Considering Practices Across the Life Span

Lodovica Guidarelli is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Private Practice in San Diego. Before becoming a therapist, Lodovica earned a Ph.D. in Italian at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and taught Italian language, literature, and culture in several universities in the US. Currently, she works with a diverse population including Italian-speaking clients who live in the US. In her practice, she brings a critical lens to the unique ways in which multilingual speakers engage in the therapeutic process.

Lodovica Guidarelli is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Private Practice in San Diego. Before becoming a therapist, Lodovica earned a Ph.D. in Italian at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and taught Italian language, literature, and culture in several universities in the US. Currently, she works with a diverse population including Italian-speaking clients who live in the US. In her practice, she brings a critical lens to the unique ways in which multilingual speakers engage in the therapeutic process.

Poh Lin Lee is a Chinese Malaysian Australian woman who comes to her practice through multiple experiences and relationships as a narrative therapy practitioner, social worker, co-researcher of trauma/displacement, writer, teacher, film protagonist and creative consultant.

Since 2004 Poh has been engaged in therapeutic co-research with people and communities responding to themes of experience such as family and state violence, displacement (from rights, land, home, body, identity, relationships), liminality and reclaiming practices of staying with experience and preference. Creative and therapeutic fields intersected for Poh whilst working with people seeking asylum within a film project with director Gabrielle Brady, Island of the Hungry Ghosts (2018).

Courtney Olinger, PsyD, LMFT (she/her) is the owner of Respect Family Therapy & Consulting (San Diego, CA, USA). She also works for a local non-profit as an Instructor across 3 vocational programs for autistic adults. Since 2000, Courtney has been passionate about and continuously learning about disability justice, social justice, neurodiversity-affirming principles and practices, LGBTQIA+ affirming principles and practices, and anti-racist principles and practices. She has worked with autistic individuals of all ages in a variety of clinical, educational, vocational and community settings. Her roots in Narrative practices have been the backdrop for her continued learning, starting with mentorship while training in San Diego and including the formative experience of the Intensive Narrative training through Dulwich Centre in 2008-2009. Courtney has also had the privilege of mentoring several teams of therapists and behavioral providers who collaboratively worked together to provide clinical support to individuals, families and schools.

Meet Keiko Tsuzuki, a seasoned counsellor, and psychotherapist whose journey spans over three decades of helping others navigate life's challenges. Originally from Japan, Keiko now lives in Australia. She established ‘Evolved Conscious Village,’ where she blends the ancient wisdom of Japanese culture with modern
therapeutic approaches.

From her rich cultural heritage, Keiko has crafted ten unique methods tailored to address diverse needs. Her expertise lies in nurturing human potential and healthy relationships, a skill she imparts through training and consultancy services to clients and practicing professionals across Australia and Asia via her well-established company, ECOV Australia.

Keiko's quest for innovative solutions led her to the world of Collective Narrative Approaches. Fascinated by the collaborative nature of the work, she completed a master's degree in Narrative Therapy and Community Work, where she was taught by Poh Lin Lee. This deepened understanding enriched her in promoting sustainable social change and advocating for marginalized communities.

Beyond her professional pursuits, Keiko's commitment to community care is her passion. From coordinating daycare services for elderly migrants and offering counselling to those grappling with intergenerational trauma and refugees at the Multicultural Services Centre of Western Australia, Keiko's dedication to community care is evident through her every endeavour.

Her vision extends further, aiming to establish a sustainable base for an Evolved Conscious Village where individuals can reside for extended periods. She has travelled extensively around India and has found an ideal place for her dream, nestled amidst the Himalayan mountains in Sikkim, India.

Sabine Vermeire works at the Interactie-Academie, a training and therapy center in Antwerp, Belgium. For more than 30 years, she has been engaged in several youth and family care projects and goes on therapeutic journeys with children, youngsters, and families in the context of trauma, violence, and abuse. She leaves the beaten tracks in playful and creative ways when speaking becomes difficult. She is a Narrative and Systemic trainer, psychotherapist, and supervisor and is responsible for the year training ‘Narrative Therapy and Community work’ and the postgraduate ‘Family counseling’ at Interactie-Academie. As an associated trainer at The Institute of Narrative Therapy (UK) and at the faculty of Dulwich Center she shares her work with children, youngsters and families. She wrote several articles and books on this work.

Julia is an experienced therapist, couples counselor and coach in San Francisco who provides innovative, informed and interactive therapy.

Shuo Yuan (袁硕) is a 1.5-generation immigrant of Chinese diaspora living and working on the traditional land of the Duwamish people, also known as Seattle, WA. She was formally introduced to narrative therapy and narrative practices through her graduate traineeship with Narrative Initiatives San Diego (NISD) where her fondness of storytelling and art intersected with her interests in mental health and social justice. Shuo currently works in private practice, where she primarily serves client community members at the intersection of multiple marginalized identities whose stories have been deliberately erased and delegitimized for far too long.