About Us

Heart Tree is a base for thriving people. We envision people making a habit of feeling good. To that end we offer a variety of activities to support that vision to become a reality.

I’m Theresa Fluty and I began my partnership with Brian Ford in the co-operation of Heart Tree Studios in Sacramento, CA. I first saw Aikido in 1989. Aikido awoke a passion to experience our connection to life, understand the significance of all beings and trust love over anxiety or fear. After completing a teacher apprenticeship program with John Smartt, founder of New School Aikido in Stockton, CA, I spent the next fifteen years as co-leader of Aikido Center in Sacramento, CA. Heart Tree Studios was the evolution of Aikido in me. In my partnership with Brian that passion to love life fully, have connection with others with less anxiety and to build trust by dissipating fear came to fruition.

Brian is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and the creator of Auto Process Therapy. Brian has been a student of Buddhism, Aikido, yoga, and comparative religions for over two decades. He works with children and families in a variety of clinical settings and is trained in the Triple P (Positive Parenting Program) approach to childrearing.   He has a background in substance abuse counseling and he leads APT groups with Native American men in a recovery setting in Manteca, CA.   His psychotherapy book, Auto Process Therapy: A Therapeutic Application of Buddhist Psychology is currently in development.