Center for the promotion of peace

Tom Zenho Whalen grew up 2nd generation Irish-American in New England. His maternal grandmother, Julie Hennessey, told him that her grandfather was a Druid priest AND a Catholic priest. She hinted that young Tommy was to carry on the tradition. Tom began practicing Zen in 1971, just after graduation from Amherst College. An interest in learning acupuncture led to medical school. After graduation from the University of Vermont College of Medicine in 1981, he completed Internal Medicine residency, a year of Neurology residency, and then completed Anesthesiology residency training, all with an eye for pain management. He has been practicing pain management since 1987. For the last 15 years, he has managed his own private practice outside the clutches of large groups. This has allowed him to provide care to anyone that is in need, taking the time that is needed by each individual. The healing practice is multi-disciplinary, including Western allopathic medicine, Chinese medicine, Chiropractic medicine, Behavioral Health medicine, and meditation practices. Tom has also been one of the early proponents of the use of ketamine for treatment of depression and chronic pain. Tom met Jitsudo Ancheta Roshi in 1997, and has been his grateful student ever since. Jitsudo Ancheta Roshi is one of the 12 dharma heirs flowing from Taizan Maezumi Roshi. Tom has since been recognized as a dharma heir by Jitsudo Roshi. Several years ago, Jitsudo Roshi asked Tom to assume teaching responsibilities for the sangha of Mugai Zendo, our tea house home base in Albuquerque, NM. Tom has also rigorously practiced a combining of DreamWork and meditation for the last 30 years. He has been a student of Marc Bregman and Christa Lancaster these last 30 years. Marc and Christa teach a Jungian-based embodied dream practice. Tom has infused this Jungian-based dream practice with Buddhist dream practices, primarily Tibetan, to personally embody a dream practice that fuses East and West. Tom’s current interests include: bringing Dream practice formally into Zen practice by combining dream and koan practice; offering the best practices available for those suffering with chronic physical and emotional pain in his full-time medical practice; revamping addiction treatment to include the use of entheogens (including ketamine), as best practice medicine; advancing the care of the individuals and families ravaged by Alzheimer’s disease.

Scott moved to Albuquerque from his native Los Angeles in order to work as a Psychotherapist Intern at the University of New Mexico Psychology Clinic. While in New Mexico he completed his doctoral research and earned his Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Southern California. He has lectured on Postmodern Ethics at USC and was a visiting professor teaching Psychotherapy at the Beijing University Health Sciences Center. His research interests involve the transformative effects of mystical experience. He believes that each of the three pillars of the Center for the Promotion of Peace significantly contribute to human transformation.

Kurt Wulfekuhler, Ph.D., LPCC, is the Clinical Director of Sandhill Center in Los Lunas, New Mexico. Sandhill Center is a residential treatment center for children and young adolescents who struggle with emotional dysregulation. Kurt has been working with troubled youth and their families for almost 40 years, having worked in psychiatric hospitals, treatment foster care, residential treatment centers, and outpatient therapy. He has also had a Zen practice for almost 25 years. Zen meditation and practice has played a crucial role in his own journey of personal healing and growth and it clearly informs his work with the children, young adolescents, and families that he currently serves. It has helped him “lean in” to the difficult situations and feelings that have come his way; and “lean in” is a common mantra that he offers to those with whom he works.