Melanie Pensak

Melanie Pensak, an Earth Protector, leads nature-based meditation classes as well as meditation courses online. She offers one-on-one mentoring in the areas of mindfulness and nature practice. She is certified as a Mindfulness Teacher through the Mindfulness Training Institute led by teachers Martin Aylward and Mark Coleman. She has completed additional mindfulness training through David Treleaven’s Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness program. Melanie is a Teacher of Mindfulness in Nature through Mark Coleman’s contemplative nature program, Awake in the Wild. She leads healing circles in the spirit of Council following Level 1 Training and is in Grief Educator training with David Kessler. Melanie feels passionate about helping people incorporate mindfulness and nature into their modern, busy lives after living in cities for 15 years and spending extending periods of time tending to land and living on farms and ranches. She is a Dharma Practitioner, influenced by the teachings of the Buddha. You can also find her online as facilitator of the Chronic Illness and Disability Affinity Group for global Buddhist organization Sangha Live. Melanie also holds over 18 years experience as a Certified Speech-Language Pathologist helping children and families communicate. Melanie is currently recovering from CIRS (Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome) caused by biotoxin exposure from living in water-damaged buildings. The changes in her physical abilities and presence of dynamic disability have inspired her to consider how to make earth-based practices and nature meditation more accessible to all people. She feels passionate about increasing awareness around the illness, as well being a part of the change towards improving building code standards, health care and access to financial resources for those with chronic illness and invisible disability. Melanie offers one-on-one CIRS support calls and Mindfulness Mentoring Sessions to those recovering from CIRS and/or experiencing chronic illness who wish to process their journey through the lens of mindfulness and compassion. She has completed first level Shoemaker Protocol training on CIRS and is a Proficiency Partner Diplomate. She continues learning and has completed A4M’s Breakthroughs in CIRS training as well as created The Heart of CIRS Podcast. A dana-based weekly meditation class for folks with CIRS runs each Monday, and CIRS Healing Grief Circles run seasonally.

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