I was first introduced to meditation when I moved into the Seattle Dharma Center in Ballard, Washington in the 1980’s. The center was a small residential Zen Center established under the auspices of the Kwan Um School of Zen headed by Zen Master Seung Sahn. It was a deeply moving experience and was the impetus, the first thread of inspiration that eventually brought me to the virtual door of Mindfulness Northwest, where I completed the Mindfulness Teacher Training Program (MTTP), a rigorous 350 hour program. It was there that I learned about the Buddhist roots of mindfulness, psychology & neuroscience, group facilitation, the history of mindfulness, and much more. The training provided a deep dive into the skills, personal presence, and background knowledge needed for a deeply embodied, thoughtful and skillful presentation of mindfulness to diverse audiences.
Since 2006 I have been working as a Licensed Massage Therapist in Port Townsend, Washington. I started my business In Balance Therapeutic Massage at that time. As my skills in massage grew, I became increasingly curious about helping clients who can be debilitated by the sensations of pain and anxiety, hoping to learn more about the mind-body connection to help clients manage their pain and suffering. This curiosity was the second thread of inspiration that led me to become a mindfulness meditation teacher.
Continuing my development as a mindfulness teacher, I have been trained and Certified by Mindfulness Northwest to teach the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program, the “gold standard” in mindfulness courses. (Click “MBSR” in the menu to see upcoming classes.)
In 2019 I became trained and certified Mindful Awareness in Body-Oriented Therapy/MABT. This is a modality created by Cynthia Price, PhD MA LMT at the University of Washington. It was/is a research program developed to help people who have become addicted to opioids, and funded by the NIH. The program provides interoceptive awareness training for improving mental and physical health and well-being, particularly for individuals who are disconnected from their bodies due to stress, trauma, substance use, and physical and/or emotional pain. There are several components to MABT: compassionate touch, mindfulness techniques and supportive communication during every session. If you are interested in learning more about MABT and would like to schedule an appointment, please click on the following link which will take you to my massage practice website: schedule an MABT session…
I am a body-oriented, or Somatic Life Coach through the internationally accredited Somatic School in the U.K. This is a very exciting and logical “next step” in my work as a mindfulness teacher and bodyworker. To schedule an introductory meet and greet or to jump right in to a coaching session, please visit my coaching website
My personal experience with mindfulness training has helped me create a loving relationship with my own body and spirit. I have more patience, increased kindness, and forgiveness- toward my complicated mind and emotions- as well as towards others. It is this path to inner knowing and acceptance that is what I hope to share with you.
Ellen Falconer
