In September 2005, Izolda opened her office in Berwyn Heights, MD. She is available for holistic life coaching, tarot consultation, Chi Energy/Reiki and other energy healing, crystal and stone therapy, voice/singing lessons and for those who want to delve deeper into their creativity and find their individual path, therapeutic creativity.

Izolda has been working in the education field for over 15 years. She has worked with students of all ages, and she has taught environmental education all over the world as part of her work with NASA and music and singing. Healer's Arts has grown out of Izolda's conviction that there are many resolutions to issues and there are many possible paths to take to find our center. Because of her unique background, she is exceptionally qualified to look at issues of personal voice and communication, self-esteem, creativity and the healing we can receive from a variety of different perspectives. She is a gifted teacher and she is able to give guidance and encouragement to those with whom she works in order for them to achieve their goals of creativity, healing, and of finding their individual path. Of the many students with whom Izolda has worked, many have said that it is her encouragement of their efforts that helps them the most. (See the reviews page.)

Izolda is a compassionate teacher and counselor and that in addition to her intuitive style combine to make her a gifted tarot reader as well. It is all of these things working in concert that brought about the birth of Healer's Arts.

Izolda dressed as a sprite by her Mom

Born in Moldova in the former Soviet Union, Izolda grew up steeped in the rich heritage of Eastern Europe. She spent her first few years listening to the folk tales of her great-Grandmother about subjects as diverse as plants, stones, the weather, people, and music. When she was six, her family left Moldova for the grand adventure of immigrating to the USA. During the year-plus process of immigrating, her family spent time living in both Israel and Italy where Izolda soaked up the cultures and languages of each country. After the family arrived in the USA, they settled in Michigan where Izolda learned English and proceeded to excel in her coursework in school. She graduated as Valedictorian of her high school class and later attended the University of Michigan. It was during her high school years that she discovered intuitive guidance. She began study of the cards utilizing a regular deck of playing cards until she found her first (and still current reading deck) in 1985. She found herself continually fascinated about the myriad facets of conducting readings and of focusing in on her intuition in order to interpret the possibilities that the cards presented.

"Every reading is different and depends a great deal on both the energy of the seeker and the which cards fall into the spread and how they are arranged as they are laid out. Each reading presents itself as an unfolding story and one I must tell to the seeker. I look to the cards to provide the focus of the story and I interpret the possibilities from the way the cards are laid out in the spread." - Izolda Trakhtenberg

She graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in English and quickly thereafter moved to Washington DC. She spent three years working in the Development field for the public records research company, The Information Prospector. As Director of Writing and Production, Izolda gained invaluable experience in personnel management, human resources, and client relations. The Information Prospector conducted public records research on wealthy and successful individuals for potential development for non-profit organizations and associations. She also learned a great deal about the many successful people in the world and the manner in which these people lived their lives and achieved their goals. That infomration planted the seeds of the Life Elements System and its focus on self-directed success. This position also gave her insights into personal relationships as she worked closely with writers and researches and also with clients to develop appropriate methods for building the connections so vital for success.

After this valuable experience, Izolda felt the need to work in a new sphere. She had always been interested in education and the environment and so she moved to the National Geographic Society (NGS)to pursue her interest in environmental education. She truly believes that educating our children is one of the most important missions and goals that we can accomplish and after her stint at the NGS she moved to NASA where she eventually worked for the GLOBE Program. Envisioned by Vice President Al Gore in his book, Earth In The Balance, the GLOBE Program was a unique partnership among students, teachers, and scientists where students the world over study the earth and care for our environment. Here, she was able to hone her teaching and training skills as a Master Trainer for the Soil Characterization, Land Cover and Biology, Atmoshphere and Hydrology protocols of this international education program. She also developed lasting relationships with many people all over the world including South Africa, Spain, Estonia, and Ukraine. These relationships, the environmental/science protocols, and her interest in ancient symbolism and methodologies gave her great insight into human interactions and tendencies the world over. These experiences continued to develop Izolda's ideas for the Life Elements System. Through the convergence of all of these experiences, she saw the patterns and relationships among self-esteem, self-identity, and self-confidence. Synthesis!!!

During this time, she also pursued her musical interests with the bands, Fleur-de-Lis and Kiva (she appears on three Kiva albums). Throughout all this time, she maintaine d her interest in the more esoteric mtehods of intuitive guidance of tarot cards and gave readings to many friends and acquaintances further developing her reading skills.

As she progressed in her environmental education, musical and intuitive guidance goals, Izolda additionally began study of the ancient energy workings of Reiki and Chi energy. She has been a Tai Chi practitioner and teacher for over 13 years, and she is also a certified Reiki practitioner. She has conducted Reiki workings for a variety of clients. These clients have included everyone from those who needed emotional healing to those who have needed energy and healing from physical ailments such as cancer.

After teaching voice and violin privately for over eleven years, in Autumn 2001, she began teaching a series of "Learn to Sing" workshops and classes and has incorporated an inquiry-based teaching style with traditional vocal technique, aesthetics and mechanics all accomplished in a fun, relaxed, and confidence-inspiring atmosphere. These classes help participants discover and develop their voices and find joy in singing. The classes also help students connect with others, express themselves creatively, raise their self-confidence, and achieve long-sought goals. After the classes are over, the students then put their knowledge into practice by performing a class recital at a local cafe. This allows the students to apply the vocal techniques and to get a taste of performing. It is out of these classes and her private teaching that Izolda began developing her thoughts on Therapeutic Creativity and the ability of creative pursuits to help in the healing process of both the individual and society. Now in its sixth year, the "Learn to Sing" class series has garnered rave reviews and increasing success. She currently teaches "Finding Your Sacred Voice" and "Workin' Harmony" song and team building workshops at both corporate and festival events.

Following her musical passions, Izolda released her CD, Sound the Deep Waters in 2003. The album features her original music plus her oft-requested interpretation of "Scarborough Faire" and has received excellent reviews. As a performer of many colors, she also returned to her roots and released a Russian, Yiddish, and Klezmer CD sampler in 2004.

Although she had spent a great deal of time studying the tarot and doing readings for friends, family and new acquaintances for years, in early 2000, Izolda began to pursue her tarot reading career in earnest and began taking professional reading appointments. Clients include: The Discovery Channel (Discovery Communications), Ball Aerospace, the AARP, Cusp Boutique, The United States Chamber of Commerce, and the law firm of Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton, Washington DC

She opened the Healer's Arts Wellness Center in September 2005. The Wellness Center follows and teaches the Life Elements Wellness System. She is in the midst of publishing the book, "Life Elements: Transform Your Life With Earth, Air, Fire, and Water, a revolutionary and transformative new book.

Her musical influences include: Loreena McKennitt, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Firzgerald, The Nudes, Jesse Cook, Peter Gabriel, David Wilcox, Sheila Chandra, Sting, Itzhak Perlman, Dead Can Dance, musical theatre of all sorts, Renaissance madrigals (and a cappella music of all sorts), ancient music, JS Bach, Mozart, Altan, Solas, On Wings of Song, Libana, the folk music of Eastern Europe and the Middle East and many others.

Non-musical influences (in no particular order) are: The Art Nouveau movement, the Pre-Raphaelite movement, Evelyn de Morgan, Alphonse Mucha, contemporary artists like Sue Coleman, Linda Garland, Hrana Janto, the literary works of Starhawk, Sheri S. Tepper, Patricia Telesco, Julia Cameron, Charles de Lint, Tanya Huff, Marian Zimmer Bradley, Rosemary Edghill, Mercedes Lackey, William Shakespeare, Harold Pinter, George Elliot, Jane Austen, John Webster, William Blake, Keats, Yeats, the Bronte sisters, and many others (more to be added to this list), traveling the world and connecting with the myriad places and people she has met, the beings who share her home, nature in all her glory and Mother Earth.

In March 2004, she got engaged to her longtime partner, Rich. They were wed on the full moon on April 23, 2005. They currently reside in Greenbelt, MD with their three cats, and a house full of musical instruments and juggling implements.

About Izolda & Healer's Arts, Contact and Directions, Holistic Life Coaching, Tarot Consultation, Music & Teaching, Reiki, Chi Energy & Massage Healing, Crystal and Stone Healing, Therapeutic Creativity, Favorite Links, Publishing