Organizer

Melanie Pensak

Teacher

  • Melanie Pensak
    Melanie Pensak

    Melanie Pensak, an Earth Protector, offers nature-based meditation experiences designed to honor Mother Earth, cultivate interconnection with the land and assist people in developing their daily mindfulness practice. She is known for her 4 -year Airbnb Experience Meditate @ the Beach in Los Angeles.

    Melanie presently leads nature-based meditation classes and half day retreats on Shoshone-Bannock land in Boise, Idaho. During this time of safe distancing, Melanie also offers online meditation courses via Zoom as well as one-on-one mentoring in the areas of mindfulness and nature practice. She is certified as a Mindfulness Teacher through the Mindfulness Training Institute accredited by the International Mindfulness Teachers Association (IMTA). Melanie is a Teacher of Mindfulness in Nature through Mark Coleman’s program Awake in the Wild.

    She is particularly interested in the concept of reciprocity creating outdoor mindfulness workshops which integrate giving back to the land through responsible restoration and regenerative practices. Melanie feels passionate about helping people incorporate mindfulness and nature into their modern, busy lives after living in cities herself for 15 years.

    She is also a Certified Speech-Language Pathologist who enjoys helping children and families communicate. Melanie provides therapy online and offers one-on-one guided play with children outside in nature.

    During the pandemic, Melanie lived and worked in community on an organic farm and engaged in land stewardship on a ranch. In her free time, she enjoys learning how to be a part of the shift towards regenerative living for all beings. She supports organizations such as Extinction Rebellion Los Angeles, Farmers Footprint and Non-Toxic Neighborhoods.

    You can also find her online as a hostess and community leader for Sangha Live. She is presently diving deeper into the Indigenous Knowledge of her own Ukrainian and Polish ancestry. When it is time to play, Melanie can be found exploring in nature, salsa dancing and refining the art of doing nothing.

Date

Mar 01 2025

Cost in $US

$80/$100

Honoring Loss & Transforming Grief in CIRS Recovery 4-Week Course

JOIN THE WAITLIST FOR MARCH/APRIL 2025 COURSE

WHO SHOULD SIGN UP?

  • This 4 -week live, online course is appropriate for those with CIRS (Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome) on the Shoemaker Recovery path. 
  • It is best for those who are in clean housing, on binders and are aware that grief is showing up in their healing journey. 

WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT?

  • Each 1-hour session will provide a guided grounding practice to prepare the nervous system, a teaching and experiential, interactive activities to help touch into, feel and transform grief with community.
  • Teachings will directly relate to CIRS recovery experiences.

WHAT TOPICS WILL BE COVERED?

Participants will learn:

  • The many different types of grief to help make sense of the grief they are experiencing (ie. acute, delayed, masked)
  • Where grief shows up in the body and how to safely feel into the grief 
  • The Window of Tolerance and how to know when is a beneficial time to feel and transform grief
  • Specific areas where grief is showing up in their CIRS recovery (ie. friends, items, lifestyle)
  • Strategies and experiential exercises to support the transformation of grief (ie. art, music, writing, nature and somatic movement)
  • How to support themselves with the qualities of kindness, love and self -compassion

WHAT IS INCLUDED IN EACH SESSION?

Each 1-hour class includes:

  • Brief, guided grounding practice
  • Teaching specific to grief
  • Time for questions
  • Interactions with fellow participants
  • Experiential activities (art, writing, somatic body movement, nature, meditation, ritual/ceremony)

Participants will be provided:

  • Activities and support for home practices
  • Access to supplemental prerecorded meditations
  • One private 15-minute teacher meeting half way through the course

WHAT DAY AND TIME?

TBD: MARCH/APRIL 2025

JOIN THE WAITLIST FOR MARCH/APRIL 2025 COURSE

COST?

$100 for Non Practice Portal Members

$80 for Practice Portal Members

TESTIMONIALS

“This course helped me understand what I was feeling. It was a great step up/forward on my healing journey.”

“I’ve been sad and grieving for years. I didn’t realize how much of my grief stemmed from losses caused by CIRS. I appreciated learning how to move grief rather than letting it stagnate and slow down my CIRS healing journey.”


  • Please contact Melanie if you have questions about the course

Melanie is a Grief Educator through David Kessler and certified as a Mindfulness Teacher through the Mindfulness Training Institute.

She has completed additional mindfulness training through David Treleaven’s Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness program.

Melanie is a Shoemaker Proficiency Partner Diplomate and recovering from CIRS.