"...with an amber light for inspiration..."
---Hazrat Inayat Khan


Henry E. Cretella, M.D.

Henry is a General and Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist. Dr. Cretella has been practicing in the Rochester, New York area for over 20 years and has been involved in community mental health centers, schools, centers serving developmentally disabled individuals, detention centers and university psychiatry training and clinical programs. He has always maintained a commitment to rural and underserved areas and practices widely as a consultant throughout western New York.

Henry has had the good fortune to have attended trainings in a variety of mind-body-spirit techniques, including nature awareness with Tom Brown Jr. and Del Hall, mindfulness-based stress reduction with Jon Kabbat Zin, PhD., hypnosis and regression therapies with Brian Weiss, M.D., and mind-body techniques with James Gordon, M.D. and Herbert Benson, M.D. He is certified in mind body spirit techniques through Dr. Gordon's Center for Mind Body Medicine, based in Washington, D.C. He is a practitioner of Buddhist and Sufi meditation techniques, a martial artist, a musician and a teacher. Henry brings this richness of interest, training and experience to bear on promoting wellness and integration of mind, body and spirit.

Active in the Sufi Order International since 2001, Henry is a student of Shahabuddin David Less, senior teacher. He is an ordained Cherag (minister) of the Universal Worship, a Healing Conductor in the Sufi Healing Order, and a Representative guide and class leader in the Sufi Order Internaional. He is active in the Sufi Order of Rochester, a local chapter of the Sufi Order International. Henry is a certified leader of Sufi Dances (also known as Dances of Universal Peace), and is also a member of Rising Tide International in Sarasota, Florida, an organization promoting spirituality founded by Shahabuddin Less.

Henry is a founding member of Bismillah and Friends, with Kathleen. He composes and arranges most of the music they perform, plays rhythm guitar and sings backup vocals. Henry produced their two CD recordings, Jerusalem and My Longing For Thee. Bismillah and Friends has appeared in concert with gifted musicians and recording artists Moksha and Jemal, who also appear on My Longing For Thee We enjoy playing for family and friends, and co-facilitating a local chanting group.

Recent Trainings

December, 2006 Research on advanced Meditation Techniques in the Sufi tradition; Suresnes, France.

June, 2006 Meditation Trainings with David Less of Rising Tide International; New Deli, Ladokh, and Kashmir, India. Meeting with teachers and staff of the Hope Project; New Deli, India, on innovative strategies for school and community development in impoverished areas.

April, September, 2006 Workshop on incorporating music and meditation techniques in everyday life, "The Awakened Healer"; Buffalo, NY

April, 2006 Retreat for personal development with Linda Nicolai.

2005-06 Seasonal Qigong Training.

Summer, 2005 Advanced Qigong Training taught by Don Londorf, M.D., L.AC., Director, Chinese Healing Arts Center.

November 8 - 13, 2004 6 day Qigong Training taught by Don Londorf, M.D., L. AC.