About

Our Vision

The Elmfield Institute is a group of multitalented international individuals who believe that together we can make the world well. Embedded in this belief is the idea that there are multiple definitions of and approaches to what it means to be well—a deep sense of cohesiveness inherent to human and non-human organisms and structures. Thus, we aim to impact the world by acting as transformational agents attuned to acknowledging the source of wellness in ourselves, which organically enables others to do the same.


To support this vision, we deliver learning programmes, business consulting and produce artistic activations both at our hub Elmfield Courtyard and across the globe to groups of individuals, professionals, communities, and businesses. In each of these endeavors, we embody and exemplify the foundational principles of the Wellean™ Approach.

Our Founders

Jane Shaw

Jane Shaw is a psychologist and health practitioner specialising in trauma recovery. Having witnessed stress induced illness in the corporate world, she has spent the last 15 years immersed in the field of wellbeing and health, teaching and running courses and retreats internationally.

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Jane Shaw is a psychologist and health practitioner specialising in trauma recovery. Before training in the health arena, she worked for 15 years in business and finance, most recently as Finance Director of boutique consumer brand and entertainment London based Henry's House PR agency. Having witnessed stress induced illness in the corporate world, she has spent the last 15 years immersed in the field of wellbeing and health, teaching and running conferences and retreats internationally. She has a ten-year history of producing successful conferences at the cutting edge of mind-body medicine, attracting thousands of visitors from all over the globe.

Her teaching approach is one of embodied presence, compassion, and deep listening, using principles of biodynamic craniosacral therapy, Jungian psychology, neurobiology, and dream analysis. She bridges the latest developments in neuroscience and new medicine with lessons from indigenous ancient healing arts, while always learning from the natural world and its ability to heal and be healed.

She holds an M.A. in Economics from the University of Edinburgh and an M.A. in Jungian and archetypal psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute, and is currently continuing her research as a Ph.D. candidate. Having lived for many years in London, Jane now lives at Elmfield full time.

Elizabeth Martin

Elizabeth Martin is a seasoned executive with over two decades of experience stewarding organizations and groups toward their strategic, operational and financial potential.

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Elizabeth Martin is a seasoned executive with over two decades of experience stewarding organizations and groups toward their strategic, operational and financial potential. Leveraging readily available resources, Elizabeth uses a unique blend of business acumen, visioned facilitation and adaptive skill-building to assist stakeholders in the charting of, and progression toward, sustainable outcomes. Attuned to pairing financial literacy with common-sense discipline and keen perception, Elizabeth partners with organisations in transforming challenges into strategic gains.

As a senior executive working with large services and innovation consulting firms, Elizabeth oversees multiple management structures synchronising activities that span the country which position clients for success in small to complex initiatives. Licensed to practice law in New Mexico & Texas, Elizabeth is an attorney, former CEO, business owner and consultant specialising in operational management and systems building. An expert in alternative financing, program & service delivery infrastructure, as well as iterative business design, Elizabeth received her law degree from Boston College, her business degree from Creighton University and a Masters in Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute where she is also a Ph.D. candidate. She currently works in Washington DC and lives in Maryland.

Our People

Lisa A. Pounders

Editorial Officer | Instructor | Coach

Lisa A. Pounders (MA) is a Jungian psychologist, instructor, writer, artist, and PhD candidate who resides in Santa Fe, NM. Lisa’s research and academic work focuses on the idea that we all have the resources and abilities to facilitate transformative opportunities for ourselves and our communities. Lisa has taught at the graduate level regarding the relationship between art and psychology, crafted and led workshops on the alchemical nature of creativity, published several articles in peer-reviewed journals, and is the poetry editor for the Journal of Jungian Scholarly Studies.

Molly Sturges

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR | CONSULTANT | INSTRUCTOR

Molly Sturges (MA) is a creative director, social practice artist, facilitator, coach and educator. Molly has worked with individuals and communities around the globe for over twenty-five years focusing on creativity, healing, contemplative practice and social transformation. She is a United States Artist Fellow in Music (2008), who in 2019-2020 will be holding the William Corcoran fellowship in community engaged arts practices at Corcoran School of Art and Design, George Washington University, Washington, D.C. Molly was the founding artistic director of Littleglobe, Lifesongs, and Firerock.

Roberto Aponte

CONSTULTANT | EXECUTIVE COACH

Roberto Aponte (MA) is a business consultant, executive coach, and an exemplary leader with extensive experience in both for-profit and non-profit organizations. A resident of Santa Fe, NM, Roberto has directed operations for local political and private organizations concerning communities and the environment, as well as produced and orchestrated large-scale events. He has worked with C-level executives, board of directors, and inter-disciplinary teams. Roberto is an effective communicator and creative problem solver who knows how to guide diverse work groups to collaborate efficiently on complex projects.

Anjali Jain

CONSULTANT

Dr. Anjali Jain is an empathetic leader and mentor, a health care researcher and pediatrician in Washington, D.C. Anjali has extensive experience as a physician scientist and more than 40 peer-reviewed publications representing both quantitative and qualitative research. She has taught at the University of Chicago and lead numerous academic workshops. She conducts small and large projects on policy-relevant research for minorities and other underserved populations. Anjali also has significant executive experience working with and for diverse stakeholders including community and professional groups, industry and academy researchers, and corporations.

Lisa Faulkner-Byrne

CONSULTANT

Dr. Lisa Faulkner-Byrne has spent the last 10 years working at both local and international level, to affect social change for communities disproportionately impacted by poverty, conflict and its associated ills. Lisa has also lectured in the field of Politics and Social Policy at the Ulster University and has conducted research and influenced policy development in the areas of conflict transformation, peace-building, reconciliation and social justice.

Gareth Toner

Facilitator

Gareth Toner (MSc) is an educator and bodyworker working for over 20 years in mainstream education settings supporting students to connect with the sensing, living body. As a Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapist (BCST) and Tension/Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE) facilitator, Gareth’s approach embodies and conveys the complex principles of health in an accessible, compassionate and simple way. He received his sport science degree from Manchester University, his Post Graduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) and Masters in Exercise Physiology from University of Ulster, Belfast. He has a clinical practice in Northern Ireland and teaches both in Northern Ireland and internationally.

Evan Vahouny

CONSULTANT

Evan Vahouny (MPP) is a business consultant with experience in designing, enhancing, and scaling impact-focused products and services. He has developed and managed a wide-range of collaborative projects—across private, public, and non-profit sectors—from proposal through implementation stages. Evan has successfully launched governmental evidence-based programmes and coordinated policy development strategies from his home base outside of Washington, D.C.

Our Work

At the Elmfield Institute we:

Deliver researched programmes—participatory workshops, content focused seminars, certification trainings, and special events—that supply the tools and know-how to tend to wellness processes and foster emerging ideas.

Employ a multi-disciplinary form of business consulting that is committed to engaging and expressing each client’s full potential using a depth psychological approach.

Produce activations—creative, often multi-model, and transformational collective experiences—that deepen a cohesive sense of ourselves and, reciprocally, the culture and world we inhabit.

Our Hub

Many of our in-person programmes and creative activations are held at our hub, the Elmfield Courtyard. Located on the grounds of the historic Elmfield Estate, Gilford, Co. Down, Northern Ireland, it is a series of 18th-century courtyards that have been renovated as high tech beautifully designed conference facilities. These buildings and adjacent outdoor spaces are set in 50 acres of landscaped grounds and gardens. The Elmfield Courtyard provides for dynamic, state-of-the-art group facilitating and learning opportunities within a beautiful, tranquil setting.

Please contact info@elmfieldinstitute.com if you are interested in renting the venue.

VISIT



Our Heritage

The Elmfield Estate has a long and colourful history of evolving buildings and families who have lived there. The earliest ordnance survey maps show a dwelling house and stable buildings in the existing courtyard area, part of which is thought to date back to 1700s. With the arrival of industry along the river Bann, a Georgian house was built circa 1830, followed soon after by a larger Victorian Sottish Baronial structure. The mansion that exists today was constructed around 1860 by architect William Spence as a grand statement to the wealth of the linen mill owners, reflected in the name change to Elmfield Castle. The estate became a prominent linen baron home, firstly housing the Dixon family who established Gilford Mill, and subsequently the Uprichard family who made Elmfield their principle residence until the 1940s.

During WWII, a prisoner of war camp was setup on the estate to house Italian and German prisoners. The physical remnants of this facility remained untouched for years but it also left many stories—of prisoners crawling under barbed wire fences to either make their great escape, or to play cards and drink whiskey with local farmers. Following the end of the war, the estate experienced a 10-year period during which the house lay unoccupied. This episode led to an almost derelict estate, with trees growing through the roof of the house and the gardens being overtaken by the wild.

Rescued by the Shaw family in 1957, Derek and Ann Shaw then spent many years lovingly restoring Elmfield Estate in its entirety—the house, gardens, and the farm. Today, the estate once again boasts a magnificent Scottish Baronial house and courtyards set in 50 acres of stunningly landscaped grounds. From the linen production of the Dixons to the Shaw’s commercial farming, Elmfield now bears a new kind of yield—one of self empowerment and wellbeing.

If you are interested in heritage tours at Elmfield please email:

info@elmfieldinstitute.com.

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Programmes

Consulting

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