our people
We help individuals
to become their best version
EDUCATIONAL director (F-TII,Educational BoarD, Faculty F-TII, F-TII Research); Member F-TII Board
Lene Handberg
Educational Director of Tarab Institute International. Educational Director of Tarab Ling India. Heads up the compilation of Tarab Tulku’s UD Works. A native of Denmark, Lene Handberg was a student and protégé of Tarab Tulku XI, who together with her founded the Tarab Institutes and developed the presentation of the Unity in Duality Training. Tarab Tulku asked Lene Handberg to take over the full responsibility of the UD Training in 2004. She started UD Training in India (2005), Slovakia (2006), The Netherlands (2009), and Spain (2020) continuing the UD Training in France and Germany with a team of UD Graduates. Lene studied psychology and Tibetology at Copenhagen University. From Tarab Rinpoche she received the Semrig Thablam Rabjam degree in UD in 2002.
Member Educational Board;member Faculty F-TII
Christine Klett-Esters
Doctor of psycho-therapeutic medicine. Licensed by the Medical Board of Schleswig-Holstein to provide individual, group therapy and supervision; 1983 – 1986 permanent post as medical and psychotherapeutic specialist in a clinic for substance-abuse patients. Since 1987 consultant for psycho-therapeutic medicine, specialising in Gestalt-therapy (FPI), family therapy and hypnosis. Since 1998 work in social projects in Nepal, a deep interest in cultural differences and the explanations from the view of UD. In workshops she compares western psychological concepts (for example Narcissm) with the view in UD. 2003-2007 qualification in Unity in Duality – the science of mind and existence, she holds a Semrig Thablam Mawa degree.
Member Educational Board; member Faculty F-TII
Caroline Vossen
Caroline lives in The Netherlands, holds a master degree in psychology, following up with a four-year post-doctoral education, making her a registered clinical psychologist and psychotherapist. Caroline worked more than 15 years at Radboud University during which time she received the educational skills diploma, and was teaching and coordinator within the Master of Health Care Psychology. Presently she works as a clinical psychologist in mental health care. She is co-author of a book on client-therapist relationship, as well as on a treatment protocol on somatic symptom disorder. Caroline has written about burnout and ACT. Has completed Unity in Duality Education and received the STM Degree in Unity in Duality. Is currently giving UD workshops in the Netherlands and is Assistant Teacher in the UD Education.
Member Educational Board; member Faculty F-TII
Geneviève Hamelet
Geneviève holds a « Semrig Thablam Mawa degree » in UD « Inner Science of Mind and Phenomena » since 2005, and has been translating Tarab Rinpoche and Lene Handberg since 2001.
She is part of the Educational board and gives workshops, private sessions, and modules training.
Master in Sophrology, she is also a MBSR certified teacher (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) through CFM/UMass, where Jon Kabat-Zinn created the program, and recognized by the Mindfulness Center at Brown University as a MBSR trainer and supervisor within the GMC (Global Mindfulness Collaborative).
She is co-founder and part of the board of ADM (Association pour le Development de la Mindfulness), as well as IMF (Initiative Mindfulness France), and part of “Mind & Life Europe”.
Geneviève has been practicing meditation over 30 years within the Tibetan Ripa lineage where she teaches and translates, and since 2008 in the Sangha Forest tradition.
Member Educational Board; member Faculty F-TII
Sandrine Gousset
Sandrine holds a Semrig Thablam Mawa (STM) degree in Unity in Duality. Holds a Ph.D. in Sociology and Political Science. Is a recognised therapist in Psychosynthesis, running her own practice in Paris. Since 2001 she has been the French translator of Tarab Rinpoche and Lene Handberg and has been assisting in compiling the Unity in Duality teaching material, a member of the Education committee of Tarab Institute France, responsible for the translation of the textbooks for the French UD Training. She gives UD Workshops and UD Sessions & Therapy in English or French and is a Teacher in the UD Education in France.
Member Educational Board; member Faculty F-TII
Beate Salzburger
Beate is resident in Austria/near Salzburg. Graduated as Semrig Thablam Mawa (STM) in UD in 2014. Beate is a sculptress and since 2013 also pedagogue and teacher of sculpture at technical school, Salzburg. Responsible for large restoration works in Saltzburg for many years and was also involved in building the creative department in a social project for women from 2009-2013. Participated in the UD training 2003–2008 in Hamburg. From 2008 to 2021 served on the board of Tarab Institute-Germany. From 2010 she has been translator for Lene Handberg in the German UD Education and she gives UD sessions and UD Workshops, is Assistant Teacher in the UD Education in Berlin.
President F-TII; Member Educational Board; member Faculty F-TII
Cecilia Winquist – Innanen
Cecilia lives in Helsinki, Finland. She holds the Semrig Thablam Mawa (STM) degree in Unity in Duality. A Registered Psychiatric Nurse, Supervisor and Psychotherapist with a UD approach. Since 1985 she has been associated with UD through Tarab Tulku’s and Lene Handberg’s work. Cecilia has held the position of Assisting Teacher in the UD Training in Bratislava, Slovakia. Holding UD Workshops in several countries, offering individual UD Sessions as well. Cecilia is the Chairperson of Fonden Tarab Institute International, and a member of F-TII’s Educational Board. Languages: English, Swedish, and Finnish
Secretary & Treasurer F-TII; Member Educational Board;
member Faculty F-TII
Frances Nijssen
Holds a Master degree in literature and sociology, studied organisational psychology. Frances was senior lecturer at HAN, University of Applied Science, is a coach and professional supervisor, teaching at several national institutes for Leadership. She received her therapeutic training at the Berlin Institute for Core Energetics and specialises in guiding processes of individual transformation. Since 1994 has practiced (Tibetan) Buddhism and guides Buddhist study and meditation groups within the Gelugpa tradition. Frances acquired the degree of Semrig Thablam Mawa (STM) in Unity in Duality and is part of the International Educational Board of the Tarab Institute International, giving workshops and lectures on Buddhist Philosophy and Psychology and is Assistant Teacher in the UD Education in The Netherlands.
member Faculty F-TII
Albrecht Simon Feuchter
Albrecht holds a degree in social education and has been a practitioner of psychotherapy (HP) since 1990. In 1990 he completed his training in bioenergetics analysis. And he was employed as psychotherapist in a counselling centre for addiction problems. Since 1990 he has been offering body-related psychotherapy and personal development. Since 1997 to 2002 he followed the Unity in Duality Training with Tarab Tulku Rinpoche and Lene Handberg. Albrecht Feuchter holds a STM Degree in Unity in Duality. He has assisted for 8 years in the UD Education in Germany, in connection with which he also gives UD sessions and offers weekend courses.
member Faculty F-TII
Thi Quy Nguyen
Quy Nguyen is a graduate of the Semrig Thablam Mawa (STM) diploma in UD. Quy Nguyen is a practicing medical doctor, MD. Particularly focused on the body-mind unity in the healing process. Quy Nguyen has also trained in Sophrology and Psychosynthesis and in her practice combines the Eastern traditional energetic medicines as well as western medicine. She gives UD workshops, individual sessions and assists in the UD Education in France.
member Faculty F-TII
Catherine Pawlik
Has been a social worker since 1980. Catherine is a graduated master in Yoga after a 4-year training with Sri Mahesh, recognised by the French Federation of Hatha Yoga and adapted her yoga to a young public, teaching yoga in schools for over ten years. Catherine has followed training in Tibetan yoga and energetic methods. She is certified as Kum Nye teacher, a healing yoga passed on by Tarthang Tulku. She teaches non-duality yoga (from Jean Klein) and prenatal yoga in the south of France. Her meeting with Tarab Tulku and Lene Handberg in 1991 has been decisive in all aspects of her life. She now shares her realisation through leading deeper and deeper body-awareness exercises, and give UD training weeks in France and India.
member Faculty F-TII
Silvia Ketterer
Being a native of Germany but living permanently in Sweden Silvia is bilingual. In her profession she is a psychotherapist. Silvia has for many years been working both in public healthcare in Sweden and running private sessions. Silvia studied Unity in Duality Inner-science of Mind and Existence, Personal Development and Art-of-Relating for 5 years, acquiring the degree of Semrig Thablam Mawa (STM). All together, she has been in contact with Tarab Institute and UD for nearly 15 years. I find UD very helpful both privately and in my psychotherapeutic work with clients. She is now giving UD sessions in the UD Training weeks.
Member F-TII Board (Sweden); Member Academic Advisory Board
Prof. Dr. Carin Muhr
Associate Professor of clinical Neurology, Uppsala University, Sweden and Honorary Professor, Universidad San Martin de Porres, Lima, Peru. President of Tarab Institute Sweden, former President of Tarab Institute International.
Dr Muhr’s work encompasses clinical neurology with teaching and research, collaboration with medical universities in India, Grenada and Peru, establishment of international courses addressing Human Rights issues in medicine with a holistic perspective.
Dr Muhr’s studies in Unity in Duality teachings in Neuroscience at Drepung Monastery, Mundgod, Bylakuppe, Dharamsala and DLIHE, have increased her awareness of the vast knowledge available in Buddhist Inner science.
Dr Muhr is convinced medical science and practice would benefit greatly if everything’s interrelatedness would be taken into account.
Member F-TII Board; Member Academic Advisory Board
Prof. Dr. Juergen Knop
Retired Director of the Department of Dermatology, Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz. He became M.D. at the department of Pharmacology, University of Freiburg and Ph.D. at the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Adelaide, Australia. He was postdoctoral fellow at the Max Planck Institute, Freiburg and the Department of Microbiology, University of Adelaide. Later, becoming Associate Professor, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Dermatology, University of Münster. Certification in Dermatology and Allergy. His recent interest is the Eastern Inner Science of Mind and Existence (Unity in Duality) and its relationship to Contemporary Science. He is in the Academic Advisory Board of Tarab Ling, UD Research and Teaching Institute, Dehradun, India.
Member F-TII Board (Germany)
Klemens Höppner
Member of the board of Tarab Institut Deutschland e.V. He is co-founder and managing director of the Mindful Finance Institute and a facilitator of mindfulness-based leadership and employee development programs for Awaris GmbH. He works as a business coach and facilitator. Previously, Klemens has worked in financial services for 20+ years and 10 years in executive management positions. His current interest is in facilitating sustainability mindset transformation. Klemens holds an MBA in International Finance from MIIS (CA, USA), a Diplom Kaufmann from Mannheim University and is a Chartered Financial Analyst. Klemens was a Yoga teacher (YA200+) and has been practicing UD since 2013.
Member F-TII Board (France)
Michel Petit
He was lucky to pursue studies in law and accounting. Graduated from the Institute of Business Administration of Bordeaux. He became a Lawyer specialising in Business Law and Taxation Company trainer, working in France and Africa (Congo, Gabon, Angola). Michel has taught at: The Faculty of Law of Pau and The Institute of Business Administration of Bordeaux until 2011. While becoming an Honorary Lawyer, Michel participated in the Unity in Duality Education in France, graduating in 2016. Using his knowledge and experience in UD he created Consultant Intervening in Management and Leadership.
Member F-TII Board (Denmark & India)
Morten Rolighed Jensen
to be written
Member F-TII Board (Slovakia)
Janka Bojnáková
Janka, is a founding member of the Tarab Institute of Slovakia where she has functioned as its President since 2011. For many years she has been active in the Unity in Duality training. Janka assists with the organisation of courses and events.
Janka has many years of experience with meditation practice and bringing together groups of students. Works with the transcription of texts, corrections, and translation of Unity in Duality material. Janka is working on completing her UD graduation. Her aspiration and plan is to use Unity in Duality view to help people during the dying process.
Member F-TII Board (Spain)
Cristina Hernández Pla
Is President of the Tarab Institute Spain and part of the translation and coordination team. For some years she has been committed to the path of Tibetan Buddhist meditation within Ripa. Her passion and interest in human potential and reality led her to the psychology and therapy. She has a Master’s Degree in Evolutionary Psychology and graduated in Early Childhood Education and Social Integration as well as a Master’s Degree in Mindfulness, emotion management and positive psychology. For more than 10 years she has been professionally dedicated to therapeutic accompaniment with regressive therapy, hypnosis and the Tagdröl Method. She also facilitates courses and workshops within the field of personal development. She is studying Unity in Duality working on her graduation.
Member F-TII Board (netherlands)
Jan Rijnierse
Jan Rijnierse is representative to the Tarab Institute International for the board of Tarab Institute Netherlands. He is a student of Unity in Duality since 2009, has followed the UD training twice and is currently working on his graduation paper. Jan is married and has two children. Since 2017 Jan works as an actor in communication training courses, such as feedback, project management and general communication skills. Before that he worked for 20+ years in the pharmaceutical industry. Having developed more on a personal level (greatly benefiting from the first UD training), he finally left the industry to fulfill his desire to help people developing their communication skills, yet at the same time doing what he loves most: role play and acting.
Member Academic Advisory Board;
Member board of Tarab Ling Association
Prof.Dr Samdhong Rinpoche
He completed his (Uma Nyinpa)- middle school of the Madhyamika School of Buddhism at the age of 12 at Drepung Monastery in Lhasa and. He was 4 years junior to Tarab Rinpoche and they stayed close friend throughout life.
Rinpoche fled to exile in the year 1959. And on 4th February 1960 he received the Bhiksu ordination from His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He served as principal of Shimla Tibetan School in 1963. From 1965 to 1970 he was Principal of Dalhousie Tibetan School. He received his Lharampa Degree in the year 1968 and Ngagrimpa Degree in 1969. From 1971 to 1988 he was the Principal of then Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies (CIHTS, Varanasi). From 1988 to 2001 he worked as the Director CIHTS and was awarded the professorship by Banaras Hindu University for his deep knowledge in numerous eastern studies. From 1999 to 2000, Rinpoche was the president of the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), a strong academic group of more than 250 Vice-Chancellors of Indian Universities.
In 2013 Samdhong Rinpoche has been named chancellor of the Sanchi University of Buddhist-Indic Studies in Madhya Pradesh.
He is an eminent and distinguished scholar, teacher and philosopher, and a life-long campaigner of non-violence or peaceful resistance, and he is a Board member of Tarab Ling Association.
Member Academic Advisory Board
Prof.Dr Michel Bitbol
Professor Michel Bitbol, Ph.D., is Directeur de Recherche at the CNRS, in Paris, France. He is presently based at the Archives Husserl, a center of research in Phenomenology. He received successively his M.D., his Ph.D. in physics, and his « Habilitation » in philosophy in Paris.
He worked as a research scientist in biophysics from 1978 to 1990. From 1990 onwards, he turned to the philosophy of physics. He edited texts by Erwin Schrödinger and developed a neo-kantian philosophy of quantum mechanics. In 1997 he received an award from the Academie des sciences morales et politiques for his work in the philosophy of quantum mechanics.
Later on, he studied the relations between the philosophy of physics and the philosophy of mind, working in close collaboration with Francisco Varela. He is presently developing a conception of consciousness inspired from neuro-phenomenology, and an epistemology of first-person knowledge. Besides, he also learnt some Sanskrit, and recently published a book (De l’intérieur du monde, 2010) in which he draws a parallel between Buddhist dependent arising and non-supervenient relations, in quantum physics and the theory of knowledge.
F-TII Researcher
Dr. Liliane Borel
Director of Research at the CNRS, co-director of the team Sensory and Cognitive Rehabilitation. Currently working in the Laboratory of Cognitive Neurosciences at Aix-Marseille University, France. Her expertise lies in the areas of adaptive processes after sensory impairment and their impact on balance, perception and representation of body and space. She also studies the interactions between posture and cognition and develops balance rehabilitation methods. As a former UD student, she is interested in the contribution of the Eastern-Science view to Neuroscience and more specifically in the field of body sensation and their impact on balance ,cognitive control, and regulation of emotions.
F-TII Researcher
Dr. Madhavilatha Maganti
Madhavilatha has a background in Developmental Psychology with a post-doctoral specialisation in Developmental Cognitive Science. A demonstrated track-record of working on basic, applied and translational research in Early Childhood Development and is invested in applying the latest scientific insights for improving the mental health and well-being of communities within India. Her Child Development Studies Lab is currently examining maternal mental health and patterns of cognitive, language and socio-emotional development in at-risk children. As outlined in the WHO Mental Health Plan, a key objective of her work is to apply the UD approach to advance mental wellbeing.