Afra Zmrhal earned a Ph.D. in Psychology with a specialization in Neuropsychology from the Union Institute & University, Cincinnati, Ohio, and a M.A. in therapeutic Education from the University of Cologne, Germany.

Afra wrote her doctoral dissertation on “The Development of an Etiological Model and a Clinical Intervention for Individuals with Complex Partial Epilepsy.” If you would like to receive an electronic copy, please feel free to contact TearsAndLaughter, LLC at

303.258.1116

or send an email to

Afra@TearsAndLaughter.com

Afra's therapeutic approach reflects the synthesis of various psychotherapeutic trainings that she has completed over the past 15 years:

• Gestalt therapy; a method of awareness which enables the client to focus on his/her experience in the present moment.

• Sensorimotor Psychotherapy; a process that uses the body (rather than cognition or emotion) as a primary entry point into processing traumatic life-experiences.

• Hakomi Somatics; a psychotherapeutic approach based on the principle that mind and body jointly express and reflect deeply held, often unconscious beliefs about oneself and others.

• Trauma Dynamics, a psychotherapeutic method working specifically with individual, familial and cultural trauma.

In addition, Afra has been trained in group leadership in Germany and Dharma Matrix in the U.S. Training in Breathing Education allows Afra to incorporate knowledge about breathing physiology and psychology into both, her psychotherapeutic and spiritual work. Her focus has continuously been one of mind-body-spirit integration, guided by the principles of mindfulness, non-violence, organicity, unity, and holism.

Afra has been inspired by a variety of spiritual traditions, with a particular interest in the mystical teachings of Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, and Advaita Vedante. Afra brings a strong presence, over 16 years of clinical experience, and an expertise relating to the brain from her background in Neuropsychology.