Ayelet Connell PhD

Kris Albrecht, MS, PT, IMT,C is a Primary Advisor and Chief Teaching Faculty at Manual Therapy Seminars and a Clinician at Integrative Wellness & Physical Therapy in Bloomfield, Connecticut. Kris has been practicing and teaching Manual Therapy for over 30 years. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry, a Master of Science in Physical Therapy, and was a teaching fellow in Gross Anatomy at Boston University. At Rockville General Hospital, Kris designed and implemented the Physical Therapy portion of Heart Minders, a cardiac habilitation program as well as a podiatric orthotic program. She joined the Center for Integrative Manual Therapy / Regional Physical Therapy in 1988, and for nearly three decades has instructed a wide range of Manual Therapy courses nationally and internationally with Dialogues in Contemporary Rehabilitation and The Connecticut School of Integrative Manual Therapy in Bloomfield, CT. She was a test administrator for the Integrative Manual Therapy Certification exam. With a special interest in cranial therapy, neurological issues, and cardiac habilitation, Kris is a gifted lecturer and teaching mentor. She lives with her family in Southington, CT and loves classic rock music, dessert, and turtles.

Lissa Wheeler, LMT, IMT,C is a certified practitioner of Integrative Manual Therapy (IMT) and Self Regulation Therapy (SRT), with a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Leslie University and a PhD in IMT from Westbrook University. Early in her career, Lissa became certified in Muscular Therapy, Craniosacral Therapy, Neuromuscular Therapy, and Shiatsu and completed a four-year training in Bioenergetic Analysis, which is a body-centered psychotherapy. She spent many years at the Upledger Institute International studying Visceral Manipulation, Lymphatic Drainage, Mechanical Link, and Somato-Emotional Release. Over the years, she has been a teaching assistant at numerous seminars on Craniosacral Therapy and Visceral Manipulation. Also during this time, she completed her three-year master’s degree program in Clinical Psychology at Leslie University. It was through her Upledger studies that Lissa became friends with Dr. Sharon Weiselfish-Giammatteo, the founder of Integrative Manual Therapy. Sharon had a physical therapy clinic in Connecticut, and Lissa began a long apprenticeship with her, which eventually led to working in Sharon’s clinic. Working closely with Sharon, Lissa gained experience treating the more severe cases, such as patients with spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries. Around this time, Sharon began developing her innovative groundbreaking Integrative Manual Therapy. Lissa worked closely with Sharon through the development of IMT. She co-developed a number of courses with Sharon, all in the area of integrating emotional healing with bodywork. She became an instructor of IMT and has taught IMT courses and facilitated IMT clinics throughout the United States, Canada, Hong Kong, Germany, Holland, and Israel. Lissa has published a book about healing from trauma called Becoming Resilient: Heal the Physical Impact of Emotional Trauma: A Guide for Bodyworkers.