Spirit River Institute is a catalyst for lives of deep meaning and positive impact. Our clients are people becoming more conscious of who they are and what they're here to do. They refuse to settle for anything less than the very best they can be for themselves, their loved ones, their organizations and the world.

The name Spirit River Institute comes from the metaphor of a river flowing in each of us. We may perceive it as our life force, our purpose or our spiritual path. However we experience this river, when our minds are quiet and we listen, we can hear it urging us to be more of who we are—to align ourselves with its flow—and to bring our gifts to everything we do and everyone we meet.

The spirit river is a metaphor, but the work of tapping into what is great and courageous in us is absolutely practical in personal life, work and relationship.

Burke Miller, M.A.

Burke has taught leadership seminars, coached executives and facilitated retreats for major corporations, conducted public workshops on life purpose, coached couples and guided wilderness vision quests for the past ten years. He has an extensive background in experiential education and non-profit leadership. He is a graduate of the Advanced Coaching and Leadership programs of the Coaches Training Institute (CTI) and the Denver Community Leadership Forum. He has advanced training through CTI in Organizations and Systems Coaching.

Burke's passion is relationship in all its forms - from intimate partnerships to families to leadership teams. He is a gifted coach, teacher and healer. He helps his clients create fully integrated personal and professional lives - where they experience joy and meaning while claiming their power to make a difference. He brings enthusiasm, insight, depth and a compassionate fierceness to his work.

Burke holds an M.A. in eco-psychology. He has spent 25 years exploring the interconnections of consciousness, nature and human development. One of his greatest gifts is helping people draw self awareness and wisdom from their connection to nature.

Debra Silverman, M.A.

Debra is an astrologer and psychotherapist. She has been in private practice for 29 years. She has a unique approach to both psychology and astrology that has brought her world-class status. For the past seven years Debra has had the honor of teaching at the internationally-renowned Esalen Institute. She has written columns for parenting magazines in the U.S. and Canada and starred on a radio show in Vancouver for many years.

Debra’s specialty is blending astrology and psychology to help clients understand their life lessons, unique purpose, strengths and challenges. Her work is based on Jungian psychology and the four primal elements of Water, Air, Earth and Fire. She teaches that an awareness of unique behavioral tendancies under stress allows us to have understanding and compassion for ourselves and each other. During times of crisis some of us want to be alone, some need to talk, while others get busy; it is essential in the name of emotional wisdom to know how to deal with ourselves and our loved ones with sensitivity and grace. This is the theme to Debra’s work: the continual pursuit of wisdom and integrity and the honoring of the individual.

Debra holds an M.A. from Antioch University in Clinical Psychology. She trained for her mental health credentials at Harvard University where she specialized in Dance Therapy. Throughout her career, Debra has pursued a passsionate study of Esoteric Healing, Astrology and Metaphysics.