I recently launched my newest website, Linda Skarrup Healing Arts, formerly known as Windhorse Consulting, both evolved from Therapeutic Movement, which was the name of my business for fifteen years. All three entities held a common vision: that of helping others heal from a wide range of traumas, injuries from accidents and other life events, and emotional and psychological issues, such as depression.
Therapeutic Movement came into being, after a nearly fatal automobile accident in 1990. At the time of the accident, I owned and operated Skarrup Enterprises, a small import company, specializing in the importation and sales of handmade items from Denmark. The many injuries I sustained in the accident required forced me to close the import business and focus all my energy on a healing process that took several years; nevertheless, this event led me to what I believe is my life’s work: supporting others in healing, becoming more conscious, and thus, transforming their lives.
Bygone days…
From 1980-1985, I was V.P. of Corporate Business Development at First Colorado Bank and Trust, in Denver, Colorado. I was responsible for the implementation and management of the business development program. During this period, I, personally, procured millions of dollars in new deposits, investments, discount brokerage, and other bank instruments. I also designed a very effective and profitable Officer Call Program.
There are countless challenges to overcome when owning and operating a small business all of which require an enormous commitment of energy and other resources. One is responsible for everything from finding a space in which to work, financing, advertising, and the day-to-day responsibilities that go with the territory. In my case, it was teaching classes, individual therapy sessions, designing workshops and retreats, in addition to, the many tasks I have mentioned. I was constantly upgrading my skills and education through yoga intensives, university classes and trainings that were held in the U.S., Europe, and India.
The journey… challenges and contribution
I believe my most important contribution is the way in which I have, over the years, combined these very powerful tools in order to address a wide range of complicated issues that heretofore required multiple providers and doctors, and an enormous amount of time and other resources! For me, the process was very organic as it evolved through my personal healing process.
Successful intervention speaks for itself. There is no way to know precisely, when a client or student is ready to embark on their next step; however, if the process has been successful the client will just know. Some stay for months, others for years, and some never really leave, as they continue to receive cranial therapy, private yoga sessions, and the psychotherapeutic approaches I now offer. In the end, we walk the path together.
The mental health component is a newer offering. I returned to university in 2010, with a view of studying depth psychology and other psychological approaches within the container of mental health. These studies expanded my skills in a way that allows me to work with a broader spectrum of individuals.
Early on, my work with individuals consumed so many resources that I had to make a choice between therapy clients, students and classes, and/or business consulting. I view leadership development as part and parcel of organizational transformation. This awareness came about from the many experiences I had in the business world, during which I observed a very toxic and dysfunctional environment; however, this is now rapidly changing! I still view my contribution to the whole of society is through my work with individuals….
In closing I wish to add what is perhaps the most compelling part of my story. I sustained multiple internal injuries, in the accident in 1990, as well as, a traumatic brain injury, which was undiagnosed for months. By then, my overall health and had deteriorated to a point, wherein I was barely functioning at all. I do not know what kept me going, only that, some part of me was not willing to give up-yet! I also wanted to know, if indeed, my yoga and meditation practices were as powerful as I believed them to be, as these were among the few things I could do for myself beyond eating and sleeping! As it turns out, they were! Still, my life was forever changed; the hardest part was the deep grieving and sense of loss. I was in my late ‘40’s, when this happened, in very good health and had a prosperous business and a happy life. My life before and my life after the accident were like two different lives happening to what gradually became two very different people. I have only glimpses of ‘her’, the woman that died that day; nevertheless, I have only gratitude for the small contributions I made in the lives of so many human beings that I would not have made. They became my extended ‘family’ in some inexplicable way, as my experiences with these individuals have been the most intimate relationships of my life.
My offerings include the following:
Wellness Coach and Mentor- I support clients in their pursuit of becoming more conscious of their unique gifts and how to apply them in their personal and professional lives. I help individuals prioritize and achieve goals and give them the tools they need in order to find their own ‘inner expert’.
Counseling, mentoring, coaching, are first and foremost skills in which the therapist is providing a mirror for another human being! We rarely give advice, must withhold judgment, and always try to be patient, keeping in mind all the while that we too are imperfect. Empowerment comes for the client when they can see and accept themselves exactly as they are in this moment.
Craniosacral Biodynamics: The intention of this hands-on therapy is to re-establish the vital force within us referred to as the “Breath of Life”, which Dr. William Sutherland, founder of Cranial Osteopathy, and others, believe to be the primary ordering principle of the human being. This approach focuses on the brain, spinal cord, and nervous system. It has a profound affect on cognitive disorders caused by traumatic brain injuries, accidents, and early developmental difficulties sustained during pregnancy and birth.
Insight Meditation- Mindfulness Meditation: this path to self-awareness is extraordinary in its simplicity, lack of dogma, and above all, its results. I provide instruction and guidance to help students cultivate an effective meditation practice.
Iyengar Yoga: This vigorous style emphasizes the development of stamina, flexibility, balance and concentration. It requires precision in the execution of positions and alignment.
Linda is currently writing about her work and life experiences, as well as, creative non-fiction stories, with a view of speaking publicly.
You can visit Linda’s website by clicking here.
