Selina Rifkin

Selina has been to Hades in a hand-basket. More than once. Despite that, or maybe because of it, she’s managed to carve out a goodlife. At fourteen, she discovered alternative religion and has been a practicing Pagan since then. This gave her tools to overcome early childhood abuse, chronic depression and anxiety, and pull herself loose from a mental breakdown and an abusive relationship. In her thirties, she took up Shaolin Kempo and later added Hapkido, and holds belts in both arts. Teaching martial arts has been a source of joy and meaning. In 1998 she graduated from the Downeast School of Massage and started working as a massage therapist. In 2002, she got married to a marvelously funny guy and dove into step-parenting, an experience that could best be described as character-building. She has a BA in Psychology, and an MS in Nutrition, and a life degree in Cat Wrangling.