Meet our speakers for ViVA 2025!

Chana Studley has been coaching and counseling people for over 35 years. 

Surviving 3 violent muggings and recovering from severe PTSD in the 1980s Chana went on to have a very successful Academy Award Winning career in Hollywood. 

After graduating from The One Thought Institute in 2018 she has been leading the way in pioneering work with The Three Principles and the Mindbody Connection. Most recently she published her 4th book, Beyond Diagnosis, A Paradigm Shift from Pathology to Innate Health. 

Chana is a World Health Organization Psychological First Responder and has diplomas in Psychology and Pharmacology. She is a certified Life Coach and successful entrepreneur and author. 

Chana has previously published 3 Amazon #1 bestselling novels; The Myth of Low Self Esteem, dealing with trauma, Painless, a novel about chronic pain and Very Well, the story of 3 women’s journey with hormones and menopause.   

“Painless” has the potential to awaken fresh hope to the millions of people worldwide who spend the majority of every day enveloped and overwhelmed by their experience of pain. This state when left unabated often results in permanent disability and all too often in suicide. Chana does this with a clarity and certainty that would make Candace Pert Ph.D., the late pioneer in the oneness of the body-mind phenomenon, proud. 

William F. Pettit Jr, M.D., Retired Psychiatrist, Board Certified in Psychosomatic Medicine 

Clare Downham is a transformational coach, speaker, and author who helps high-achieving professionals and business owners break free from self-doubt, overthinking, and the relentless pressure to do more. Instead of traditional mindset strategies that require constant effort and self-management, Clare’s approach is rooted in a profound understanding of the mind, helping people see through the illusions of self-doubt so they can lead with clarity, confidence, and ease.

At the heart of her work is the journey from being led by the inner critic to being guided by inner knowing. Clare’s clients experience a shift from hesitation and over-analysis to making bold, aligned decisions without the constant need for external validation.

Her work is deeply aligned with the Three Principles, pointing to the ever-present well-being and wisdom that exist beyond thought. Clare speaks to the natural ease, joy, and freedom that emerge when we stop fighting our minds and begin to recognize the innate intelligence guiding us in every moment.

Through her coaching, writing, and speaking, Clare helps individuals and businesses navigate life with greater ease, trusting themselves deeply, moving beyond overthinking, and creating success on their own terms.

Connor is part of the Living Truth CIC staff team. He has been involved in initiatives and projects underpinned by the three principles for nearly a decade, facilitating workshops in primary, secondary, and alternative education as well as universities and Brighton Football Club. He continues to provide one-on-one well-being coaching and co-facilitates a weekly well-being group for underserved communities. Because of his personal experiences with anxiety and depression as a young person, Connor is passionate about assisting people to see that they are innately resilient, never broken and supporting them to insightfully see where our experiences are coming from moment to moment. 

Dean Rees-Evans MSc is a Human Relations Consultant, teacher, researcher and International Public Speaker. He established Three Principles Training & Consultancy in 2005.

After completing training in 2004 with the eminent Californian psychologist, the late Dr. Roger Mills and Mr Sydney Banks, Dean has been mentoring individuals, couples, families, and groups, and conducts trainings in schools, hospitals and business. He has extensive experience with teenagers and is author his first book: The Great Remembering: Turning the World Inside out, a wellbeing book for teens of all ages, (also in Danish audio and paperback), and his second book Annibalism: Vegan Solutionaries Rising, which is a Three Principles wellbeing book for vegetarians and vegans.

Dean received his MSc after conducting a successful Three Principles research pilot study at a UK high school working with both staff and pupils and his pioneering research revealed increases in psychological happiness and wellbeing of a highly significant nature. He has recently returned to settle in Europe after 12 years living and working in Australia.

Dorthe has been helping people connect with their inner light and wisdom and sharing it with the world since 2016. It’s been a journey of discovering the magic of life and the privilege to walk alongside other human beings while they discover it too. 

When Dorthe came across the principles in 2013, she was an exhausted mother of five who suffered from recurring depressions. Getting in touch with that deeper intelligence of life led her to become a stay-at-home mom. The perfect playground for discovering the universal intelligence of life through kids and nature supported by Syd’s materials. 

Today, Dorthe supports individuals in all kinds of settings and circumstances both 1-1 and in groups and companies in having a gentler experience of life and trusting the guidance from life. Dorthe has a very heartfelt way of showing up and pointing people towards their own feeling for life’s wisdom.

The music of each moment is where it’s at. I’m a Reconnector, co-founder of Reconnect Weekends, where we help stressed/unhappy business leaders and founders reconnect to themselves, and the founder of Coaching to Reconnect. I also write and perform songs and poetry. 

Seeing the power of fresh thought on the mind-body revolutionised my tight little world back in 2018. I later came across Nondual Tantra, which helped to deepen the connection to the body and to the creative nature of life. 

While I had already been coaching business leaders to communicate effectively and achieve their goals since 2013, and attending Tibetan Buddhist retreats, I wasn’t particularly happy in myself. Now I can safely say I’m in love with the adventure of life, even with its darker melodies! 

I have lived in Spain since I finished my History degree at the University of Warwick in 2008, and I have recently become a mum to the most beautiful miracle of my life. I’m looking forward to Roxana absorbing the #VivaEnergy that Sheela and Sue have created, which is what life’s really about.

Ian Watson is an educator, writer & trainer whose work has been based on the 3 Principles understanding since 2011, following a lifelong career in the field of holistic healing and personal transformation. 

Ian became widely known as a speaker and author in homeopathy, which he taught and practised for fifteen years. He subsequently studied a wide variety of psychological and emotional healing disciplines, alongside an ongoing interest in spirituality and mythology. 

Ian was fortunate to train in the 3 Principles with Dr Mark Howard and Cathy Casey in 2011. He has subsequently shared the principles with health professionals, business leaders, school children and countless individuals & groups around the world. 

Jack Pransky, Ph.D. is an internationally recognized Three Principles trainer, coach, mentor and consultant, having learned directly from its originator, Sydney Banks. 

Jack is one of the most widely respected, published authors of Three Principles-based books; for example, Somebody Should Have Told Us! is cited as one of its best introductory books. His book, Modello: A Story of Hope for the Inner City and Beyond received the Martin Luther King Storyteller’s Award for the book best exemplifying King’s vision of “the beloved community.” Paradigm Shift is a history of the Three Principles (all proceeds benefit 3PGC). Seduced by Consciousness and Parenting from the Heart are also widely read books. He also co-authored two children’s picture books: The Power of Thought on Feelings and What is Wisdom (and Where Do I Find It)? 

Jack recently created, with Sheela Masand, the Perfecting Deep Listening retreat, now taught in many countries. He has worked in the field of prevention since 1968 in a wide variety of capacities and in 2004 won the Vermont Prevention Pioneer’s Award. 

Dr. Pransky now is a semi-retired international Three Principles mentor, trainer and coach. 

Kjetil Haugmo is a transformational coach, consciousness pioneer, and a messenger of love from Norway who has been helping people find inner peace and authentic living since 2005. He specializes in teaching ‘The Three Principles’ discovered by Sydney Banks, focusing on insight-based transformation rather than traditional techniques.

Through his innovative programs, Kjetil has guided thousands of clients to overcome challenges like stress and anxiety, helping them connect with their inner wisdom.

Having overcome social anxiety himself, Kjetil brings both professional expertise and personal experience to his work. He is dedicated to raising human consciousness and creating positive change through his coaching programs, courses, and speaking engagements.

“We are all students, we are all teachers.”  Operating from this paradigm for the past 20 years, Linda Ramus, as both a facilitator and program director, has experienced the mystery and magic of sharing the 3 Principles to individuals in wide ranging venues from – prisons, substance abuse treatment program, homeless shelters, domestic violence batterers programs, parenting programs, schools, at-risk communities and public and private nonprofit organizations.

As director of the 3 Principles Services Division (3PSD), Santa Clara County Department of Alcohol and Drug Services for 11 years, she developed and managed, evaluated and researched programs throughout Santa Clara County as well as a comprehensive professional development program to certify 3 Principles facilitators. Since retiring from the County in 2012, she has worked to provide evaluation services of Principle based programs.

Not willing to let this be an abstraction, she also continues to facilitate and learn from a weekly class at a County Probation department where she continues to be amazed and humbled by the magic of a simple insight.

Marina is a mentor, coach and public speaker working with individuals, teams and organizations all over the world. Beyond her private practice, she is the founder of 3PESP and is currently serving as vice president of the 3PGC.  She is a firm believer that we have a responsibility to share the best we have found with others, so that we may create a more peaceful, collaborative, functional reality to live in. 

She lives in Querétaro, Mexico, with her three sons, aged 20, 17 and 16.

Natasha Swerdloff brings a wealth of experience, spanning three decades, to her work in exploring the inside-out nature of life. She established The Principles Institute in 2012 to expand the reach of the Three Principles in Denmark and abroad.

In 2014, in collaboration with Dr. Dicken Bettinger, she co-authored Coming Home – Uncovering the Foundations of Psychological Well-Being. Her latest endeavor, the creation of the Three Principles School, reflects her commitment to nurturing skilled practitioners in this field. She is also the co-author of Lulu and Leo, a children’s book that introduces young readers to the power of their own inner resilience through engaging stories and gentle wisdom.

She currently serves as the President of the Three Principles Global Community (3PGC), where she is dedicated to the ongoing deepening of her understanding and sharing this work as purely and authentically as possible.

Peter is madly in love with Jules who he has been married to since 1991. He is also mad about their two incredible grown-up kids who are currently living in Australia.

His biggest passion outside of family and work is training and his goal for this year is to compete in a Hyrox event.

Peter is also a transformational coach who works with business owners and leaders to help them escape stress, overwhelm, and self-doubt. He guides clients toward clarity, confidence, and success—not by striving harder, but by embracing who they already are.

Rachel Furman RPh, MA in Spiritual Psychology Emphasis in Consciousness, Health and Healing, SCPC, 3P facilitator

Rachel is a soul-centered inside-out wisdom coach, an international speaker, an artist and an author.

She brings a deep understanding of the human mind and a refreshing practical point of view to life’s important issues and challenges. 

She is based in Studio City and is working with clients in the US Israel Europe South America Asia and Australia.

She specializes in work/life-related stress, anxiety, loss, wellbeing and grief. She has worked with Israeli War veterans, coaches, teachers, lawyers, doctors, team leaders, entrepreneurs, artists, young adults and moms. 

Using her vast experience, broad education, and delightful sense of humor to facilitate positive transformation and growth for individuals and groups, she is currently working to reduce suffering in women and men with trauma to do with life, health challenges, loss, harassment,  and/ or abuse. 

Rani is not your typical psychiatrist. 

She’s a spiritual coach, holistic psychiatrist, author, and speaker on a mission to shift the conversation around mental health – from struggle and survival to Mental Wealth.

A Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and certified coach since 2007, Rani’s journey weaves clinical expertise with deep spiritual insight. Her own transformation revealed a powerful truth: healing isn’t about fixing what seems broken- it’s about remembering who we truly are and letting that truth guide us to a more meaningful, purpose-led life.

Rani specialises in deprescribing psychiatric medication when appropriate and supporting people to release the limiting beliefs that keep them stuck in fear, self-doubt, or burnout. Through retreats, group programmes, and 1:1 sessions, she guides professionals, leaders, and individuals on healing journeys back to their wholeness.

At the heart of her work is a profound message: you’re not just a person navigating life- you’re a divine being, already whole.She holds space for deep inner breakthroughs, helping people access peace, purpose and live in alignment with their true essence- love.

Sheela loves to help people do what they love to do; this takes the form of coaching them to grow their businesses and practices. She works with small businesses, leaders, coaches and solopreneurs around the world from Israel to Canada, and Russia to the USA.  She has over 15 years’ experience coaching and working globally both as a business coach and a life coach. She published her first book, Inside Out Transformation – A Revolutionary Guide for Coaches, Therapists and Counsellors, in June 2022.

Sheela “bumped” into the Three Principles in 2010 which led to a continual juicy exploration of Life. It also led to her organising retreats and training courses in Spain since 2012 for teachers such as Jack Pransky, Mark Howard and Jamie Smart not to mention being the co-founder and co-organizer of The Viva Event!

Sheela’s first love is to help people understand that love and peace are our true nature because when that happens, there is a ripple effect and maybe, just maybe, the whole world will feel the love and peace that is our birthright.

Sheela has 2 beautiful daughters and a gorgeous grandson who is her ultimate teacher. She relishes the sunshine, beach and nature where she lives in Spain!

I remain as curious and open to The Three Principles as I was 20 years ago when I first came across this profound understanding. In 2005 I attended the Syd Banks’ conference in Vancouver and a couple of years later enjoyed a wonderful retreat on Salt Spring Island with Syd Banks and Elsie Spittle. Training initially with Dr Roger Mills (deceased) and then following on with professional facilitator training with Dr Jack Pranksy, I began offering introductory courses and mentoring in a wide variety of settings to individuals, couples and groups. I feel privileged to have met and learned from so many wonderful teachers who were among the first to discover Sydney Banks and learn directly from him.

Direct experience of the many transformations in every sphere and aspect of my life leaves me with the intention and focus of continuing to teach and share as widely as I can to point others towards a life of greater ease, joy and appreciation.

Since 2015 I have been a joyful co-creator, with Sheela Masand, of the annual Viva Event.

As a dedicated nurse clinician and educator for over 25 years, Wendy Williams specializes in helping people face both extraordinary life challenges and the more common, ordinary hurdles we all encounter. 

Her focus is on enabling a move forward with increased grace and a sense of ease. With the 3 Principles as an evidence-based framework, Wendy draws upon her extensive background as an experienced mental wellbeing teacher and a supportive nurse resiliency coach to offer support to individuals and groups.

Central to her work is the belief she shares through her teaching: we are inherently meant to thrive, but sometimes life circumstances cause us to get stuck. This might mean feeling swept up in the whirlwind of daily life or struggling to overcome a significant obstacle. 

Wendy emphasizes that regaining momentum and finding your way forward is a natural process. Through her deep experience combined with a practical, supportive, and kind-hearted teaching style, she helps illuminate that path.