Selene Vega

Selene Kumin Vega, PhD, LMFT

Full Professor, Mind-Body Medicine

Dr. Selene Vega joined the College of Integrative Medicine and Health Sciences in 2011 as a faculty mentor. A semester later, she began teaching core MBM courses. Over time, Dr. Vega transitioned into a leadership role developing and revising courses and overseeing the Mind-Body-Spirit Integration (MBSI) Seminar for all new students. She believes her greatest contributions include creating the MBSI format, developing MBSI facilitators, and designing two advanced psychotherapy courses for the integrative mental health specialization. What makes the work so meaningful is hearing from students that what they are learning and doing in the MBSI affirms their choice to come to Saybrook.

Across TCS affiliate programs, Dr. Vega was one of two recipients of the first President's Award for Faculty Innovation. TCS Education System awarded two faculty members across its affiliates who demonstrated excellence and leadership in ways they utilize innovative teaching methods in the online and ground learning environment. Dr. Vega was particularly recognized for her development and execution of the MBSI. Through her clarity of structure and mastery of embodied learning, Dr. Vega has created a curriculum as well as classroom experience to guide students through a transformative educational experience.

Dr. Vega epitomizes an integrative, relevant instructional approach, well grounded in humanistic pedagogy. In her courses, students are engaged in a process of learning that includes movement, meditation, guided imagery, expressive arts, and sharing about themselves and their experiences within small, facilitated groups. Her evidence-based course content is executed with consistent clarity, such as through PowerPoint lectures and discussions.

"Our highest potential as human beings is to truly embrace the mutual interdependence of all the beings of this world and to value the full development of potentialities and consciousness for all," Dr. Vega says. "From the viewpoint of psychology and movement, this involves an ongoing process of healing the wounds in our psyches, fully inhabiting our bodies, increasing our consciousness while developing a healthy relationship with those parts of ourselves that are unconscious, and deepening our relationships with other humans as well as with all the other inhabitants of the planet we share. I encourage each student to grow towards their own individual potential and trust their inner wisdom with the support of mentors and teachers they respect."

Outside of her Saybrook responsibilities, Dr. Vega continues to see clients in private practice and provides supervision for both beginning and seasoned psychotherapists.

To support the personal and professional development of various practitioners and teachers in the wellness field, Dr. Vega offers psychospiritual workshops such as Guiding the Journey, Psychology of the Chakras, and Movement Explorations.