About me

My name is Ikumi Derschmidt. The name Ikumi comes from Japanese and is composed of two characters: "Iku" (育), which stands for both "to grow" and "to nurture," and "Umi" (海), which means "ocean." Together, the name represents evolution, as life itself began to grow in the sea — making it the obvious choice when naming my practice.

Kinesiology has been a part of my life for over 12 years. I experienced my very first balance session when I was 14 years old. The effectiveness of the method was so profound that five years later, I decided to learn it myself. What I discovered through my training and the personal healing I underwent is truly beyond words. The path was not easy, as I had a great deal to process and heal: depression, trauma, candida, burnout, Lyme disease, Epstein-Barr virus, chronic fatigue, leaky gut, and commitment phobia — just to name a few "highlights." But even though working on my mental and physical health sometimes felt like a Sisyphean task, I emerged from it as an experienced, strengthened, and happier person. Since then, I have made it my mission to help as many people as possible experience a similar transformation.

In my free time, I enjoy reading books, making music, practicing Tai Chi, weight training, spending time in nature, and exchanging ideas with friends and colleagues. I do also enjoy playing a good strategy game.

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My Core Values

In my work with clients, I deeply value communicating with both respect and clarity, while also keeping a sense of humor. The focus is always directed toward the goal, rather than dwelling on a perceived problem. Truth and honesty are essential for setting transformation in motion, which is why uncovering the truth plays a vital role in my sessions. Instead of dictating what is true and what is not, I work individually with each person to find their best possible path. "Truth is what works," as the Buddha is said to have chosen. The ultimate goal of my work is to make the world a place where more truth, kindness, love, and peace are present — balance by balance. 

A fundamental approach to life is to continuously keep learning and growing as a human being. This requires regular self-reflection, meditation, ongoing education, and exchanging ideas with others. This is the Japanese principle of Kaizen: improve yourself and your actions every day, even if only by a tiny bit.

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