Teachers at the
18th Swiss Educational Festival

Stephen W. Porges, Ph.D. is Distinguished University Scientist at Indiana University, where he directs the Trauma Research Center within the Kinsey Institute.

He holds the position of Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina and Professor Emeritus at the University of Illinois at Chicago where he directed the Brain-Body Center. Dr. Porges is also Professor Emeritus at the University of Maryland where served as Chair of the Department of Human Development and Director of the Institute for Child Study. He is a former president of the Society for Psychophysiological Research and also of the Federation of Behavioral, Psychological, and Cognitive Sciences. He is a former recipient of a National Institute of Mental Health Research Scientist Development Award. He has published more than 250 peer‐reviewed scientific papers across several disciplines including anesthesiology, critical care medicine, ergonomics, exercise physiology, gerontology, neurology, obstetrics, pediatrics, psychiatry, psychology, space medicine, and substance abuse. In 1994 he proposed the Polyvagal Theory, a theory that links the evolution of the vertebrate autonomic nervous system to the emergence of social behavior. The theory provides insights into the mechanisms mediating symptoms observed in several behavioral, psychiatric, and physical disorders. The theory has stimulated research and treatments that emphasize the importance of physiological state and behavioral regulation in the expression of several psychiatric disorders and provides a theoretical perspective to study and to treat stress and trauma. He is the author of The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-regulation (Norton, 2011), The Pocket Guide to the Polyvagal Theory: The transformative power of feeling safe, (Norton, 2017), and co-editor of Clinical Applications of the Polyvagal Theory: The emergence of Polyvagal-informed therapies (Norton, 2018).

Ruth Lanius, MD, Ph.D., Professor of Psychiatry is the director of the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) research unit at the University of Western Ontario. She established the Traumatic Stress Service and the Traumatic Stress Service Workplace Program, services that specialize in the treatment and research of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and related comorbid disorders. She currently holds the Harris-Woodman Chair in Mind-Body Medicine at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Western Ontario.

Her research interests focus on studying the neurobiology of PTSD and treatment outcome research examining various pharmacological and psychotherapeutic methods. She has authored more than 100 published papers and chapters in the field of traumatic stress and is currently funded by several federal funding agencies. She regularly lectures on the topic of PTSD nationally and internationally. She has recently published a book ‘The Impact of Early Life Trauma on Health and Disease’ with Eric Vermetten and Clare Pain.

She is also coauthor of the books The Impact of Early Life Trauma on Health and Disease: The Hidden Epidemic and Healing the Traumatized Self: Consciousness, Neuroscience, Treatment.

Peter A. Levine, Ph.D. (USA) is the originator and developer of Somatic Experiencing® and the President of the Foundation for Human Enrichment. He holds doctorate degrees in both Medical Biophysics and Psychology. During his forty plus year study of stress and trauma, Dr. Levine has contributed to a variety of scientific, medical, and popular publications.

His best selling book, Waking the Tiger; Healing Trauma, is available in 24 languages. He is author of "It Won't Hurt Forever", a guide to the prevention and healing of trauma with children. Together with Maggie Kline he published: "Trauma-Proofing your Kids", a parents' guide to instilling confidence, joy and resillience. The culmination of his life's work you find in "In An Unspoken Language", where he explains the nature and transformation of trauma in the body, brain and psyche. His newest book "Trauma and Memory" has just been released. There Peter Levine tackles the most difficult and controversial question whether we can trust our memories or not. Peter was a consultant for NASA during the development of the Space Shuttle, and has taught at hospitals and pain clinics in both Europe and the U.S., as well as at the Hopi Guidance Center in Arizona.

C. Sue Carter, PhD is Professor of Psychiatry and Co-Director of The Brain Body Center at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Dr. Carter studies the neurobiology of socio-emotional behaviors, including social bonds and parental behavior.

Research by Dr. Carter and her colleagues established the prairie vole as a model for examining the neurobiology of monogamy. Her work also led to the discovery that oxytocin and vasopressin can program the developing nervous system with life-long consequences for brain and behavior. She is currently involved in collaborative research examining the role of oxytocin and vasopressin in mental illnesses including schizophrenia and autism. She has authored over 250 articles and edited 5 volumes including “Attachment and Bonding: A New Synthesis” (MIT Press, 2006). Dr. Carter has served as President of the International Behavioral Neuroscience Society, and was recipient of a Research Career Scientist Award from NIH.

Paki E. Heisserer was born in Germany and is living in Zürich since 1980. She is self employed in her own practice as a Bodypsychotherapist since 1985. She works as a Traumatherapist with Somatic Experiencing (and is also teaching SE since 2019). Her backgroung is the Process-Oriented Psychology of Arni Mindel (POP), Polarity Therapy, Cranio Sacral Therapy, Chinese Medicine, and Prenatal and Birthtraumawork of Ray Castellino.

She is practising and teaching Qi Gong, Tai Qi and Tao Yoga since 35 years.Her wish is to go along the human process on all levels which will be shown. According to the term "Healing Arts“ she sees the process-oriented body-mind-and emotions work as a form of Art which brings the healing. She works with adults, adolescents, babys, pregnant women and couples. She is living with her husband Urs Honauer in Zürich. They have two adult daughters.

Dr. phil. Urs Honauer Urs (CH) is the director of the Polarity Center and the Center for Inner Ecology in Zürich, Switzerland. He is also the founder of the Learning Festival in Weggis and the originator of the communication model AUTHENTIC COMMUNICATION (AK) which he also teaches himself. He has long been involved in adult education and has taught among others in trainings like Somatic Experiencing (SE), Polarity, and TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine).

In his private practice he works with people of all ages (from infants to senior citizens). He holds a Master’s degree in psychology, education and journalism and a doctorate in the field of social education at the University of Zurich; Masters in Psychosocial Trauma at the Psychiatric Polyclinic of the University of Zurich. Studies in Polarity Therapy and Craniosacral Balancing with Dr. John Beaulieu in New York, Prenatal- and Birth Therapy with Dr. Ray Castellino, Process-Oriented psychology with Dr. Arnold Mindell, and Somatic Experiencing with Dr. Peter A. Levine.