About sue mcgovern
Sue McGovern
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Welcome!I'm not your average Mind Body Practitioner. Earlier in my career I had a deep passion for optimal wellness which led me to Fitness Training and Health Coaching. I'm now a Yoga and Mindfulness Meditation Teacher, Breathwork and Trauma Release Facilitator, and Psychedelic Facilitator. I've been on this incredible journey for over 28 years and what an honor it is to share it with you.
"By bringing our awareness to our inner world, we can unlock the potential for true transformation. This process can be challenging, but the results are worth the effort" I find for myself what a difference it has made to spend more time focusing inwards.
When I learned I could be still and become aware of what is happening in my body, this was such a game changer for me. As we turn our awareness inwards, to the intricate workings of our own mind, body, and spirit so much can be revealed. Our very nature and complexities as humans become more apparent. Compassion, love (heart opening), and acceptance for ourselves as well as others begins to change who we are. For many this can be a challenging process (as it was for me), yet some of our biggest challenges bring about the most insight. |
My Journey
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In my early forties, life took me on a challenging journey where I found myself balancing the role of a caregiver for an elderly parent with the responsibilities of raising three teenagers. This was a time of immense stress, and to make matters more complex, I was also grappling with the onset of menopause. The convergence of these stressors and hormonal changes pushed my body to its limits, leading to a physical shutdown. For two decades I had been a dedicated fitness trainer, but suddenly physical exercise was no longer an option. My body shutting down was the breaking point I needed for what was going to be a whole new chapter in my life.
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“Trauma creates change you don't choose. Healing is about creating change you do choose.” ― Michele Rosenthal, CLC, NLP, CHT |
Through a collaboration with a holistic doctor, we embarked on a journey to address the underlying hormonal issues. However, this was just the beginning of my healing expedition. It soon became evident that in order to restore balance and well-being, I needed to integrate past experiences, stress, and traumas that were impacting me physically, mentally, and spiritually. This knowledge would ultimately give me the ability to help clients in all the avenues I work with.
Yoga and Mindfulness Meditation
As a personal trainer I had incorporated yoga asanas (postures) into my programs and classes for clients for many years. I would also do yoga asanas for my own benefit. This led me to take the 200 hour yoga teacher training and dive deeper into the full eight limbs of yoga. It was towards the end of my yoga training that I had the opportunity to learn about a program called "Yoga to Transform Trauma", a path that unexpectedly unveiled windows into my own unprocessed childhood trauma. This allowed me to gain deeper insight into how trauma gets stored in our bodies. I had always found it interesting that I was never able to just lie on my back in Savasana after a yoga practice. I honestly thought it was not the best use of my time. What I wasn't aware of is that this was a trauma response, because for me to be still and quiet was not at all internally comfortable. What also came up for me during this training is when fellow yoga teachers would share something trauma related, my body would naturally rock back and forth. I learned that this is a self soothing technique my nervous system employed to find a sense of calm in the moment, as others shared their difficult experiences.
I must admit that meditation had always seemed elusive to me, but during countless sleepless nights marked by relentless hot flashes and an overactive nervous system, I turned to my breath to stay anchored in the present moment. It was in these challenging moments that I finally comprehended the incredible potential of meditation. After a few years of personal practice and completing a ten day silent meditation retreat I had a thirst for deeper knowledge, prompting me to explore the realms of psychology and spirituality, and ultimately pursuing a Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification. One of the benefits of this program was that it was trauma informed. With this knowledge I was better equipped to hold a safe space for clients when certain emotions, memories, or bodily sensations became intense or difficult. This became particularly significant when clients would initially experience tremendous benefits from a routine meditation practice. However, over time some clients would encounter difficult and challenging experiences leaving them uncertain about what was happening. They would often struggle to use breath as their anchor, and I was able to offer alternative meditation techniques when feeling into the body became overwhelming.
I must admit that meditation had always seemed elusive to me, but during countless sleepless nights marked by relentless hot flashes and an overactive nervous system, I turned to my breath to stay anchored in the present moment. It was in these challenging moments that I finally comprehended the incredible potential of meditation. After a few years of personal practice and completing a ten day silent meditation retreat I had a thirst for deeper knowledge, prompting me to explore the realms of psychology and spirituality, and ultimately pursuing a Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification. One of the benefits of this program was that it was trauma informed. With this knowledge I was better equipped to hold a safe space for clients when certain emotions, memories, or bodily sensations became intense or difficult. This became particularly significant when clients would initially experience tremendous benefits from a routine meditation practice. However, over time some clients would encounter difficult and challenging experiences leaving them uncertain about what was happening. They would often struggle to use breath as their anchor, and I was able to offer alternative meditation techniques when feeling into the body became overwhelming.
Breathwork
You've probably gathered by now that I love to learn. I'm always interested in the latest science and how it might help myself and my clients. During my Yoga training, I was exposed to pranayama which is an ancient breath technique that originates from yogic practices in India. I continued to learn that Breathwork offers such a powerful range of benefits: connecting with the present moment, calming the mind and body, shifting the nervous system, and releasing trauma to name a few. I had the opportunity to experience a new form of Breathwork that involves open mouth circular breathing, which is something I had never experienced before. It took me a while to find the right program that used breath in this way and after months of research I came upon Biodynamic Breathwork for Trauma Release (BBTRS). At my first training, I witnessed and released both deeply held tension and trauma that had been trapped within the tissues of my body. By skillfully engaging in conscious connected breathing techniques, felt sensation awareness, therapeutic touch, conscious movement and mediation, we can unwind and release core tension/resistance (trauma) from the cellular memories in our somatic and nervous system. This unique and integrative process invites the innate wisdom of the body to express itself through a series of gentle emotional releases. The body has the innate wisdom to heal itself when given a safe and supportive environment to do so.
Psychedelic Therapy
As I continued to explore the depths of the subconscious mind, I ventured into the realms of psychedelic medicine and a door opened that I didn't believe would have been possible. When working with these substances in a specific and intentional way the results can be amazing and also challenging. I believe that we need to have a complete respect for these substances that have been used by ancient cultures for thousands of years, as well as the ones developed most recently. I feel deeply grateful for the very first facilitator who held a safe and sacred space for me. Taking the yearlong Vital Training Course has allowed me the opportunity to assist others along their journey into healing and transformation.
We are intricate beings comprised of mind, body, and spirit, and it's my belief that we can benefit from a myriad of healing modalities along our personal journeys. Over time, I've learned to trust the inner healer that resides within me and recognize that same inner healer in every one of my clients.
We are intricate beings comprised of mind, body, and spirit, and it's my belief that we can benefit from a myriad of healing modalities along our personal journeys. Over time, I've learned to trust the inner healer that resides within me and recognize that same inner healer in every one of my clients.
My mission is to guide individuals on their path to holistic well-being, encouraging them to unlock their inner wisdom and discover the remarkable power of mind, body, and spirit in the process. Together, we will embark on a journey of transformation, healing, and self-discovery.
Certifications and Trainings
Vital Psychedelic Therapies and Integration Certificate 1 year program
Somatic Attachment Therapy Certificate 60 hours
Healing Developmental Trauma Certificate
Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification 2 year program
Biodynamic Breathwork and Trauma Release Facilitator Certification 400 hours
Yoga Trauma Training 50 hours
Yoga Teacher Training 200 hours
Reiki Level 1 & 2 Certification
Ace Certified Personal Trainer
Certified Health Coach
Group Fitness Instructor
CPR Certified
Somatic Attachment Therapy Certificate 60 hours
Healing Developmental Trauma Certificate
Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification 2 year program
Biodynamic Breathwork and Trauma Release Facilitator Certification 400 hours
Yoga Trauma Training 50 hours
Yoga Teacher Training 200 hours
Reiki Level 1 & 2 Certification
Ace Certified Personal Trainer
Certified Health Coach
Group Fitness Instructor
CPR Certified