Sylvia Kraus

I grew up on a tree farm where I worked throughout most of my youth and early adulthood.  Over the years, I learned to identify most trees and shrubs native to North America, but more importantly I acquired the botanical knowledge that enabled me to understand in depth the wisdom of plant culture. As I began to study literature, philosophy, and psychology as a young adult I soon became aware of the many similarities that humans share with plants and other life forms. When humans are under stress, the human hormone cortisol is released into the blood stream, creating the urge for fight, flight, or fright.  When a plant is distressed, it releases secondary compounds such as hormones that protect it from natural predators.  In fact, most effective medicines are derived from the secondary compounds of plant culture. My intrigue toward understanding more deeply the challenging situations that give rise to human defenses has essentially become the goal of my professional work as a psychotherapist. As a therapist, I seek effective ways to support individuals in their efforts to break free from old patterns, and restore their strength and resilience. Although the majority of my training was originally in Jungian psychology and dream interpretation as a direct channel to self-discovery, I have remained a perennial student, forever learning and taking new courses to understand the latest advances in neuroscience and their therapeutic applications.