Site Map

Who We Are

We guide you to discover your natural abilities to communicate and express yourself in the world.

Sandra Zimmer

Sandra Zimmer believes that each of us has natural gifts and talents and a unique way of expressing that is compelling to others. Sandra founded the Self-Expression Center from her desire to help people develop confidence to express themselves more freely. As an acting student, she had experienced how difficult it was to free her acting talent in classes based on negative criticism. As a public speaking professional, she had felt the awful fear of stage fright and performance anxiety. Sandra wanted to provide transformational programs in an atmosphere where people could overcome fear of public speaking and feel safe enough to open up and explore their natural abilities to present, perform and communicate.

Sandra holds an M.A. in Theater from The University of Houston, a Doctorate in Esoteric Philosophy, a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Texas and is a Certified Lessac Voice Teacher. Additionally, she has more than 30 years of experience in personal growth and spiritual psychology. She also received acting and directing training from theater giants Jose Quintero, Gerald Freedman, Robert Lewis, and Michael Shurtleff.

Sandra has been guiding groups and individuals since 1976 at the Self-Expression Center and in business settings, teaching public speaking, voice training, communication skill training, acting classes and much more. Her teaching credentials also include The University of Houston Drama Department, Houston Community College Speech Department, The State Bar of Texas Continuing Legal Education and The University of Houston Law Center. She has designed group-training programs for Walter P. Moore Engineering, FKP Architects, Welcom, KBR, Brown & Root Services, Lockheed, Star Enterprise, Neill Corporation, Pointsmith Point of Purchase Management and Dub Miller Ford. She has trained individuals from hundreds of companies, including Compaq, Siemens-Nixdorf, Exxon-Mobil, Amoco, Baker Hughes, IBM, Coca-Cola Foods, Shell Oil, Shell Chemical, Marathon Oil, Conoco-Phillips, SYSCO, KHOU-TV, KUHT-TV and several law firms.

Sue Brightman

Sue Brightman is a senior associate for Self-Expression Center. Her expertise is in the areas of Communication Skills / Norms, Team Effectiveness, Building a Performance Culture and Leadership Development. Sue works internationally as a consultant, coach, and facilitator. Sue has designed and facilitated hundreds of workshops and learning conferences for clients in 40 countries on five continents.

The Self-Expression Center is proud to offer Sue's programs on Skillful Conversation: How to Talk About Things That Matter in Business; Giving and Receiving Feedback Effectively; Coaching Others for Performance Excellence; Teambuilding; and Creative Collaboration. In addition, Sue has developed leading-edge expertise in virtual facilitation - offering workshops and learning events in virtual formats with maximum participation and impact.

Sue is available through the Self-Expression Center for both corporate programs and for individual leadership coaching, usually for six month contracts or longer either in person or by phone.

Sue's professional background includes fifteen years of organizational change management experience with various high-profile companies: as the Employment/Employee Relations Department Manager at The Christian Science Monitor, a Pulitzer-prize winning international newspaper; as a Senior Consultant at Drake Beam Morin International, a company specializing in corporate downsizing and career transition planning; as Senior Consultant at Covey Leadership Center/Houston, an organization based around the principles of 7 Habits and Principle-Centered Leadership; and as a member of Royal Dutch Shell's Transformation Team, providing consulting and coaching to international teams within Shell.

In 2007/8, Sue introduced tools/norms of communication to 1000+ Shell IT professionals on five continents within the Shell International Petroleum BAM organization, and another 85 virtual workshops for Shell staff in another 30 countries. In addition, she conducted 75 Myers Briggs Personality Inventories (MBTI) and held one-on-one coaching sessions with each recipient. As part of a team building effort, Sue then created MBTI team profiles for each team, resulting in both increased individual effectiveness as well as team synergy.

Sue regularly speaks at international conferences on three areas of expertise: working effectively on virtual teams, managing organizational & IT changes successfully, and having courageous conversations necessary to accelerate business progress. Her recent presentations included speaking at the 2006 Shell IT Conference in the Netherlands on "Managing the Change Process"; at a 2007 global conference in Hamburg, Germany on "Embracing Diversity: Effective Team Building and Team Working"; and in 2008 at the international Pegasus Systems Thinking conference on "Best Practices for Building Global Skills and Norms in a Virtual Community".

Sue's teaching and consulting have been deeply influenced by two post-graduate years' study on transformational leadership with Fred Kofman of MIT who co-founded Axialent and Integral Institute. In addition to her completion of Harvard Law School's Program on Negotiation and graduate work in organizational systems, Sue continues her commitment to lifelong learning by annual participation in the Shambhala Authentic Leadership Institute in Nova Scotia and memberships in various organizations including Society for Organizational Learning and Integral Institute.

Sue's clients include Royal Dutch Shell, General Motors, Hearst Corporation, Procter and Gamble, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Pulitzer Inc, St. Francis Regional Medical Center, Drake Beam Morin International Consulting, IBM, Bell Canada and Exxon/ Mobil, and several not-for-profit organizations.

Teya Sparks

Teya Sparks knows how to ignite the excitement lying dormant inside of you! As a highly skilled Life Coach she understands how important it is to get your energy moving so you can get your life moving. Through years of trying to build her business by herself, she knows what it takes to move beyond limiting beliefs and perspectives. She believes that taking responsibility for the support and information you need is key to thriving as a business person. Teya is brilliant at helping you dismantle your personal behaviors that cloud your thinking and affect your business.

As business owners and entrepreneurs, you bring yourself to your business- you are your business. Who you are, what you think, how you handle situations, your communication skills, personal preferences, social skills, fears, doubts, belief systems, energy levels, perspectives, attitude, passion- all contribute to your business! Bring your best self to your business! Teya openly shares her passion for helping people embrace the Process of Success- this skill alone will change your life forever! Discover the Freedom to Succeed and be prepared to feel really good about yourself!

By the age 19, Teya was the Assistant Controller of a company with over 100 employees. She has supported many businesses to create and execute systems that allow them to run more efficiently and operate effectively. She brings creativity and originality to the art of business- and is always thinking outside the box! She has over 12 years experience studying and leading in Re-Evaluation Counseling and the Clarity Process. She has been working with clients as a Life Coach since 2001 and has training in Coaching from Spirit and Mentor Coaching.

Teya facilitates groups and classes on Communication Skills and the Process of Success. Her open and candid style encourages safety and honesty and creates an environment where “getting down to business” is fun and easy. Her policy of no judgment allows her clients and participants to be real and open themselves to new perspectives. Teya believes that if you allow yourself to take it one step at a time and embrace the process, you remain pleased, energized and motivated- because the secret is to keep moving!

Patty Adamik

Patty Adamik helps people get “in the flow.” Patty understands that health and vitality felt in your body directly impact your ability to think creatively, connect with others and maintain the stamina needed for challenging projects. As living beings, we are in constant movement from the spiraling of fluid as our body develops in the womb to millions of cellular shifts and exchanges that take place within us throughout our day.

Since 1970, Patty Adamik has traveled a path of self-exploration through movement. Starting with early training in classical ballet and followed by immersion in numerous movement disciplines including yoga, tai chi, Chi Kung, Feldenkrais and Continuum Movement.

Patty’s early career as Marketing Director and Consultant for an educational publishing firm provided a solid foundation in business development, workshop presentation and public speaking. Her personal interest in helping others to better connect to the natural world and to their own interior landscape led her to the practice of Tai Chi and Chi Kung. She taught numerous classes and developed a series of instructional videos. At the same time, she was also investigating methods of natural healing through touch and nutrition.

After moving to Houston, a shoulder injury and chronic neck pain led her to massage therapy including the structural/energetic work of Zen Bodytherapy® and Vodder Method Lymph Drainage Massage. She became a licensed massage therapist in December 1989 and has been practicing ever since. On-going interest in staying fluid and relaxed while also pursuing a vigorously physical career path as a massage therapist and movement educator led her to study Continuum Movement and in 2008 she became the first Authorized Continuum Movement Teacher in Houston, TX.

Bodily-felt awareness of ‘what is’ in each moment is an integral aspect of her work. Patty assists her clients to access the inner wisdom of their body’s intelligence, making sure that each client is aware of the changes taking place in his/her body. Enhanced body awareness is the basis for long-lasting change and for integrating those changes into the larger aspects of their life. Patty’s approach emphasizes flexible fluidity, both mentally and physically. Staying focused while also being able to receive and incorporate new information is an invaluable skill in today’s rapidly shifting business environments. The result is enhanced creative thinking, inner knowing and communication.

Patty maintains a bodywork and movement practice working with individuals and groups. To test her own ability to stay in a state of mental and physical flexibility, she is also the Managerial Administrator for Turbo Industrial Resources, Inc., an Engineering Consulting Firm owned by her husband, Don Adamik.

Patty’s certifications include:

Registered Massage Therapist and Massage Therapy Instructor since 1989
Vodder Certified Manual Lymph Drainage Therapist
Authorized Continuum Movement Teacher www.continuummovement.com
Advanced Zentherapy® Practitioner zentherapy.org
Member AMTA since 1990, Nationally Certified Massage Therapist since 1994
Member International Association of Structural Integrators