Highlights of my life…
- Being a refugee as a child (7) escaping with parents from the former Czechoslovakia, through the former Yugoslavia, into Austria. Eventually given asylum and citizenship in Canada.
- Having moved some 30+ times in my life.
- Having lived in and participated in growing multiple communities.
- Being mentored by many people I admire in the fields of therapy, filmmaking, and theatre.
- Becoming a father of the most amazing daughter!
- Being married to a wife who has been my greatest teacher and has helped me to live more in my body and from my heart.
- Being supported to develop an innovative martial arts therapy (Young Warriors — see more below) which was researched and has grown to reach many families and schools.
SKILLS…
- Mental Health Program manager
- Psychotherapist, Registered with CRPO #002371
- Martial Arts Teacher (Aikido, 1st degree black belt)
- Teacher & Facilitator
- Videographer
- Program Design
- Theatre and Community Arts Director
- Writer – published in edited works and online
Psychotherapy
INTEGRA Foundation / Child & Family Therapist & Mindfulness Martial Arts Instructor
- Aug 2007 – May 2014, Toronto
- Hired and trained as both a Child & Family Therapist & Mindfulness Martial Arts Instructor serving client families with Learning Disabilities and complex mental health issues.
Child Development Institute (CDI) / YW Coordinator, Supervisor, and Chief Instructor
- May 2014 – Aug 2019, Toronto
- Integra was amalgamated with CDI in 2014. Shortly after, a manager role was created to officially recognize the responsibilities of running YOUNG WARRIORS — the popular and rapidly expanding therapeutic program I created.
Private Practice / Psychotherapist and sole proprietor of companies
- Sept. 4, 2019 – present, Toronto
- Started offering psychotherapy services to families and individuals through various clinics and online portals.
Program Creation
Inspired Services / Director, Consultant & Facilitator
- 2000 – 2007, Montreal
- Program Creator, Consultant and Facilitator contracted by diverse agencies like: RECCA, Catholic Community Services, MDSB, Peace Out!, IASIS Foundation, and Cummings Jewish Centre for Seniors.
Integra YOUNG WARRIORS (YW)/ Founder
- 2009, Toronto
- Author and founder of Integra Young Warriors (YW), an innovative therapeutic program (based on Mindfulness and martial arts) at Integra, which became part of CDI (who owns the copyright).
- Led Implementation in partnership with the Northern Ontario (TLDSB) school board and in Cree school board in Northern Quebec.
Teaching
Naka Ima Aikikai / Martial Arts Teacher (Sensei)
- 2009 – 2011, Toronto
- Taught morning Aikido classes.
CREATE Institute (formerly ISIS) / Guest Instructor
- 2016 – present, Toronto
- Teaching annually the intro to Drama Therapy for second year students.
YW Implementation/ Teacher, Trainer & Consultant
- 2016 – 2019, Ontario and Quebec
- Trained and consulted with a total of 50 Instructors in their teaching of the YW program in schools in Northern Quebec and Ontario.
Publications
GUIDE ME: Solo Dramatic Research Into Becoming a Therapist / Author
- Published by Concordia as Master’sthesis and on Lulu in 2007
Popularizing Research: Engaging New Genres, Media and Audiences / Contributing Author
- Published by Peter Lang Publishers, NY in 2012
- Edited by Phillip Vannini
- Chapter 25: Learn Dis! A community does research on itself through Playback Theatre
The Thought That Changed My Life Forever / Contributing Author
- Published by Imbue Press (Morgan James Publishing, NY), 2013
- Edited by Christiane Guenette & Gillian Laura Roberts
- Chapter 1: If it’s meant to be, it starts with me
YOUNG WARRIORS, Book 1: Jacob’s Fire/ CO-Author
- Published by Integra Press, Toronto, 2018
- A novel series for parents and kids about facing internal and external challenges which demand courage, friendship and skills to resolve.
ONLINE Publications/ Author
- Worldwide, published in MEDIUM and GOOD MEN PROJECT
- since October, 2018
- Writing articles on parenting, relationships and the experience of being a man.
Theatre
Inspired Playback Theatre Co. / Founder & Artistic Director
- 2005- present, Montreal and Toronto
- Founded improv theatre troupe serving diverse populations: holocaust survivors, LGBTQ, at risk youth and restorative justice circles.
LEARN DIS!/ Founder & Artistic Director
- 2008, Toronto
- Creator and director of “LEARN DIS” – an arts-based research based on stories of families, clinicians and teachers around the experience of Learning Disabilities.
Film/Videography
CABRON Films / Director
- 1996- 2000, Vancouver
- Directing, editing and producing independent films. See awards below.
B.C. Film Industry/ Grip, Actor, & Lighting tech
- 1998- 2000, Vancouver
- Work in B.C. Film industry as grip and lighting technician
YW Ecourses/ Director, editor & narrator
- 2017 – 2019, Toronto
- Created close to 100 videos for four unique ecourses for training of children, parents and Instructors.
Education
University of British Columbia (UBC) / Bachelor’s Fine Arts (Filmmaking)
- 1994 – 1998, Vancouver, B.C.
- Graduated with honours from UBC and awards for his thesis project.
Concordia University / Master’s Of Arts – Creative Arts Therapies (Drama Therapy)
- 2001 – 2005, Montreal, Quebec
- Graduated with special mentions and recognition for thesis project (play about becoming a therapist).
Awards
- 1998/9 – National apprenticeship with Director’s Guild of Canada
- 1999 – Special mentions for films directed in the Brno Film Festival (Czech Republic) and Taiwan/Canadian Film Festival
- 2014 – earned 1st degree black belt in Aikido
- 2015 – Caring Staff Award – CDI
- 2017 – Given the “Magic Maker” Award by colleagues.
