Our Approach

Finding Inspiration in Every Turn

At AnnapurnaBlue, we understand the deep connection between mind and body. When the mind is caught in cycles of intense negative emotion—anger, fear, confusion, or self-doubt—it disrupts not only our emotional balance but also our physical health. These emotional patterns affect five major areas of life: family and relationships, career and work performance, finances, home environment, and overall well-being.

If we learn to recognize and transform our reactions to these powerful emotions, we can calm the mind, restore inner peace, and improve our mental, physical, and spiritual health.

At AnnapurnaBlue, this is our work. We help you identify the hidden and obvious emotional triggers that are negatively impacting your life. Then, through time-tested tools and compassionate guidance, we teach you how to shift those emotions into a place of calm, clarity, and strength.

This transformation allows you to rebuild a healthy mind, body, and spirit—one that can respond to life with resilience, balance, and purpose. As your own well-being improves, you also become a source of healing and inspiration to those around you: your family, friends, co-workers, and community.

Blending East and West

Our team is at the heart of what makes AnnapurnaBlue so unique. With more than 30 years of combined experience in Western medicine and over 20 years of deep engagement in Eastern healing and Tibetan spiritual traditions, our approach blends the best of both worlds. We don’t just treat symptoms—we help you build a foundation of functional well-being from the inside out.

Our programs are designed for people of all ages and backgrounds, and our focus is on practical, lasting transformation. We provide the tools to manage negativity, maintain emotional balance, sharpen mental clarity, and sustain resilience in the face of life’s many challenges.

We also recognize that many people today are not just dealing with daily stressors—they are living with unresolved trauma. Whether from a serious illness, grief, or personal upheaval, these life interruptions can leave a lasting impact on emotional and physical health. That’s why our work also supports those healing from medical PTSD and other deep wounds, helping them recover a sense of wholeness, strength, and vitality.

Our workshops and retreats are thoughtfully structured to support this healing journey. By weaving together ancient Tibetan practices, modern therapeutic techniques, and deep inner exploration, we guide our students toward a grounded and empowered life—one filled with peace, clarity, and meaningful purpose.

Our Story

AnnapurnaBlue's founders, met during a healing retreat years ago. Both had extensive studies in healing with Eastern culture and Western modalities. They delved deeply into the healing and meditation practices of an 18,000-year-old Tibetan spiritual tradition, Yungdrung Bon, gaining profound insights from Bon Geshes and monks.

Motivated by their shared vision, they decided to create a health and wellness center to be of service to others. Their research journey took them to Nepal, where they sought guidance from Tibetan Geshes on the practices of healing.

During this trip to Nepal, they felt a strong sense of facing fears and healing through overcoming their fears. They took the trip to Annapurna Base Camp. For Deborah, with all her many adventures, she never felt such a peaceful and humbling experience. She knew then Annapurna would be her paradigm for accepting and overcoming challenges in life

Thus, AnnapurnaBlue Health and Wellness was created, to bring the healing wisdom from both cultures. To help people all around the world realize they can make changes in their lives, face and remove obstacles, live a more balanced life, and thereby find peace, harmony and a balanced wellbeing.

Besides our founder of AnnapurnaBlue, we are humbled to have several professionals join some of our wellness retreats to be able to offer our guests even more wellness tools to help nurture their lives.

Meet The Team

Dr. Deborah M

Co-Founder, Therapist, Educator

Deborah’s mission in life is to help others thrive! A retired nurse, a Doctor of Psychotherapy, somatic healing and Eastern healing modalities, Deborah brings a powerful, unique skill set to AnnapurnaBlue Health and Wellness, grounded in evidence-based and trauma-informed methods.

Deborah helps clients work with toxic emotional issues that cause internal damage as well as harming relationships with others, in their relationships as well as their personal, family and business lives.

Often we are unaware of these toxic emotional traits. The journey begins with Deborah aiding clients in developing the necessary self-awareness to identify and work with these internal emotional issues.

Deborah creates a gentle, compassionate, supportive space and guides her clients back to emotional wholeness and health.

Deborah also has a background in business wellness, through which she works with entrepreneurs to establish workplace programs that increase compassion, interpersonal relations and wellness within a business environment, improving both the workspace environment and the work outcomes.

Deborah has created a unique program to bring together her knowledge and skills. She offers those who join her a gentle and welcoming environment where they can be seen, held, and supported as they navigate their chosen paths to self-awareness and wellness.

Because you deserve to thrive, Deborah and AnnapurnaBlue’s team will enable you to overcome past constraints and develop a better system for each area of your life.

She is also considered the life of the party. She makes sure everyone attending an AnnapurnaBlue retreat have the best time, as many people are not able to get away a lot.

She is serious, fun, enjoyable. Her wealth of knowledge in the well-being healing is powerful and effective.

Dr. Bernadette C

Bernadette Clevenger brings a wealth of experience in medicine, geology, and spirituality to her healing practice, seamlessly blending science and ancient wisdom. With over 30 years as a board-certified family physician, she has explored both allopathic and complementary healing modalities, crafting individualized care plans that integrate the best of both worlds. Her training in functional medicine allows her to uncover and address the root causes of health concerns through a holistic, whole-person approach.

Certified by the Center for Mind-Body Medicine, Bernadette specializes in guiding individuals toward greater well-being by strengthening the profound connection between mind and body. Her deep passion for natural healing is reflected in her certification as a stone medicine practitioner from the Upper Clarity School of Stone Medicine, further expanding her ability to support healing through ancient Earth-based practices.

Her commitment to holistic wellness is enriched by studies in yoga, Ayurveda, and Tibetan medicine. For the past decade, she has been a devoted student of the Tibetan Bön spiritual tradition under the guidance of Latri Nyima Dakpa Rinpoche, integrating timeless teachings into her medical practice.

Based in rural western Wisconsin, Bernadette finds joy in cultivating and preparing nourishing foods, sharing her home with her husband, three beloved cats, and a spirited terrier. She is board-certified in both family medicine and holistic medicine and practices integrative, holistic care in a family practice setting, with a special focus on nutrition, mind-body medicine, and women’s health.

Bernadette’s expertise in holistic health, functional medicine, nutrition, and menopause is a true asset to AnnapurnaBlue’s Fabulous Over 60 Women’s Retreats, where she helps women navigate life transitions with greater health, balance, and empowerment. Her deep understanding of mind-body wellness makes her an invaluable guide for those seeking to embrace this stage of life with wisdom and vitality.

Susan Burnhardt

Even after more than a decade of practicing Tibetan Cranial Therapy, Susan Bernhardt continues to feel awe and gratitude for the opportunity to offer this profound healing art and other holistic therapies to those in need. Raised in suburban New Jersey, Susan's early exposure to health relied solely on modern Western medicine, with little awareness of holistic options or spiritual practices. Her career path initially led her to law, focusing on business-related disputes, but her journey took a transformative turn when her mother’s cancer diagnosis introduced her to complementary and natural healing modalities.

Susan's holistic healing journey began unexpectedly at a yoga class she joined out of curiosity. What started as a physical practice evolved into a deep exploration of classical yoga, Ayurveda, and spiritual thought. Her training in Ayurveda introduced her to marma therapy, where she met Shar Lee, who shared the transformative power of Tibetan Cranial Therapy. Witnessing the incredible results—such as a life-changing recovery for a lawyer with a traumatic brain injury—motivated Susan to commit to Tibetan Cranial training in 2012, completing her apprenticeship in 2014.

Susan is not only a Tibetan Cranial practitioner but also a seasoned expert in holistic healing. She is Board-Certified by the National Ayurvedic Medical Association (NAMA), a Certified Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT), a Reiki Master Teacher, and a certified Spinal Flow practitioner. Susan’s diverse expertise reflects her dedication to treating the whole person—body, mind, and spirit—through natural methods that harness the body’s innate healing abilities.

Among the many modalities she practices, Tibetan Cranial Therapy holds a special place in Susan’s heart. She describes it as uniquely transformative, capable of addressing conditions such as concussions, migraines, TMJ dysfunction, and traumatic brain injuries. Beyond its remarkable physical results, Susan values the spiritual component of Tibetan Cranial Therapy, which centers on compassion and meditative prayer during each session. This spiritual focus has not only enhanced her practice but also facilitated her personal evolution from a trial lawyer to a healer.

Susan’s connection to Tibetan Cranial’s Bön roots has deepened through her studies with Latri Khenpo Nyima Dakpa Rinpoche, a senior monk at Menri Monastery and the Spiritual Director of Yeru Bön Center. She is honored to teach Tibetan Cranial work, blending her love for teaching with her passion for healing. As a former President of the Tibetan Cranial Association and an active contributor to its mission, Susan remains committed to preserving and spreading this ancient healing art. For Susan, Tibetan Cranial Therapy represents a powerful intersection of compassion, spirituality, and holistic healing—a gift she is humbled to share with others.