We invite you to learn more about our Certified Instructors, who they are, why they began to study Qigong and Tai Chi, and more importantly, why they still practice. To learn more about about our Nam Hoa Master, Jim-Scott Behrends or Teacher Jude, visit the "About Our Master/Teacher" section as well.

Certified Instructors are listed alphabetically by their last name.

If you can't find your instructor here, check our "Alumni" section (they are not currently instructing a class) at the bottom of this page.   

 

Susan Ahrend - Long Beach, CA

 

I have been teaching Tai Chi classes, both privately and through the Long Beach Department of Parks and Recreation since 1997, when I became a certified Nam Hoa instructor.  The forms I teach are Longevity Tree, Tiger and Nam Hoa Yang, all of which are Chi Kung internal arts healing forms.

The lessons I've acquired from practicing Tai Chi have profoundly changed my life, and now I greatly enjoy sharing them with others. One concerns balance. Through the simple and graceful movements of the form we can learn to carry our balance center along with us. I have realized that this ability has begun to transfer over into my life, in helping me maintain my center and balance during challenging times.

I am discovering that such lessons and abilities come naturally from a dedicated Tai Chi practice, and they continually delight and amaze me.

 

 

 

 

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Jeff Barnhart - Long Beach, CA

 

Let me begin with my history.  I have bone spurs, narrowed disk spaces and degenerative discs in my neck and back.  I have rotator cuff problems in both shoulders and I have carpal tunnel syndrome in both wrists.  I have learned to control these problems since I began practicing Taiji.  Keep in mind that Taiji is not a substitute for seeing your doctor, but don’t underestimate the therapeutic power of these simple movements.

One of the greatest things about Taiji is that anyone, any age can do it!   Movements can be adjusted for people who struggle with an injury or physical limitations.  Taiji has helped me to increase my strength and range of motion, which has contributed to improving my balance and mobility.  There’s so much more!!

Taiji is the most effective exercise program I have ever been involved in.  It has been very effective in controlling or eliminating pain.  In the last 12 years Taiji has opened the door for me to be able to study Jiu-jitsu and several other styles of Martial Arts.  I have been an instructor in Taiji since 1995, in Long Beach, California through the Parks and Recreation Dept.

If you are in the area please stop by.  I would be honored to meet you.

 

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Debbie Calvert - Virginia Beach, VA

 

Debbie has been studying Qigong and Tai Chi for over five years. She is the Administrative Coordinator for Bending Tree Tai Chi and sits on the Core Team advisory Board. Here is Debbie's story of how she came to Tai Chi.

"All my life I have been overweight. I have tried just about every diet and weight loss clinic out there and some brought results but they never lasted. It wasn't until I was on an oxygen tank all the time that the hospital allowed me to have the Gastric By-pass surgery. A year later I had lost 100 lbs but was still unable to do many exercises, so I went in search of an exercise I could do."

I made the rounds and tried aerobics and weight lifting but neither worked for me. I was walking some but found it difficult to keep to a weekly schedule and felt that I needed something more. My friend suggested that I try Tai Chi and there began my journey into the benefits of Qigong/Tai Chi. I began my study with Judith Forsyth and fell in love with the practice."

"Practicing Qigong Tai Chi has changed my life. My balance and muscle tone have improved and my breathing problems have gotten a lot better. I find movement so much easier now, and I seem to be enjoying my life so much more!"

"I have studied the past years to become a Certified Instructor under Bending Tree because I wanted to bring this helpful exercise to others who are over weight and may or may not have health problems. The benefits that Qigong/Tai Chi has to offer are beyond compare and it is so gentle that almost anyone can do it. Come try Tai Chi and see for yourself what benefits you can receive from Qigong/Tai Chi. If I can do it, so can you!"

 

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Mary Mulligan - Scotts Valley, CA

 

 

 

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The Osborns - Virginia Beach, VA

 

We are the Osborns, Bonnie and William. We do have distinct interests. We also share a common one: Tai Chi /Qigong. How we arrived at this shared interest is personal and for each of us, unique.

I, Bonnie, had a skiing accident which left me with disabilities and chronic back and leg pain. The doctor who completed my treatment and who told me to live with the pain, set my future course. I studied alternative therapies which include: teaching Hatha Yoga classes, relaxation programs for TMJ patients, and now, Tai Chi /Qigong. Additionally, I am a Certified Massage Therapist. I enjoy the study and practice of the Health and Wellness Longevity Tree form and I look forward to sharing the form and its benefits with others.

I, William, have explored alternative health care for many years. A doctor spurred that interest having diagnosed me with arthritis in the spine and a prognosis that would alter my livelihood as a toolmaker. I explored meditation, body movement, and the power of positive thinking. I continue to work today and enjoy sharing the wonderful healing gift of Tai Chi/ Qigong with others.

I have been meditating since 1974 and have taken classes in St.Louis MO, Va. Beach VA., and CA. My wife and I have been members of a certified meditation center for Satchidananda Ashram since 1989 and have hosted meditation gatherings since 1982. I have led meditation workshops for NADEP, NORVA, and have received referrals from the Hindu Temple of Hampton Roads to teach meditation to some of their members. Meditation has been a daily routine in my life and I look forward to sharing it with you.

My wife and I enjoy doing many things together. Tai Chi Qigong is one such activity. We took our Instructor Training together, and we are now certified to instruct both the Health and Wellness program. I have led the meditation portion of the High Inner Chi Workshops for Bending Tree. We have both studied the more advanced Nam Hoa Yang form and we look forward to learning even more. I echo her sentiments when I say, I look forward to sharing this experience with you.

 

 

 

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Lindy Patania - Watsonville, CA

I have studied Tai Chi with Master Jim Scott Behrends since 2005. Just one class is all it took for me to know Tai Chi as expressed through the Longevity Tree form was the moving meditation that met my needs. After 2 years studying I began a new phase of learning in the instructor training program receiving my instructor certificate in March 2008. This allows me to share my love of Longevity Tree with others. My favorite place to practice is on my towns bluff overlooking the pacific ocean.

I am certified as a CPR instructor working out of Dominican Hospital’s Education Center. My hobbies include rescuing reptiles, working in my garden and taiko drumming.

 

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Grace Sanchez - Monterey Bay area, CA

 

I began studying Tai Chi with Master Jim Scott-Behrends in 2000 in my home town of Scotts Valley, Ca.  I fell in love with this style of Qigong/Tai Chi because it integrated movement and mindfulness into one practice. I directly experienced improved strength, balance and a sense of well being with this practice, most notably after being diagnosed and treated for positional vertigo. I became inspired to teach Tai Chi after assisting my friend Mary Mulligan at her Senior Tai Chi class. I started my Nam Hoa Qigong/Tai Chi instructor training in January of 2007.  I received my instructor certificate to teach the Longevity Tree Form in June of 2008. Teaching Tai Chi and Qi Gong has been a wonderful experience. I am currently studying to become certified to teach other Nam Hoa Forms. I am very grateful to live near and practice regularly with Master Jim-he imbues his teaching with kindness and generosity. He has helped me appreciate the presence of our teachers that came before him by living the embodiment of their teachings. I am part of Blooming Lotus Tai Chi in the Monterey Bay Area, for more information about our group please go to the Blooming Lotus Tai Chi website.

I live in Santa Cruz County, California.  I am grateful to my husband, Tom Bush and our two grown sons David and Matt for their enduring love and support. I have been an occupational therapist since 1977.  I worked in rehabilitation and acute care therapy for adults in my early career.  I now specialize in neonatal occupational therapy for infants and families at Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz, Ca. My hobbies are reading, bird watching, and photography. I am a member of the Santa Cruz Heart Sangha, a group of people who practice mindfulness in the tradition of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh.

I teach Tai Chi for Seniors at Mid-County Senior Center in Capitola, CA and privately in Scotts Valley, CA.

 

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Kevin Smith - Big Sur, CA

I first encountered T'ai Chi at a public park in Washington, D.C. in the spring of 1998. I had seen a small notice in a weekly newspaper advertising weekly T'ai Chi, and though I had no previous experience or knowledge of T'ai Chi, meditation, or any Eastern movement tradition, something tugged at my mind, and the next Friday morning I found my way to a small group that practiced next to a statue of Jeanne d'Arc. I diligently attended several more times and struggled to learn the form, but after a couple months its complexity overwhelmed me and I did not persevere. Nonetheless, a seed was planted. 

Ten years later, I began studying with Master Jim in Monterey, California, and this time I was ready to benefit from the teaching.  In 2009 I began the Nam Hoa Instructorship Training Program.  T'ai Chi has helped to open me up to deep feelings of peace, balance and well-being. In my work as a freelance writer and in my other interests, such as classical piano, cooking, and learning foreign languages, I have discovered that the discipline and the benefits of "working with the Chi" are not limited to doing the forms. I live with my husband, Jeff Mallory, in Big Sur, California, and look forward to sharing my T'ai chi joy and experience with others.

 

 

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Ruth Snider- Virginia Beach

From earliest years, I well recall the joy of being at the kitchen table with my parents and siblings, learning. In distinct ways, they led us quite naturally to wonder at the universe and celebrate discovery as only children can. My path was set. Education held a natural allure and I have always reveled in being a learner amongst learners. While I spent many years in a classroom setting, I broadened my life views with experiences in different fields, in different climes, and in different places. More recently, the opportunity to honor my parents in their senior years, and to learn anew, brought me to Virginia.

Here, I had the unique opportunity to work in the healthcare field, to gain fresh insights into aging and care, and to develop the skills so necessary to a caregiver. Life comes full circle for me. At some point, so did teaching: I had to learn self-care when overcome by the hot summer suns to which I was unaccustomed. Illness was a great teacher but the desire for health brought me to Bending Tree.

When I most needed "rescue" , a small announcement in the Botanical Garden brochure read: Wellness in the Garden. Instinct said, "This is the answer I need." From the first class, I recognized an outstanding Teacher, a holistic lesson, and positive energy and support. I was not disappointed.

Now, as one of the instructors, I am honored to be numbered amongst them. It is, in a sense, a continued journey, being an instructor: a learner amongst learners, to be sure.

 

Phillip Szpiech - Virginia Beach, VA

Phillip has had experience in several government and civilian industries. Including a 26 year Navy career; the owner of a regional training consulting firm based in Memphis, TN; a Division Vice President with the world's largest owner and operator of nursing homes and a partner in a real estate company with 40+ offices and 1500 agents. Phillip is a long-time student of Chinese language, history and culture. During his Naval career he lived in various Far Eastern countries, including Taiwan for several years. He began studying TaiChi/ChiGong for the health and longevity benefits and became interested in medical ChiGong and martial arts in general. In 1999 he began training with Bending Tree Tai Chi Kung in Virginia Beach,VA. He is certified as an instructor in several Bending Tree Tai Chi forms. Phil has also developed curriculum and teaches in Bending Tree's two year instructor training school. In the past 3 years he has been certified to teach in the Tai Chi for Arthritis,Tai Chi for Diabetes, and Tai Chi for Back Pain Programs and has become a student of a "Healing Touch" health and wellness program. Phil says, "It seems that the older I get the better my balance and flexibility. I continue to learn and want to share these benefits with like minded people."

In his "spare time" Phil continues to reestablish his Chinese language skills along with his newest musical interest in the bamboo flute.

 

 

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 Tom Wolf - Senior Instructor, Tidewater area, VA

 

"What brought me to Tai Chi? A part of me would say that I've always been on this path. My wife and I both had an interest in learning Tai Chi for many years. A few years ago after arthroscopic surgery to repair a lot of cartilage damage in my knee, and after six weeks of crutches with no weight bearing on the knee, we searched the Internet and found Bending Tree to help in my recovery program. What we found was something more than a health recovery program. We found a wellness program, and a wonderful group of friends."

"What keeps me practicing Tai Chi and Qigong is 'Discovery.' Discovering deeper and deeper levels of awareness to control and quiet my mind, body, breathing, and heart rate. Discovering new ways to move, and not move, to think, and not think. Allowing myself to be in the present moment, to truly enjoy the possibilities of each new moment and explore my connection to everything."

"We are all teachers, just as we are all students. I would like to share with you what this practice has given me, and how it has changed my life, in such a short time. Let's walk the path together for awhile, each of us a student and a teacher, so that we can share our experiences and learn from each other."

Tom is certified in the Nam Hoa system forms Longevity Tree, Nam Hoa Yang, Tiger, and Dragon, Tai Chi Chuan, and in the Sun Style Tai Chi for Arthritis form (Tai Chi for Health). He also teaches the animal styles.

 

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Nam Hoa Alumni Instructors Continued Here