Reverend Dr. Kay Mutert,

Master Teacher

kay@veriditas.org 

The Reverend Dr. Kay Mutert is a Master Teacher with the Veriditas Worldwide Labyrinth Organization, offering labyrinth workshops in awakening new creative energy, community building, and spiritual formation. Her Master Teacher responsibilities include training new facilitators and renewal training for those trained in past years.

She works with organizations to establish labyrinth communities, to hear the hopes of a setting and translate that into an ongoing vision. In her workshops and training she holds the space for participants to discover and develop their own gifts and skills, and to build community. Kay has been a member of the Veriditas Council, Southeastern USA regional representative, and event musician.

When she left her local church ministry Kay created "DaySpring - a source of creative expression and renewal of spirit", as a conduit to work with an increasingly larger circle of community. Through her labyrinth work, she uses her experience as musician, minister, teacher and spiritual accompanist with groups and individuals from diverse arenas of life, inviting them to discover the possibilities of the labyrinth to experience a reconnection with the sacredness of life, to find language for their setting. Kay's work helps others find ways for renewal of mind, body, spirit and creative energy, through retreats, workshops and sacred events. She looks for ways to encourage others to trust and value their own voice and vision of the journey.

As a pastor, Kay served congregations in the United Methodist Church and the British Methodist Church, a local ecumenical partnership in England, and an interim ministry with the Presbyterian Church USA. Before that she worked as a music educator/church musician in Florida and Alabama. She is a conductor, composer and pianist, incorporating her music into her events. Her work has included compositions and concerts for those affected by cancer and AIDS, connected with her own journey.

She is a guest presenter and retreat leader on the Celtic saints and story, has led pilgrimages to Iona and other sites, and offers workshops and worship experiences utilizing the resources of Iona, Taize and global music.

Kay believes the ancient archetype of the labyrinth serves as a strong source of presence for today's world, in meditation, reconciliation, peace-making, for young and old, for cross-cultures, creativity and healing, for community and personal use.

​Through her experience in a variety of settings, she honors the non-verbal expression of meaning as felt in the labyrinth, through sound and silence, movement and stillness.

Kay holds a BS from Mississippi State University, MA from University of South Florida, EdD from University of Alabama and Mdiv from Candler School of Theology, Emory University. Her published works include a set of her musical compositions - Songs for the Journey, with texts by Rev. Joe Elmore and artwork by Dan Rountree; a piano CD, The Joy of Two, with pianist Karen Krekelberg; along with other miscellaneous creations. Her book Seasons of Change is a memoir of her Jubilee (50^th) year's transition into pastoral ministry while living in the Midlands of England. She is a contributor of a labyrinth chapter to the recently published book Sacred Habits: the Rise of the Creative Clergy, Chad R. Abbott, Editor.

Click here for Kay Mutert's Speaker's Packet

Betty (Elizabeth) Lopez Towey
Faculty

It was at Silver Bay on Lake George that Betty was first introduced to the labyrinth, an ancient walking meditation tool found in cultures around the world. This profound experience led to a deepening interest which soon became a passion. She was trained as a labyrinth facilitator by Lauren Artress in 2001 and has helped to build the outdoor labyrinth at Silver Bay Conference Center on Lake George, has painted canvas labyrinths with various communities and has carried her own painted canvas labyrinth into New York City Schools, Colleges, Medical Schools, Churches and Synagogues.  She has continued her study of the labyrinth with Lauren Artress at Chartres Cathedral, the site of the original eleven circuit labyrinth and is now an Advanced Labyrinth Facilitator and member of the Veriditas Faculty.

Betty got started in education through an interest in finding the best school for her children in New York City.  After her active engagement in their school, the then founder/director and Mac Arther Award winner Debra  Meier asked Betty to join the staff.   Betty's passion for supporting children and their families and working with staff led to her becoming a teacher, winning the 1995 Bank Street College, "Teacher of the Year Award".  After 20 years of teaching and out of the classroom support roles, Betty was inspired to pursue an administrative position through her own experience on the labyrinth, which led to her starting a New York City Public School. 

As the principal and founder, an important part of building this new progressive public school was to support adults and children in mind, body and spirit by incorporating the labyrinth in its development.  Educators, Administrators and School Support Teams who attended  these labyrinth walks came to know how valuable and effective the labyrinth is for our own personal and spiritual growth and as an effective ongoing practice within schools. Frequent Labyrinth walks can  assist our schools in creating  wonderfully deep and solid learning communities, that assist us in all of the many ways of supporting and working with children, parents and staff.  It is an exciting time to consider how to inspire, support and grow schools that work in the important area of spiritual growth, as part of teaching and nourishing the whole child. Betty looks forward to offering Qualifying Workshops as she leads educators and members of varied communities into a deeper experience of  being with one another through the use of the labyrinth. 

As a life long seeker, Betty is also an active  member of the diverse and inclusive Spiritual Life Team at Silver Bay Conference Center on Lake George in New York. She is a trained Spiritual Advisor and Reiki Master and is responsible for the Labyrinth programs, which are offered to conferences and retreats, including large and small groups of ministers, educators, business organizations and those seeking respite here at Silver Bay.

As a Veriditas Faculty member, Betty also designs and offers Qualifying Workshops and Labyrinth Facilitator Training.

www.wisdomjourney.net
Elizabeth@wisdomjourney.net
LLC Wisdom Journey

Nathan Wiles, Faculty, Professional Labyrinth Builder and Designer

Innatecreations@outlook.com

Nathan Wiles is a professional in the field of labyrinth education, building, and design. With a background as an Interior Designer and Project Manager, Nathan draws upon his extensive skills and experience to create labyrinth builds and facilitate workshops.

With a career spanning over 30 years in building and designing, Nathan has honed his expertise specifically in labyrinth design and construction for over 15 years. Through his understanding of the labyrinth, he possesses the ability to tap into the collective consciousness of individuals and groups, bringing their visions to life.

Nathan's passion lies in unraveling the mysteries that surround us in today's diverse world, while maintaining both a secular and non-secular approach. He aims to expand the labyrinth community by collaborating with public schools, corporations, churches, and wellness facilities to foster education and raise awareness about the labyrinth's benefits.

Judith Tripp, Faculty & Woman's Dream Quest Coordinator

judith@veriditas.org 

Judith Tripp, MA, MFT has created a body of work, which she calls Circleway which encompasses her passions for individual healing work through psychotherapy and spiritual counseling, the Women’s Dream Quest, Pilgrimages to Avalon, retreats and workshops all over the world as well as flute and vocal recordings.  Her book, Circleway, The Story of the Women’s Dream Quest, chronicles 25 years of her work with the Dream Quest. Trained in Transpersonal Psychology, Judith is a licensed  Marriage and Family Therapist. She began her work with the Women’s Dream Quest in 1987 at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. Today she leads Dream Quests all over the world.  She has been involved with Veriditas since its inception and trained as a labyrinth facilitator in 1996. She began her work at Chartres and her Avalon pilgrimages in 2000. Judith's produced musical offerings Homage, Return Again, and To Bless the Walk. Integrating a healthy psychology with a robust spiritual practice is a mainstay of Judith’s life and work. Well versed and practiced in diverse spiritual traditions, Judith is equally at home in a Cathedral, a Yoga Ashram, a Buddhist Meditation retreat, and the temple of Nature. She loves to chant and dance, meditate and pray.

Click here for Judith's Speaker's Packet
http://www.circleway.com/

Catherine Anderson
Faculty

cathy@catherineandersonstudio.com

The labyrinth Catherine constructed in her backyard in 2007 has been an important element in her mindfulness and creativity practices and Catherine loves showing others how the labyrinth can support us in quietening our mind and uncovering our creativity. She is the author of Journaling the Labyrinth Path, a book of finger labyrinths, quotes and journal prompts inspiring you to find your unique work in the world, Meeting Your Soul on the Labyrinth: SoulCollage® and the Labyrinth as Pathways for Transformation, and Tracing the Labyrinth Path, a book of finger labyrinths to use as a daily practice.

Catherine uses the labyrinth, SoulCollage®, expressive arts, poetry and mindfulness as pathways for self-discovery and as ways of uncovering meaning and purpose in life. Her personal journey of self-discovery has taken her from a career as an attorney to photography franchise owner, to creativity workshop facilitator.

Photography as contemplative practice is another creative passion for Catherine and her book The Creative Photographer won a Silver Nautilus Award in the Creative Process Category in 2012. Her book Contemplative Photography Retreat: Deepen Your Connection to the Elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water is a self-guided retreat in nature with your camera.

As a SoulCollage® Facilitator Trainer, Catherine loves teaching others how to facilitate workshops using the SoulCollage® process which uses images as a form of “soul language” to access our inner wisdom.

As a life-long learner, Catherine has been fortunate to train with Jean Houston, Seena Frost, Lauren Artress, Jan Phillips and many other wise teachers. In addition to her work in the US, Catherine leads creative pilgrimages to South Africa, France, Italy, Mexico, Portugal and Scotland.

www.CreativePilgrimage.com

Barrie Carter Gibby, Faculty

Barrie Carter Gibby works on that creative edge between the branches of words and movement expression. A long-time educator, community builder, avid traveler and labyrinth facilitator, Barrie entwines her background in design, music, theater production and ritual-making to facilitate workshops and pilgrimages across the nation on a variety of themes. She is especially fascinated by the parallels of Celtic and Native American cultures and their loving embrace of nature centered whole life. Her annual pilgrimage to the 13th c. Chartres Cathedral labyrinth, in Chartres, France, provokes inspired passion for her ongoing labyrinth work. As a Veriditas Advanced Certified Labyrinth facilitator, Barrie finds sacred spaces everywhere.