Resume

MARGOT S. BIESTMAN, M.A.
 

Sausalito, California

Phone: (415) 332-0279  Fax: (415) 332-5588  e-mail margot@breathexperience.com

Margot Biestman is a certified teacher and practitioner of Middendorf Breathexperience"!.  She is on the teaching/training staff of THE U.S. MIDDENDORF INSTITUTE FOR BREATHEXPERIENCE"! in Berkeley, California.  She also has a private practice in Sausalito and Sonoma, California. She is a founding member and former president of the board of THE BREATH CENTER OF SAN FRANCISCO (BCSF), a non-profit organization for the advancement of Middendorf Breathwork education.   She conducts breath classes, workshops, and retreats, is an author, and has extensive experience in public and private education with people from 3-93. She has also taught classes in Creative Living, which include: writing, art, breath movement, drama, psychology, and group dynamics, has been a presenter at the U.S. Association for Body Psychotherapist national conference, and has participated as a breath therapist in a research study at Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at UCSF for patients with chronic low-back pain.

OBJECTIVE:

TO TEACH  MIDDENDORF BREATHWORK  THE EXPERIENCE OF BREATH  IN TRAINING PROGRAMS, CLASSES, WORKSHOPS, RETREATS, AND INDIVIDUAL HANDS-ON SESSIONS USING  BREATH DIALOGUE

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

January 2003 to October 2004
     BREATH THERAPIST, RESEARCH PROJECT AT OSHER CLINIC FOR INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE, UCSF,
        San Francisco, CA

            Member of teaching/training team from the U.S. Middendorf Breath Institute. Research study
           by Wolf-Eberhard Mehling, M.D. to explore benefits of The Experience of Breath for patients
            withchronic low back pain.

April 1999 to Present 
     TRAINING AND TEACHING STAFF MEMBER OF THE U.S. MIDDENDORF BREATH INSTITUTE 


July 1995 to Present
     TEACHER AND PRACTITIONER OF THE EXPERIENCE OF BREATH 
         Sausalito, Sonoma, and The Sea Ranch, CA
    Certified teacher and practitioner of Middendorf Breathwork-The Experience of Breath-in classes,
         workshops, retreats, individual hands-on sessions.
    Presentations and Workshops:
        Conflict Resolution with Breath: 4 workshops, Sausalito and Sonoma, CA, Hana and Kipahulu, Maui
        The Experience of Breath for teachers, parents, writers, health professionals, counselors, artists,
        dancers, somatic therapists:

            Sausalito, Gualala, Sonoma, San Francisco, Berkeley, and Oakland, CA, Ghost Ranch and Santa
            Fe, New Mexico; Hana and Kipahulu, Maui, Hawaii
        The Experience of Breath for Massage Therapists, Freestone, California
        School Age Consortium Conference, Los Altos, CA 

April 1985 to Present                 

      AUTHOR

        The Experience of Breath:

           Exploring Healing with The Experience of Breath: My Story,  U.S. Association of  Body
              Psychotherpy Journal, 2002.

           What is the Natural Breath?  The Healing Breath: Journal for Of Breathwork Practice, Psychology,
              and
 Spirituality, Joy Manné, ed., www.healingbreathjournal.org, 2000

                     "Breath Soliloquy  Everyday Experiences: Breath and Emotions in Middendorf Breathwork, 
             
Breathline newsletter, The Breath Center of San Francisco, 1999

           What is Sensing?  What is Presence?  Breathline, newsletter, The Breath Center of San Francisco,

            1999

                     "What is Middendorf Breathwork?  Pèrgot Press, 1998

                     "An Interview with Ilse Middendorf and Juerg Roffler: The Experience of Breath  , co-producer of
             video, Samuel Merritt Colleges, Oakland, CA 1997

                     "Middendorf Breathwork, The Experience of Breath,  co-author with Juerg Roffler, chapter
              in a book of bodywork, to be published by Station Hill Press

          Editor of articles about Middendorf Breathwork by Juerg Roffler 1994-present

                    Other published works:

        Grammie Stories (a series of 8 audio-tapes for children and their families), 1991, 1992, Pergot Press

        Travel for Two: The Art of Compromise, 1986, Pèrgot Press

        Books for Elementary Teachers, Parents, Principals, Far West Laboratory for Educational Research   
            and Development, 1970-1980 (see below)

.

1985-1995

    PUBLISHER

          Established and managed publishing company, Pèrgot Press.

1953 to Present         

      ARTIST

        Breath Art Expressions on Silk, Watercolor, collage, metalsmith, jewelry. Group and one-person shows, museums, festivals. Awards.

January 1984 to December 1999

     DIRECTOR OF HEALTH PROMOTION PROJECT

                     Developed, directed, and taught courses-Creative Behavior In Aging and Creative Living.

July 1968 to June 1989                  

     TEACHER TRAINER, TEACHER

         Institute for Creative and Artistic Development, Oakland, CA

            Developed curriculum and taught classes using The Creative Behavior Process for adults
            and children.  Member of a team who developed Speech in Color (a reading and writing program
            for children).  Member of Advisory Board, 1989-1992.

 

January 1970 to June 1984  

     EDUCATION CONSULTANT, San Francisco Bay Area, Pacific Northwest, Honolulu

        Conducted in-service teacher training classes and workshops in elementary schools; guest

     October 1980 to July 1983  

          TEACHER-ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, Vallejo, CA

               5th and 6th grades - public elementary school.

July 1979 to September 1980

     SITE COORDINATOR, BASIC EDUCATIONAL SKILLS PROJECT

        Far West Laboratory for Educational Research and Development, San Francisco, CA

        Training, technical assistance, developer of program with parent involvement in Headstart

January 1970 to June 1980

     STAFF DEVELOPER, TEACHER TRAINER
        Responsive Education Program

            Author of 7 books and various articles in the field of language arts education, curriculum 

            Follow Through school districts throughout the country.

            Classroom demonstrations, liaison between Responsive Education Program and school district
            programs.

January 1968 to January 1970 

       KINDERGARTEN TEACHER

         Marin Country Day School, Corte Madera, CA

            Developed curriculum. and team-teaching in Kindergarten program.

September 1959 to June 1965 

     NURSERY SCHOOL PARENT AND TEACHER

        Sausalito Nursery School

        Developed dance/movement and language arts program for nursery school co-operative.

EDUCATION

 
MIDDENDORF BREATH INSTITUTE OF SAN FRANCISCO, San Francisco, CA
   
Certified teacher and practitioner of Middendorf Breathwork  The Experience of Breath, July
    1990 to July 1995

   
Completed 3-and-one-half-year training program. "The Experience of Breath. Its Connection To
    The Essence Of The Self," thesis. Participated in workshops and continues in post-graduate
    training courses in San Francisco, Germany, Switzerland, Italy.

SONOMA STATE UNIVERSITY. Rohnert Park, CA

    Master of Arts; "Reading and Self-Concept Development: Speech in Color With The

    Creative Behavior Process,* thesis., 1976 to 1978

    Major Early Childhood Education

    Minor. Special Education

INSTITUTE FOR CREATIVE AND ARTISTIC DEVELOPMENT, Oakland, CA

    1967 to 1972

    Major- Participated in teacher training, art, writing, drama, movement classes using the

    Creative Behavior Process, study of group dynamics.

UNIVERSlTY OF CALIFORNIA. BERKELEY, MILLS CQLLEGE. Oakland. CA

SAN FRANCISCO STATE UNIVERSITY. and HOLY NAMES COLLEGE, Oakland, CA

    1968 to 1971

    Major: Education Courses leading toward Life Standard Elementary Teaching Credential

STANFORD UNIVERSITY. Stanford. CA

    September 1949 to March 1953

    Major. French;  Minor- Art. Bachelor of Arts, with distinction

CREDENTIALS AND CERTIFICATIONS:
     *
Certified teacher and practitioner of Middendorf Breathwork

    *Life California Standard Elementary Teaching Credential

    *Life California Community College Credential: Nursery School and Pre-School Education,
        Professional Education.