Martha S. Bache-Wiig

International Holistic Counselor and Coach

 A native of Wisconsin in the USA, Martha moved to Italy as a young adult. She became a certified clinical psychologist there in 2000 and specialized in an approach called Existential Personalistic Anthropology/Cosmoartistic Anthropology, developed by Prof. Antonio Mercurio and collaborators at the Sophia University of Rome.

Upon her return to the United States in 2006, Martha worked first within a residential addictions treatment center (Rogers Memorial Hospital Herrington Center) and then at The Women’s Center in Waukesha, WI, specializing in Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault and Abuse cases. Both these experiences allowed her to deepen her understanding of the many facets underlying trauma responses and what is needed to help people shift out of compulsive repetitions of self-harm and into a deeper ability to truly love and care for themselves and their lives.

In 2009, Martha decided to leave the Women’s Center and open her first practice as a self-employed counselor in Existential Personalistic Anthropology, also with the intention to offer trainings in this unique beautiful approach. The International Center for the Development of the Person was born in September of that year, in downtown Waukesha, WI.

Soon after, Antonio Mercurio contacted her with the request to translate many of his books and articles so his thought could be shared in the English language. They worked together for 7 years, from 2009 to 2016, and completed a number of his many books and articles, such as Theory of the Person and Existential Personalistic Anthropology,  Hypotheses On Ulysses, Love and the Person, and The Cosmo Art Dialogs. She is the first person in the United States to be actively offering services with this approach as a foundation. 

This approach does not focus on diagnosing and treating mental illness; it is instead holistic, meaning it helps us look at the many different aspects of ourselves and aims at understanding where our traumas and trauma responses may be blocking us from a fuller, more authentic life expression. When we understand how we can learn to overcome our conditioning and love and care for ourselves more fully, we develop new levels of inner and outer freedom, love of self, existential purpose, and an ability to also give and receive love to others in healthier, more mutually beneficial ways. 

Thanks to Martha’s broad life and educational experience, which have been inspired by her own search for healing, transformation and wholeness, she incorporates a unique combination of tools and approaches in her work with clients based on their particular needs in the moment and their personal inclinations.

Some of these are:

– traditional talk therapy (incorporating psychodynamic, cognitive behavioral and “coaching” principles and exercises, insights gained from neuroscience and growing understanding of neurodiversity and high sensitivity as a trait);

– innovative group approaches such as Onirodrama (dream work drawing on elements of Psychodrama and Bioenergetics, developed by Drs Bruno Bonvecchi and Ombretta Ciapini);

– Systemic Family Constellations;

– techniques to increase somatic awareness and interoception – the ability to perceive oneself, one’s thoughts, emotions, and physical being – such as guided/creative visualization, meditation, and other grounding and sensing exercises that enhance inner and outer integration;

– alternative energy methods such as Pranic Healing, Reiki and Psych-K;

– elements of art/creative therapeutic approaches, including vision boards, mind-mapping, and Cinematherapy;

– Evolutionary Astrology and Human Design;

– Inner Child and Inner Family Work.

The goal of all work with Martha is to help you develop the tools you need to know and love yourself and become ever more integrated, empowered and autonomous in your healing and growth process.

Martha has worked with clients from around the world, and considers her work with others an integral part of her own path of continual healing, growth and creation of her Life as a Work of Art. She is deeply appreciative to her clients for the wonderful opportunity to continue to grow and serve through her work with them.

Martha is also a musician and a writer, and her creative activities nurture her counseling work, and vice versa. She remains deeply connected to Italy and in particular to the Calabria region, where she lived for 24 years, where her two children were born and raised, and where she continues to maintain important personal and professional relationships. She is in the process of developing Personalized Experiential / Creative Retreat opportunities for those interested in exploring the southernmost region of the Italian peninsula in an intimate, relaxing, inspirational and off-the-beaten track way.