Kelly Drew Foster, MA has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Studio Art, and a Master’s Degree in Transpersonal Psychology with a concentration in Consciousness Studies. Her research explores the evolution of consciousness and the socially-conditioned self. She seeks to clear ego-based identity misconceptions, especially within current spiritual perspectives. She believes that a well-established sense of self is necessary in our modern world, but that it ultimately needs to be relativized within the larger, interdependent context of our nature. Kelly utilizes integrative, experiential ways to point to the essence of this nature— the nonconceptual isness of being.
Kelly has over 15 years of training and practice in various meditation techniques such as Vipassana, mindfulness, and self-inquiry. She previously lived and worked within a Tibetan Buddhist community of the Nyingma lineage under
Tarthang Tulku Rinpoche. Kelly has studied extensively within many different branches of Buddhism and Hinduism, including Zen, Advaita Vedanta, and Kashmir Shaivism. She is very passionate about the core teachings within ancient Eastern contemplative traditions and early Western mysticism, and how they intersect with modern progressive psychology.
Kelly is an IUPS Faculty Mentor in the Transpersonal Psychology and Consciousness Studies programs. She is also the Administrative Director at IUPS and has become an integral part of the IUPS Academic Committee. Kelly is also a Death Doula, with training and experience from several Hospice organizations and The Living/Dying Project. She was formerly a visiting artist with the Nyingma Sacred Murals Temple Project in Sarnath, India, and continues to practice art-making in various forms. She also has training in hands-on-healing energy work and has a personal somatic-based practice of embodied dance.