

Dave has had a fascination for Oriental culture from a young age and has travelled throughout Asia. He is a Macrobiotic Health Coach, Qi Gong Instructor, Massage Therapist and Oriental Bodyworker and has been practicing for over 20 years.

Dave has also worked in the Further and Adult Education sector and has taught ITEC level 3 diplomas in various complementary therapies.

Dejan is a Shiatsu Practitioner and Macrobiotic Chef and Consultant. He has been passionately into macrobiotics since 2005 when he discovered macrobiotics whilst practicing Wing Chung, a form of martial art. After permanently moving to the UK from Serbia in 2010 he studied at the Devon School of Shiatsu and later studied at the International Macrobiotic School.

Dejan is very enthusiastic about teaching the macrobiotic way of cooking and living, and enjoys sharing his knowledge and experience with others.

Celia is a Macrobiotic cook and practitioner based in the Cotswolds. Passionate about preparing and eating wholefoods, Celia’s enthusiastic, positive approach to cooking inspires students to create and enjoy delicious, nourishing food.

Celia runs regular cooking workshops at the Organic Farm Shop in Cirencester and offers cooking lessons for individuals and small groups in their own homes. She also offers individual Macrobiotic consultations, food coaching and menu planning.

Yvonne is a teacher at the International Macrobiotic School. She trained at IMS and also supports clients with macrobiotic consultations, emotional healing, and cooking experiences in Berkshire.

She aims to guide students on both their knowledge of macrobiotics and support their health and emotional lives. Her counselling knowledge means she provides a supportive and encouraging environment to help students develop their understanding of macrobiotics, share experiences, and help create balance in their lives.

Yvonne is also a qualified counsellor and has a diploma in vegan cooking from Demuths Cookery School. She also worked previously as an office manager at large financial services firms, where she supported and developed the roles of over 30 support staff.

Lynn is a qualified therapist working with individuals and couples for over 15 years. She is particularly interested in deepening relationships, cultivating presence, being embodied and sexuality. She works holistically, often supporting people to change their lifestyle, their diet and self care.

She runs movement and self development workshops on deepening connection with self and others and non-sexual touch. She works with a unique combination of fun, lightness and depth

Suzanne has been working as a counsellor and shamanic healer/energy therapist for 25 years, having completed a four-year diploma in counselling and three years of shamanic training.

In her counselling practice she offers breath work, body work, soul retrieval, past life healing, re-birthing, movement ritual and sound healing. She aims to create a safe environment for people to explore, unravel and clear what occludes them from being their true alive selves. In this way she hopes to support self responsibility for emotions which in turn can facilitate self empowerment. She specialises in inner child healing and sexuality issues. Suzanne also works in outdoor nature based ceremony/therapy on Dartmoor, including vision quests and shorter nature retreats.

She works with many issues and is interested in the connection between our spirituality, mental health, physical well-being, emotional connectedness and food. She believes that the self discovery of this inter- connectedness within us to what is outside is a deeply empowering healing.

Kirsty has a background in drama and movement work and has been practising body-based work all of her adult life. These practices continue to include contact dance, five rhythms, movement of being and Qi-gong.

She graduated from the Devon School of Shiatsu in 2009, and has had a private Shiatsu practice ever since. She continues her studies with regular post-graduate courses including Movement Shiatsu. As well as her private practice and teaching, Kirsty works for a detox retreat where she offers Shiatsu and abdominal treatments.

At the moment she is developing some work with a colleague exploring how we can become more present to touch. She lives in Totnes with her family. To find out more about Kirsty please visit her website at shiatsutotnes.co.uk

Keith teaches all of the western anatomy, physiology and pathology on our courses. He first trained in Sport Science, and has been working at a physical rehabilitation centre since 1990.

Keith studied Shiatsu at the Devon School of Shiatsu, and now has a private practice, as well as introducing shiatsu to the Nuffield Hospital in Exeter. His teaching is renowned for being lively and easily understood, especially for those with little prior study of this subject.

Michael brings over 40 years of experience and dedication in natural healing to his teaching and personal counselling. He is recognised and respected for his articulate, organised way of conveying valuable and fascinating information. He translates profound wisdom into practical, useful and applicable knowledge. His teaching inspires students not only in caring for their own health needs, but also in guiding others in healthy living and eating.

In 1969, Michael began his journey of personal change by discovering macrobiotics. At that time he studied with Michio Kushi, joining other early students who gathered for classes in Boston’s “study houses”. A couple of years later, Michael went to study acupuncture and oriental healing with J.R. Worsley, in England, before schools for acupuncture were available in the United States.

By 1975 he had set up a personal counselling and acupuncture practice in his home town, Washington, DC and the Maryland suburbs. He also began offering classes, from one-evening public lectures to extended advanced study programs. In more recent years, he has was dean at a North Carolina acupuncture school and taught shiatsu massage at local massage schools.

Michael’s teaching draws on over 40 years of experience. He has taught beginning to advanced levels, from evening lectures to extended courses. In addition to cities in the United States, he has been popular in other countries — England most often, also Italy, Israel, Croatia and Portugal.

Michael continues his journey as a student of both western medicine and eastern health practices. He currently maintains a private counselling and acupuncture practice in Asheville, NC, in the mountains of Appalachia. He has counselled many thousands of people, of all ages and health conditions, helping them regain greater health and wellbeing.

Anna qualified and worked first as a designer, then in Macrobiotics at the Community Health Foundation in London and Kiental.

She has been teaching, catering and leading workshops in macrobiotic cuisine and nutrition, healing and home remedies, yoga and movement and the Art of Space Clearing, for many years in different countries.

She sees that an open, generous macrobiotic way of life and philosophy is a sound basis for a healthy, ecological, spiritual culture and sustainable future.

Taught by Aveline Kushi, Denny Waxman, Denise Linn among others, she considers nature to be a remarkable teacher. She also enjoys gardening and counselling. Anna is a past chairman of the Macrobiotic Association.

Karen has worked in finance and administration for much of her working life.  Her working history has included schools and retreat centres.

Also a qualifited Creative Kinesiologist, she has a holistic outlook and is very conscious of the value of food in our lives.

Karen loves to welcome and meet students and guests to the school.

Sharlene discovered the International Macrobiotic School almost 15 years ago after signing up for Looking After Your Health and has not looked back since. After experiencing the deep and profound transformation of macrobiotics in her own life she is keen to share the gifts of macrobiotics with others.

Sharlene is a Macrobiotic Cook & Consultant and a Circle Facilitator. She loves to work with other women and teach them about the benefits eating well and is a senior trainer at Sistership Circle training other women in circle facilitation and feminine leadership.

Sharlene enjoys connecting with others and is inspired to share all of the gifts that the school has to offer.