About

Board PhotoRoslyn S. Malkin, Ph.D., LICSW

For as long as I can remember I’ve had a great love of being in Nature where I always feel particularly safe and joyful.  There, I also came to experience an impassioned connection to Spirit – that sense of Oneness with all that exists beyond the physical self.

As a young adult I began to recognize and appreciate my deep compassion and ability to perceive what others were feeling. Whether as a psychotherapist, consultant, spiritual counselor, or through connecting with animals and the earth, I have followed my intuition and dedicated my life to assisting others on their journeys to wholeness 

As a professional I have integrated my educational and work experiences, specializing in the areas of family therapy, organizational behavior, family business dynamics, and the consulting process. My spiritual beliefs have guided my learning through the years. Now it is deepening these spiritual connections in myself and in others that captures my heart and attention.

EDUCATION

While a member of the Vanderbilt Student Health Coalition during the summer prior to my senior year, I worked as a community organizer with two small Appalachian communities committed to bringing health care to their areas. I was accepted into the Vanderbilt Senior Scholars Program where I was among only four students (from different areas of education) selected to spend their senior year developing and completing a project in their chosen field. It was my immense privilege to create a free health-care clinic in a low income area of Nashville.

After receiving my bachelor’s degree at Vanderbilt, I went on to earn a master’s degree in social work from Arizona State University. I then obtained a doctorate in family business consulting from the Union Institute – the original university without walls.

SPIRITUAL ADVENTURES

I have had many amazing experiences leading to awakenings and deepening of my spirituality. Traveling to sacred sites in Peru, Bali, Israel, Greece, Mexico, Hawaii and other parts of the world brought me alive in incredible ways. Also significant were my three Vision Quests, two in Montana and one in New Hampshire. These quests enhanced my relationship to the earth, allowed time for deep reflection, and provided a clearer path and direction for my life. 

WHALES AND DOLPHINS

Nothing in life quite compares to swimming and interacting with dolphins and whales in the wild. The experiences I had with the dolphins in Bimini and Hawaii, and the whales in the Dominican Republic and Mexico were magical and transformative. The playful bottleneck and spinner dolphins exude unmistakable feelings of joyfulness and remind us not to take life too seriously. The majestic humpback and gray whales teach us how to embody great power with loving tenderness. These incredible beings help us to remember and embrace the best parts of ourselves.

whale-hand