Anya Loizaga-Velder is co-founder of the Nierika Center and Ecovillage.

She holds a MA degree in clinical psychology from the University Koblenz/Landau in Germany and is currently completing her doctoral studies in medical psychology in the University of Heidelberg. Her dissertation is about the therapeutic potential of Ayahuasca rituals for addiction treatment. She has specialized in humanistic and transpersonal psychotherapy and been since over 15 years dedicated intensively to the study of indigenous healing practices, ritual and healing music and studies of consciousness. She is convinced that these practices are powerful healing tools and can be a great compliment to occidental psychotherapy. She has practiced yoga since 20 years and is a certified yoga and yoga therapy instructor from the Bihar school of Yoga in India.