Anita
Anita is a full time home educating mother, artist, writer and teacher.
Background
Before choosing to home educate her own children, Anita gained a joint BA degree in Fine Art and Theatre, film and dance, worked in theatre and exhibited her Art.
In the Catskills in New York she worked with horses and adults with learning disabilities. After driving across America filming, she joined the Circus and toured with them.
In the U.K. she took a post graduate degree in Education in Art and Theatre Arts and worked as a teacher in secondary and primary schools as well as early years settings. She also qualified and worked as a language teacher.
Anita is also a qualified Arts Award Adviser running the Arts Award at all 5 levels.Website at: www.artsawardwales.co.uk
A workshop leader of over 25 years of experience with adults and children. She mentors and teaches individuals and groups in artforms such as Painting, Drawing, Film, Poetry, Writing, Storytelling.
Anita believes that : “Through the arts people are able to express their strongest feelings and beliefs, finding a voice to communicate previously unspoken qualities of life’s challenges and mysteries. Art brings people together through shared expression, giving time to that which there is often no time allowed for, to acknowledge the value and necessity of visioning, creating and making. Through creating Art self confidence is generated, laughter and friendships developed and the ability to think and make decisions independently increased. Artefacts are made which raise awareness, provoke thought, touch the spirit and inspire. Art brings people alive.” Anita Kolaczynska 2009
Anita embraces the powerful ritual initiation into motherhood that conscious, active pregnancy and birthing brings and how this prepares us for the challenges of the parenting journey up ahead. She supports others to experience the joy & benefits of breastfeeding and to continue this beyond the first year and with Alex teaches skills & tools for pleasurable parenting.
Anita also advocates and educates about Down’s Syndrome dispelling myths and stereotypes along the way.
“Our family believes in the power of the home to be an essential hub for social change, in the spirit of radical homemaking and world education outside of school. Through the nourishment of the family at the core, boundless creativity flourishes and ideas get turned into reality alongside a firm grip of the work of daily life.” Anita Kolaczynska 2009
Our family
Anita and Alex’s daughters were all naturally water birthed at home, breastfed and home educated:
“We have a strong rhythm to our day, week & the year through the seasons. This is the framework upon which everything else is woven.
We believe in creating good health & harmony through eating simple unprocessed fresh food, good sleep, fresh air & outside exercise & a balance of individual interests & communal chores & goals. We teach the balance of giving service & receiving with grace.” Anita Kolaczynska 2009
When there is light
in the soul,
there is beauty in the person.
When there is beauty
in the person,
there is harmony in the home.
When there is harmony
in the home,
there is honour in the nation.
When there is honour
in the nation,
there is peace in the world. Anon
Alex
Alex has over 30 years experience of practicing Chinese Medicine and Integrative bodywork.
He works internationally with individuals, families, organisations and groups.
His transformational work is profound.
His work is renowned for it’s effectiveness and Alex is known for his straight-talking, down to earth manner.
He founded and runs the busy and innovative centre of Chinese Medicine, Apricot Forest with clinics in London and Wales. Fertility, health creation, disease prevention and fulfillment of human potential are major aspects of Alex’s educational and clinical work. In his clinic he provides consultations for diagnosis and treatment, predominantly through the use of Chinese herbal medicines, acupuncture and bodywork. In his clinic in Mid Wales he has the privilege of working within a community where it is commonplace for four generations to live close to each other. To be able to know and treat all four generations of the same families regularly has deepened his understanding of genetics and the root of life. He treats all ages from pre-conception to birth, and childhood through to the elderly.
Alex is a registered member of the A.T.C.M. and a certified Hunyuan practitioner.
Background
Alex’s life path has been to gather knowledge and tools for effectiveness in healing, recovering of purpose and ultimately energetic and tangible transformation of the mind, body and spirit of the individual, group and community.
Alex has never been afraid to question the status quo in his search for truth and improvement in the field of medicine and healing. He continues his pioneering work through his current research, where he is part of a group of Chinese doctors around the globe who are re-examining in depth the original classical texts and translations of Chinese medicine and studying the different interpretations and effects of these on modern Chinese medicine.
“Apricot Forests’ twenty year journey into sourcing the highest quality Chinese medicinal herbs has led us into starting our own Chinese herb garden. Our interest in the plants, concerns for sustainability, the desire to study them more closely and the possibility of preserving these potent herbs for future generations has inspired us to begin the experimental process of propagating wild collected seeds and wild-crafting Chinese medicinal herbs here at Oakwellbarns.” Alex Kolaczynski 2009