Mary Duennes, Healing Touch Certified Practitioner and retired Instructor, is a retired RN with many years of nursing experience in a wide variety of clinical settings including experience as a Holistic Health Nurse and Healing Touch practitioner in acute care hospitals. Before retiring, Mary, worked as a Parish Nurse in an underserved urban neighborhood in Cincinnati,OH. Mary continues to serve as a Qualified Mentor for students moving through the HTP apprenticeship and certification process.

For more than 20 years, Mary has also been involved with Capacitar International, an international network of solidarity and empowerment working in over 45 countries. Most recently she has been part of a team sponsored by Ohio University offering classes over zoom to people in Ukraine. The first series of classes were held in November 2022 with 2 additional 8 week series offered in 2024. Mary’s focus in this work has been teaching Capacitar practices for self-care.

In the fall pf 2019, Mary became a Certified Laughter Yoga Instructor. Mary has used Laughter Yoga with Caregiver Support groups for people with dementia, with staff of an Extended Care Facility, with Sisters of Loretto living in community and with groups of friends.

In 2010, Mary was recognized as one of six recipients of the Florence Nightingale Award given by the Board of Advisors of the University of Cincinnati College of Nursing.

She is the co-author of “Capacitar for Kids: A Multicultural Wellness Program for Children, Schools and Families” - Teacher’s Handbook published in 2005.