About the Tree of Life School
At some point, many people begin to question the patterns in their lives—why certain experiences keep repeating, why they feel stuck despite their best efforts, or why something feels missing beneath the surface.
The Tree of Life School was founded by Chris Stavri and Mercedes Simon from a shared vision: to help people understand themselves more deeply and discover practical ways to create meaningful and lasting change.
At the heart of the School is the Tree of Life, used as a practical map for psychological, personal and spiritual development. Our work draws upon traditional and modern approaches to the Tree of Life, including teachings from the Toledano Kabbalistic tradition, while bringing these into dialogue with contemporary psychological understanding and everyday life.
Our approach is inclusive rather than tied to one particular religious tradition. For those who connect more naturally with Christianity, we also offer Christian Tree of Life courses that explore the teachings of the Tree of Life alongside Christian spiritual understanding. These form one pathway within the wider work of the School rather than defining the School as a whole.
Although our professional backgrounds are different, we share the belief that greater self-awareness can lead to greater freedom, wiser choices and a more meaningful way of living.
Our work includes individual Tree of Life Model Psychotherapy, Tree of Life Astrological Readings, personal and spiritual development courses, Christian Tree of Life courses, workshops, seminars, talks and other learning opportunities. These are offered online and in person through individual work, groups, day events and weekend programmes.
Each area of the School offers a different way of working with the Tree of Life, while sharing the same underlying purpose: to support deeper self-understanding, personal growth and spiritual development.
We invite you to explore the different areas of the Tree of Life School and discover the approach that best supports your own journey.
Mercedes Simón
Astrologer · Architect · Researcher · Co-Founder
Mercedes is a professional astrologer and long-standing student of Kabbalah and the Tree of Life. For eight years in London, she studied Kabbalah, astrology and mysticism under Z’ev ben Shimon Halevi, and later gained the FAS Diploma in Astrology.
Her work brings astrology and Kabbalistic understanding together as tools for self-knowledge and personal and spiritual development.
Chris Stavri MBACP (Accred)
Psychotherapist · Clinical Supervisor · Author · Co-Founder
Chris is a Counselling Psychotherapist and Clinical Supervisor with 20 years’ experience. His work brings together Humanistic Integrative psychotherapy, self-understanding and personal development.
A long-standing student of Kabbalah and the Tree of Life, Chris studied with Z’ev ben Shimon Halevi and has developed an approach that explores psychological patterns alongside the deeper dimensions of human experience.