A Little More About Me
For prospective student inquiries or any questions, please email me at danmcfadden.mt@gmail.com
Resume and references available upon request
My meditation practice began and took shape during college, when I was dealing with many considerable stressors. Much of my experience as an undergrad was impacted by panic episodes, social anxiety and depression which affected my coursework, ability to form meaningful friendships and hold down a job. At first, my attempts to manage these experiences involved attitudes of resisting or powering through them. However, after stumbling across a recorded lecture on Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) by Jon Kabat-Zinn, American biologist and founder of MBSR, I knew that mindfulness had the potential of teaching me a more effective means of managing my distress. Practicing mindfulness meditation enhanced my capacity to be present and have compassion for my difficult life experiences, and allowed for real healing to take place in the process.
From this initial introduction, I began to research prominent books, articles and other media on mindfulness that I could learn from. It was also during this time that I began practicing yoga, helping me to better inhabit and connect with my body. Over time, I saw as these two practices intertwined and complemented each other, and observed as my overall health improved as a result. This period of exploration culminated the day after my college graduation in 2016, when I was fortunate enough to attend my very first meditation retreat at Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, New York, led by Kabat-Zinn. During this retreat, I met incredible people from all different cultural backgrounds, career paths and spiritual disciplines which encouraged and affirmed for me the importance of a dedicated meditation practice.
Since then, I've had the pleasure to meet and learn directly from many influential teachers of contemplative practice, furthered by my participation in mindfulness workshops, residential retreats and course intensives with reputable institutions throughout the US. In 2020, I completed a comprehensive 200-hour program accredited through the International Mindfulness Teachers Association (IMTA) to become a Certified Mindfulness Teacher, Professional Level (CMT-P). More recently, in 2024, I began training in the rigorous MBSR Teacher Training Pathway established by the Global Mindfulness Collaborative (GMC).
As a meditation teacher, my intention is to share genuine and effective mindfulness-based practices with those who seek them, in the spirit of optimizing health, happiness and well-being. My teaching is focused on effecting a shift in how a student relates to their inner experience, by strengthening their natural capacities for non-judgmental awareness, compassion and self-acceptance. Through practice, I’ve found that mindfulness meditation can aid us in fostering a deeper and more meaningful reconnection with our authentic selves — and help us to better realize our innate, human potential.