About The Owners of Ayni Healing Arts Center
Photo credit: Alessandra Sawick Photography
Rev. Denise Saracco-Zoppi, Director and Founder
“The Soul Doctor”, Author, LMT, CMLDT, Success Coach,
Shaman and Psychic Development Mentor, Ceremonial Master
I have always wanted to be close with the Sacred. Like my grandmother, Esther, I found the Sacred speaking with me through the wind in the trees, the sunlight streaming down along a wooded path, intuitive nudges throughout the day, dreamtime, and in many other ways. It was this practice of walking with the Sacred that brought me out of some very dark times in my life.
Life for me was not easy. I battled depression, suicide, trauma, and anxiety for many years. Traditional treatments did little to help me. I had tremendous grief in my heart from too many failed relationships and even more losses. The grand mal seizures I experienced sporadically in my life left me in a healing crisis that no western doctor could diagnose or cure. Barely able to function or even lift my head off the pillow in the morning, I sunk into a deep depression. Life didn’t look good. I was sick and stuck. I had dreams, but had no clue how to achieve them. I was in a dead-end life, and wanted to end my life. It was devoid of meaning and purpose. I always wanted to help people, but I couldn’t even help herself! One day, in the darkest moment of my life, I heard a voice as clear as if it were uttered from a physical person. “Your problems will follow you whether you have a body or not.”
Realizing this was a message from the Sacred, and that there was no escape from the pain, I embraced the message and committed to my health and wellbeing first and foremost.
I found healing in alternative practices, including yoga, meditation, Reiki, and was Divinely led down a path of Shamanism. Through my apprenticeships with Shamans, Holy Women, and powerful Healers, I learned how to heal myself, and eventually, light the way to help stir healing within others. I discovered the grand mal seizures was one of three traditional ways one is called to be Shaman, and that Shaman were considered “wounded healers”.
Since 2006, I have healed myself by engaging in the practices and teachings I have acquired along the way. I opened my private practice and have treated hundreds of clients successfully due to the Sacred coming in to doctor them all. I have witnessed the power of Love and its ability to heal any affliction, be it physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual. I watch my clients miraculously heal thanks to the Medicine of Love they embrace inside and outside of sessions.
The Sacred came to me in 2009 with a Shamanic Medicine Program to share with future students. I have allowed the Medicine of the Elders to flow through and share a new way of teaching students how to connect with the Sacred. Since meeting my husband, Joshua, we have followed the urges of Spirit by infusing cultural perspectives and ceremonies back into the shamanic practices. This is where we feel the heart and soul within healing can be found within various healing practices of the indigenous worldwide.
In 2018, the Sacred came to me again and asked for a book to be written. It was to be a book to help anyone, religious or spiritual, to have direct access to their higher power. My new book, “Walking With The Sacred: Ceremonies for Two-Way Conversations” is now available on Amazon.
In May of 2021, my husband and I followed a call from the Sacred to BE BOLD! We were guided to expand Ayni into the Healing Arts Center it was originally designed to be…with multiple professional practitioners from varied healing arts modalities coming together. We believe in always saying “YES” to the Sacred, and have invested everything into creating this wellness retail and sanctuary for All to Heal, Connect, and Grow.
I believe in empowerment above all. My own empowerment in my healing journey has paved the way for the Sacred to enter my life, heal the broken parts of me with Divine Love, and inspire me to live my best and fullest life. I pass this Medicine along to all my clients and students. I inspire them to know that they, too, have the ability to live their best life.
Photo credit: Alessandra Sawick Photography
Joshua Zoppi – Co-Owner of Ayni Healing Arts Center
Medium, Shaman and Psychic Development Mentor, Soul Midwife, Oracle Reader
In 1993, Joshua had an ability to connect with the dearly departed and loved ones on the other side. Joshua started off with a Roman Catholic upbringing mixed with multiple spiritual disciplines. For many years, he felt broken, depressed, angry, resentful, and unworthy of life. During his teenage years, Joshua enters what he likes to call the “dark ages” in his development as a young adult. He lost not only his trust in God but also himself, he gave into fear, felt like a failure, and switched onto auto pilot just to survive.
Joshua attend William Paterson University, where he obtained a Bachelors Degree in Anthropology. In 2011, the universe answered his prayers through one of his college professors. A chance to change his life and its direction! Here he met his future wife, Denise, and began healing himself from the inside out to his external life working with Shamanic tools and techniques he learned from Denise.
Joshua came to this path a broken, shattered, and deeply scarred man. Joshua knew nothing of who he was or what he was here to do. He took on the shamanic path which helped him to clear out old patterns, heal wounds he thought would never close, find empowerment, open his heart, and re-write the ending of his story. Joshua now uses his gifts and abilities to help others end their suffering through empowerment. He uses his words to speak directly to their hearts and uses Mediumship to connect loved ones heart to heart bridging the space where words fall short.
Joshua is grateful to work closely with Spirit to create a space of transformation and love to be present and rekindle the light of love back into the hearts of those who seek his help.