SHARON G. MIJARES
530.687.2694
www.psychospiritual.org
e-mail:
VITA OF EXPERIENCE
Dr. Sharon Mijares is an international speaker, prior KURU community radio host, and workshop leader and author. She has decades of experience in treating trauma, psychology, teaching, leadership and transformational processes. She has studied the world’s religious, mystical, and shamanic traditions and blends this learning with depth psychology, She has presented consciousness-raising workshops in several nations. She has enlisted authors representing a variety of cultural perspectives in her books. Her edited book, The Revelation of the Breath, presents the numerous ways that breath enacts healing and transformation. All of her publications promote ways for a healthier and more conscious humanity. Her sixth book, A Force Such As the World Has Never Known: Women Creating Change has received global attention. Her latest book is titled The Power of the Feminine: Facing Shadow Evoking Light. She is also a specialist in gender issues, shamanic and psychospiritual healing with over thirty years specializing in trauma, addictions, and teaching at the university level. Dr. Mijares is touching many different areas in her work, and each one is focused on improving the human condition.
PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES
- Professor of university courses in Mental Health, Spirituality and Global Health, Ecopsychology, Depth Psychology, Somatic Psychology, Cultural and Social Justice, Research courses, gender issues and human sexuality, critical thinking, social psychology, counseling, comparative religions, drug prevention and treatment and other courses.
- Author of articles, chapters and seven books on various topics including gender and cultural healing, women’s development, the breath and psychospiritual paradigms for mental health.
- Healing practitioner providing guidance for individuals and couples, specializing in spiritual emergence processes, while promoting psychospiritual development and mind-body healing.
- Prior Radio host for Speaking Allowed, community radio, KURU 89.1 fm, Silver City, NM. Conversations with guests on significant social and psychospiritual healing paradigms.
- Professional Coach for Leadership and Personal Change from the College of Executive and Personal Coaching.
- Focus on Women’s Development through individual and group work.
Ph.D., Clinical Psychology. 1995.
The Union Institute Graduate School, Cincinnati, OH. Concentration in Clinical Psychology. A study of the impact of trauma on the body, mind and its relationship to dissociative and cerebral processes. Title of dissertation: Fragmented self, archetypal forces and the embodied mind (published 2012). Shamanic and Jungian approach to healing.
M.A., Psychology. 1991.
Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA. Concentration in Psychology with emphasis on gender imbalance, trauma and influence of breathing practices in healing. Research/thesis titled: The healing power of the breath: Eastern, Middle-Eastern and Western forms of breathwork.
B.A., Psychology. 1990.
The Union Institute Undergraduate School, San Diego, CA. Concentration on Women’s Psychology and the mind-body relationship.
ICSS Graduate Certificate program. 1989-90.
Institute of Culture and Creation Spirituality founded by Matthew Fox. Oakland, CA.
Nine-month program in women’s awakening, cultural justice and peace issues and spiritual process. Training in leading rituals. I assisted Jeremy Taylor in teaching group dreamwork 1990-1991.
1991-1994, Spiritual Emergence Network & Treatment
Interned in the Menlo Park SEN office 1991-1993. Handled crisis hotline, supported workshops. Completed nine-month Certification 1993-94 in recognizing and treating Spiritual Emergence training with Stan Grof, David Lukoff, Robert Taylor, Jyoti, Russell Parks, and numerous experts in non-ordinary experience on treating kundalini and other energetic states as well as alternative realities and synchronistic experience.
Certificates & Related Trainings.
Beyond Cultural Competency Summit: Leading the Way Toward More Inclusive and Empowering Therapy. Completed February 2023
Polyvagal Therapy with Stephen Porges. Completed October 2022.
White Privilege and White Therapists: Treatment Considerations Surrounding Racial Traumas Among People of Color. Completed December 2, 2020
Neuroscience. 30 hours. Sounds True. Completed August 1, 2020.
Suicidality: Assessment and treatment: May 2020. On-line continuing education.
Indigenous Cultural Awareness (ICA): Parliament of World Religions, Toronto. November 1-6, 2018. Focus on learning from First Nations as well as Amazonian indigenous cultures.
Trauma Treatment Mastery: Effective healing interventions for the mind and body. Psychotherapy Network: December 2017-January 2018.
Qigung for Health. Certification course after training with Master Homer Nottingham 2015-2017. Nevada City, CA
Neuroscience Brain-Based Therapy: Transformational techniques for anxiety, PTSD, depression, impulse control, etc. Pesi. June 7. Rancho Cordova, CA
Intensive Trauma Training with Bessel van der Kolk. Six-week training session. Pesi Institute. May-June 2016
How to use Polyvagal Theory to Help Clients Reset the Nervous System After Trauma. Stephen Porges. NICABM. May 8, 2016
How to Rewire the Traumatized Brain. Bessel van der Kolk. NICABM. May 2, 2016.
Evolution of Psychotherapy. December 11-14, 2013. Milton H. Erickson Foundation. Anaheim, CA
Variety of training for teaching On-Line Courses with e-College, Blackboard, Brightspace, Moodle and Canvas.
Professional Coach. College of Executive Coaching certification program. (2000-2002).
The two-year coaching program focused on women’s issues and development, strategies for improving group and business relationships and organization.
Hypnotherapy: Self-relations Psychotherapy & Ericksonian Hypnotherapy - Ongoing supervision training and certifications. Stephen Gilligan, Ph.D. (1991-1999: averaged 8 hrs. mnth for 8 yrs.).
*2001-2005 – On staff of annual international Trance Camp, summer training programs in Hypnosis and Self Relations. Also, led evening sessions integrating Sufi practices with Self-Relations training.
Del Amo Hospital Preferred Providers Training with Colin Ross, M.D.
Treatment of sexually abused, dissociative clients and perpetrators. (2000).
Masters & Johnson Preferred Providers Training. Treatment of sexually abused, dissociative clients. Treatment of perpetrators. (1999). I also taught this in university courses for counseling psychology students.
Cognitive therapy for anxiety disorders (1997). David Burns, Ph.D.
Disaster Mental Health Training w/American Red Cross. Crisis Management. Trained in defusing and debriefing techniques in the event of serious and traumatic events.
Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR). (1995).
Psychologists Substance Abuse Training (1997). Los Angeles.
Stalking. San Diego Stalking Strike Force and District Attorney's Office. (1996).
Power & Control: Tactics of men who batter. Training to facilitate treatment programs, Domestic Abuse Intervention Project, Duluth Minnesota. (1995)
Spiritual Emergence Syndromes & Treatment: 9-month certification course. Marin county (1993-1994), facilitated by Robert Taylor and Russell Parks.
Hypnotherapy Certificate. Sonoma State University Extended Education program (1991).
Child Development Certificate. Palomar College. (1975).
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Previous Director of Psychology, California Institute for Human Science
Encinitas, CA March 2020 – July 2021
Direct Master’s and Doctoral programs in both Integral and Clinical Psychology studies. Significant work on reorganization of curriculum, guiding students, convening meetings for psych faculty and students. Work on curriculum for WASC approval. Organized and taught Practicum course for Clinical Psychology students seeking licensure. Was on Ethics and Curriculum committees.
Core Faculty, California Institute for Human Science
Encinitas, CA. 2006 – Present Core Faculty
I created and have taught On-Line courses in Depth Psychology, Ecopsychology/Ecofeminism; Somatic Psychology; Clinical Diagnosis; Sociocultural Influences and Intervention Strategies; Advanced Qualitative Research; Aging, Grief and Long-Term Care; Breathwork, Healing & Transformation; Comparative Religions; Islam-Sufism, Counseling and Communication; Practicum, and other courses. Also participate in doctoral research committee meetings and have guided numerous doctoral research projects.
Associate & Adjunct Faculty, National University. (On-Campus and On-Line Courses)
San Diego, CA. April 1996 - ongoing
Course design for new undergraduate program in Integrative Psychology. A nine-member team created this program. I developed Ecopsychology, Spirituality and Global Health, Somatic Psychology courses, and Personal Growth and Development courses for this new on-line program. This was a two and one-half year Associate Faculty contract.
Undergraduate: Global Psychology, Social Psychology, Drugs, Values and Society. Theories of Personality and Psychotherapy, and Senior Research Project are my primary courses. I primarily teach the Senior Project Research course now, a course I developed for online teaching around 2007.
Master’s program: Counseling psychology (MFT) program, including Cultural and Social Justice, Principles of Psychotherapy, Adult Development and Aging, Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy and Relational Violence. Issues in Sexuality. Also have taught in the Master’s Leadership HUB course.
Critical Conversations Series: National University April – July 2023
Peer group focusing on course creation and course activities related to cultural and social justice issues.
Adjunct Faculty, University of Massachusetts Global/Brandman University. (On-Campus/Chapman University and On-Line/Brandman Courses now incorporated into UMassGlobal)
Costa Mesa, CA. May 1999 – Ongoing. Designed and teach Spirituality and Mental Health. Fully on-line courses include Transition to Work Seminar, Research and Bibliographic Methods, Life Span Development, Scientific Writing for the Behavioral and Social Sciences. Intro to Counseling and Personality Theory courses are my more-frequent courses.
Graduate (MFT) on-campus courses included Child & Adolescent Psychopathology, Assessment and Treatment of Sexual Disorders, Couples Psychotherapy as well as other courses on-campus.
I also sat with department chair to interview MFT students for advancement to practicum and internship at the Chapman University site.
NOTE: On Tenzin Dhardon Sharling’s doctoral research committee upstate New York through UMass.
Visiting Faculty, United Nations University for Peace – On-Line
Costa Rica. 2012-2014. The course titled New Perspectives in Family and Community Health examined family structures from a global systems perspective, illustrating the impact of war, migration while defining the many ways that family structures are re-defining themselves. The course offered students concrete guidance and skills required to work in creating a more sustainable and peaceful world. https://elearning.upeace.org/classroom/course/info.php?id=88&id=88
Psychotherapist: Private practice as Licensed Psychologist. California license: PSY16127 and New Mexico 1496
Humanistic and transpersonal approach. Decades of experiential training in spiritual emergence processes. Strong psychospiritual and shamanic focus. Therapeutic practice specializing in healing trauma related disorders, women’s issues, addictive problems, growth-oriented self-development and couples’ therapy.
Also, utilize trance, breathwork, and shamanic practices. I occasionally lead deep-breathwork at the local Lotus Center.
Professional Coach: Help people with lifestyle, shamanic work, and career changes.
Post-doctoral Fellow: Mercy-Scripps Behavioral Health Care
December 1996 through October 2, 1997
Facilitate ongoing groups for patients suffering from affective disorders, chemical dependency and psychotic disorders in a partial hospital program. Co-conduct emergency room and ICU psychiatric evaluations and referrals.
Sexual Abuse Counselor/Domestic Violence Counselor: Women's Resource Center, Oceanside, CA.
August 1993 ‑ May 1995. (Pre-and Post doctoral internship)
Psychotherapist treating women who were molested as children and rape victims. I coordinated with the SART (sexual abuse response team), including emergency rape response at hospital, and Victims’ Assistance program.
Counseled victims and perpetrators of domestic violence. Facilitated ongoing training program, supervised testing and assessment project for male perpetrators of domestic violence. Provided training to community agencies and military base on impact of childhood sexual abuse and rape. Used alternative therapies as well as traditional for both individual and group healing.
Adjunct Faculty, Vermont College-The Union Institute and University Master’s program
Distance Learning program in their Master’s program.
Graduate program focused on a student’s individually designed program and thesis.
Doctoral Committees:
As of this date I have served on approximately 20+ Doctoral committees through the Union Institute and University, Sofia University, University of Massachusetts Global, and the California Institute of Human Science.
PUBLICATIONS:
Jones, D., Mijares, S. & Dalglish, C. (September 2023). The Resurrection of Inanna: A Play in Three Acts. Coreopsis: Journal of Myth and Theater.
Mijares, S. (Autum 2023). A conversation with Inna. (Interviewing artist Inna Vjuzhanina of Ukraine.) Coreopsis: Journal of Myth and Theater.
Review: Ariadne’s Thread: A Depth Psychology Exploration of Liminal Immanence. Body, Movement, and Dance in Psychotherapy. United States Body Psychotherapies.
