Here’s a little bit about how I landed in this amazing world of mind-body-movement-therapy but feel free toskip that and go here for suggestions of how to use this site to help you begin getting support and value right now.
Rachel Shanken, LMHC, RYT-200
- New York State Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC)
- Master of Science in Mental Health Counseling from Fordham University Graduate School of Education
- Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy Practitioner (9-month training intensive)
- Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-200) from Pure Yoga in New York City
- Veterans Yoga Project: “Mindful Resilience for Trauma Recovery” 3-day Intensive
- “Cultivating Emotional Mindfulness” 5-day workshop at The Cape Cod Institute
- “Guilt and Shame in the Treatment of Trauma” 5-day workshop at The Cape Cod Institute
- Co-Active Coach Training from The Coaches Training Institute
- Clinical Work: The Karen Horney Clinic, John Jay College Counseling Center, Fordham University
- Private Psychotherapy, Yoga and MindBodyWise™ Therapy
- MonteNido Eating Disorders & Exercise Addiction
- Lululemon Athletica (Upper West Side, NYC)
- YogaWorks (Upper West Side, NYC), Workshop Leader (on-going)
- Athleta (Upper East Side, NYC)
- La Gran Ventana Resort in Dominican Republic
- Hazelden Addiction and Treatment Center (A Betty Ford Clinic)
- The Conference for Peace and Justice NYC
- Guest Speaker/Teacher for Jillian Pransky’s Therapeutic Yoga Teacher Training for the “Trauma-Sensitive Yoga” module
- Guest Teacher at New York Yoga
- Workshops, semi-private group classes and teaching privately
Movement has always been an important part of my life. Self-exploration has always been an essential part of who I am.
As a child, I spent much of my time upside-down. I was a gymnast, who took the sport very seriously. I expressed myself through my body. My body was judged, my movement was evaluated, and I was always working toward improvement. I also fell, a lot. I got back up a lot. I got bumps and bruises. The sport was hard on my body and even tougher on my mind. It was at this formative time in my life that I learned mental and physical resilience. Here’s more about my gymnast years.
But, it wasn’t only gymnastics that challenged my mind. From as early as I can remember, I questioned things…
Growing up the child of a psychologist and a psychiatrist, the seeds of curiosity were planted early on. Part and parcel of most dinner conversations included analyzing, connecting and discovering. I was inquisitive about my own inner-workings and the inner-workings of others. I thrived on peeling back the layers of an issue, making connections, and identifying more mysteries along the way.
I started to see an inseparable connection
between my body, my heart and my mind.
In my 20’s, I got to a point where I was ready to go to therapy – I needed support for some of the struggles I had encountered over the years. I craved answers that I wasn’t able to get to on my own. Having grown up the way that I did, I trusted in the process of therapy. It was also during this time that I started practicing yoga. My body was back on the move. My mind was again being challenged in powerful ways by my body and vice-versa.
For a while, I went to traditional talk therapy and it was somewhat helpful. Yet, something was missing for me in that process. Parts of me were growing and healing, but other parts felt like they were at stand-still no matter what I did. I didn’t know exactly what was missing, but I was sure that something was amiss.
Over many years of practicing yoga and later returning to school to get my master’s degree in mental health counseling, I started to see an inseparable connection between my body, my heart and my mind.
It was then that I figured out what was missing from my traditional talk therapy treatment – my body! My body wasn’t part of the discussion, wasn’t addressed, and wasn’t even considered by the therapists I saw. It was as if I was made up of a mind and heart – nothing else. And yet, I’d leave yoga class feeling deeply connected to all of myself – but nowhere to discuss or process what was arising.
This was a huge revelation for me. It made me determined to find a way to merge together all the beautiful elements of being human, so that healing and growth could happen in a profound and whole-body way. Even the way I practiced talk therapy changed — integrating the body as an integral part of the process.
I was seeking a method to uncover the mysteries
of our whole selves – mind, body, heart.
As I reflect back, I see that I’ve spent my life integrating all the data that I’ve been accumulating along the way. I may not have known it all along, but I was seeking a method to uncover the mysteries of our whole selves – mind, body, heart – and to join with others in their unique journeys of self-discovery.
In staying open and connected to all of parts of me, something beautiful happened. The naturally inquisitive part of me merged with the analytical part and the physically resilient part. Blending my background in traditional therapy, coaching, eastern yogic philosophy, and Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy I created MindBodyWise™.
The joy and exhilaration I feel in providing support and bearing witness to others as they courageously delve deep inside and find the treasures within themselves is unmatched. It feels like magic, although it’s actually the most real thing I have ever experienced.
Whatever your body, heart and mind need,
even if you’re not sure, I can help.
Tour the Site
There’s an abundance of free resources right here on the site, so you don’t have to wait to get started!
Take the MindBody IQ Quiz for an opportunity to get better acquainted with your mind-body connection. Your results include next steps for healing and growing.
Join the MindBodyWise™ Living Room. This is a free Facebook group to connect with like-spirited people and get support from me around personal growth and mind-body healing.
Read MindBodyWisdom. Here are several good starter posts.
Register to receive MindBodyWisdom. A weekly dose of valuable tips, insights and inspiration delivered directly to your inbox.
When you’re ready…
If you have questions, or want to get in touch, email me anytime rachel@mindbodywise.com with questions, ideas, or any feedback. I’d love to hear from you!
