— We each have a quiet center at the core of our being. Living in the world provides a multitude of opportunities to distract us from this. Instead of peace, we experience stress, turmoil, and suffering of all kinds. These experiences are not necessary ones. It is possible to live in the world and transcend suffering. What this requires is understanding and connecting with the enormous power of the mind. The mind training program of A Course in Miracles aims to remove the barriers to accessing the quiet center, and beyond that, the limitless love that is our true nature. In her blog, LivingfromtheQuietCenter.com, and in her mindfulness coaching work, Cristina Sorrentino Schmalisch shares ideas and practices inspired by A Course in Miracles, with the goal of promoting the experience of peace and enduring well-being.
Valeria Teles interviews Cristina Sorrentino Schmalisch, PhD, MSW — She is a psychotherapist and mindfulness coach.
In her therapy practice, she specializes in treating anxiety and psychological trauma, using frameworks in psychology and neuroscience to help her clients heal and resource their internal world. In her coaching work, she supports her clients in learning to live their lives from their quiet center.
Cristina received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from McGill University, her doctorate in brain and cognitive science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and her master’s in social work from the School of Social Work at Boston University. Before becoming a psychotherapist, she was a researcher in child development in the psychology departments at New York University and Stanford University. While training as a psychotherapist, she also participated in clinical research on the nature and treatment of hoarding disorder. She is a co-author of a book on hoarding and three research and clinical articles on hoarding.
Cristina was introduced to meditation and to the ancient teachings of Hinduism over 20 years ago through attending yoga classes in the ISHTA tradition. She later meditated with a sangha grounded in the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism, with an emphasis on non-judgment and loving awareness. She also studied Emei Qi Gong and learned to heal strong emotion to better access the calm center. Ten years ago, Cristina was introduced by a colleague to Gary’s Renard’s book, The Disappearance of the Universe, which is an entertaining and informative introduction to the book, A Course in Miracles. She has been a student of the Course ever since. Since March of 2020, she has been writing a blog about personal peace inspired by A Course in Miracles.
To learn more about Cristina Sorrentino Schmalisch and her work, please visit: livingfromthequietcenter.com
— This podcast is a quest for well-being, a quest for a meaningful life through the exploration of fundamental truths, enlightening ideas, insights on physical, mental, and spiritual health. The inspiration is Love. The aspiration is to awaken new ways of thinking that can lead us to a new way of being, being well.
