Hi, I’m Elana! I was born and raised in America’s Heartland, spending my early years near St. Louis, Missouri and the rest of my childhood in Indianapolis, Indiana. Since then, I have lived all over the map – Western Pennsylvania, Northern California and Kansas City – following the spiritual winds wherever they took me. I now reside in the Greater Seattle area with my husband and three spoiled fur baby kitties.
How I Approach Life
My early and young adult life was largely marked by a keen interest in seeking spirituality and inner transformation. I’ve journeyed like a pilgrim on a never-ending quest to know, touch and embody Love.
This existential thirst led me in and out of various Christian evangelical denominations and charismatic Christian communities, where I devoted my study and daily practice to living from Christ’s love and God’s presence. Some of my most profound experiences of mystical union with Divine Love came from those moments of surrender, hunger, and faith.
My spiritual path continued to evolve as I awakened more deeply to the divine light in each and every being. Illusions of separation began to melt away as I became more aware of the oneness and interconnectedness we all share. Studying Eastern philosophy and various Eastern religious traditions allowed me to start embracing life in new ways – with more acceptance, more ease and more flow. I adopted new spiritual teachers, like Eckhart Tolle & Thich Naht Hahn; I explored meditation, yoga philosophy and spiritual practices from people of all backgrounds.
Some would describe what I experienced as deconstruction of my Christian faith, but I feel that in the end, my heart and spirit expanded to include MORE of what is.
My spiritual investigation continues to this day; as I grow in awareness, I refine or release beliefs that limit my understanding and practice of Love. Now, it is my joy to support fellow pilgrims who seek to reconnect with all that is, with Love, with themselves.
“Love is a state of Being. Your love is not outside; it is deep within you. You can never lose it, and it cannot leave you. It is not dependent on some other body, some external form.” – Eckhart Tolle
Qualifications
I am a Whole Person Certified Coach and a Certified Professional Coach, graduating from an ICF Accredited Coach Training Program (ACTP) through Coach Training World in Portland, OR.
I worked for almost three years as a Quit Coach in the corporate sector at Optum (a subsidiary of United Health Group) in their national Quit For Life® Program, totaling over 1066 hours of coaching and serving over 2933 clients. In this role I coached diverse populations of tobacco users in their journey toward quitting and also worked for six months as a WeightTalk® Coach within Optum’s WeightTalk® (weight loss) program. For this position I graduated from a Tobacco Treatment Specialist (TTS) Training Program, accredited by the Association of Treatment for Tobacco Use and Dependence (ATTUD), as part of the Quit For Life® Training Program.
I graduated from Grove City College in Western Pennsylvania, to complete Bachelor of Arts degrees in both Spanish and French, with a minor in Religion.
Post-college I studied for three years at Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry in Redding, California – earning Certificates of Completion for each year. This expanded my experience & study of Christian mysticism, miracles, co-creating with the Divine to positively impact your community & world, developing a secure spiritual identity, growing in intuition, manifesting through abundance thinking, coaching, visualization and somatic awareness. While my religious views have since changed, many of the foundational principles during this period have remained with me on my spiritual path.
Personal Interests
Beyond what has already been mentioned, I enjoy yoga, exploring the beautiful outdoors with my husband and dressing in costume whenever possible. I’m a public safety nerd; I wave street crossing flags & wear florescent clothing with pride (can we all stop texting while crossing streets, please? Thank you!). I’m entranced by live music, as well as creating music myself through piano, guitar or jamming out to some primal rhythms with others on hand drums. I’m passionate about connecting with people of various cultures & especially language learning. And I’d be remiss to not mention my love for animals and protecting our one and only living planet (and thereby human existence).
Elana Marlo Coaching 