Venita Ramirez has over 20 years experience in coaching, counseling, marketing, and teaching personal and professional development and communication skills. After obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree in Marketing and Writing, Venita received honors as an account executive, selling and writing radio advertising for Portland area radio stations. Her writing ability and desire to connect with people at deeper levels led her into writing resumes for a career development company where she discovered her passion for teaching, and an ease in counseling people of all backgrounds in career development and transition. After earning a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from Antioch University she spent a year coordinating twenty six 5-day intensive personal development retreats and training volunteers to assist participants.

In her early days as a psychotherapist, from 1986-1996, Venita studied and began practicing body-centered approaches to human transformation and consciousness. Her work is heavily influenced by teachers Ben Wong, M.D. and Jock McKeen, M.D. in British Columbia, Canada, from whom she learned to combine psychodynamic theory, gestalt, psychodrama, constellation work, bioenergetics, acupuncture, subtle energies, Reichian breathing, and emotional release work including expressing anger and grief. A core component of her expertise includes extensive practice with authentic relationship and communication models with a focus on self-responsibility and self awareness.

From 2002 to 2005 Venita served as Director of Professional Training for The Gottman Institute. In this capacity, she initiated, developed and implemented a virtual clinic and practitioner network to support the expansion of counseling and training services worldwide, coordinated professional seminars in various cities for up to 400 clinicians and communicated with research professionals and major international media. Since 1983, Venita has coordinated, designed, and/or led workshops, classes and retreats for over 5000 people.

Venita’s primary interest is in helping people remove obstacles to greater awareness, freeing people to achieve their life dreams, build healthy relationships and contribute to society in meaningful ways. She is especially inspired by the idea of helping to dissolve interpersonal and systemic barriers which prevent natural collaboration and friendship between people and cultures worldwide. Venita lives in Seattle, volunteers on the leadership committee of Seattle Integral and has practiced meditation and studied eastern philosophies for more than 20 years. She appreciates life expanding adventures, natural beauty, and open hearted conversation.