Alex Greene

Alex developed an interest in the connection between the body and mind when he began his formal Zen training in Honolulu, Hawai’i in 2000.  A college student at the time studying physics and philosophy, he had an important encounter with Tenshin Tanouye Rotaishi, one of the pre-eminent Zen masters of the 20th Century in which Tanouye Rotaishi advised, “the meaning of life can be found entirely within the refinement of breath and posture.”  

Alex took this simple, but profound, statement to heart and pursued Zen meditation, traditional martial arts, and chanting practice rigorously as a means to discover what Tanouye Rotaishi called shin-ki-roku itchi –mind, body, spirit (breath) in oneness.

After a 3-year monastic stay of intensive practice and ordination as a Zen priest, Alex joined his father, Hakuun Gordon Greene Roshi in establishing a rural Zen training facility in Spring Green, Wisconsin in 2006.

In 2010 Alex met Everett Ogawa, a master bodyworker also trained in Zen by Tanouye Rotaishi and trained in bodywork by William ‘Dub’ Leigh, the founder of Zen Bodytherapy.

Feeling an instant connection with Everett, and deeply impressed by his warm presence and grounded embodiment, Alex entered a new phase of mind-body-spirit education with a serious study of bodywork with Everett and its connection to Zen training. Alex found that bodywork was a “missing ingredient” in expanding and deepening his Zen practice as well as opening up whole new dimensions of his emotional life and personality.

By 2012 Alex moved into full-time bodywork practice in Madison, WI with the founding of Red Beard Bodywork and Structural Integration (our original name). To complement the Structural Integration training from Everett, Alex also studied and certified in Myofascial Release, Zero Balancing, and Visceral Manipulation in order to develop a very comprehensive understanding of the systems of the body.  During this time, he also became increasingly aware of the connection between hands-on bodywork and psycho-emotional trauma connected to the body and became interested in what he calls the “neurobiological revolution” of the last 20-30 years led by pioneers like Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing), David Berceli (TRE), Stephen Porges (Polyvagal Theory), and Bessel van der Kolk.

This led Alex to become trained and certified in TRE –Tension & Trauma Release, Somatic Experiencing, Safe & Sound Protocol, NARM – NeuroAffective Relational Model, and Internal Family Systems to develop a complete toolkit of somatic and nervous system-oriented approaches to help overcome trauma and promote psycho-emotional and spiritual growth and well-being.

Now based in Boulder, Colorado with his wife, Vanessa, and daughter Lily, Alex maintains a full practice and is the administrative lead for Red Beard Somatic Therapy.  Along with Ellen McKenzie, he also teaches in our TRE – Tension & Trauma Release Certification Program. Still with deep roots in his Zen practice, Alex has also founded a new school of bodywork called Zen Integration Bodywork based on his synthesis of Zen and bodywork training and is teaching his first cohort of students in that work in Madison, Wisconsin.

Alex loves to work with men and women of all ages, cultures, trauma histories, gender identities, sexual orientations, spiritual backgrounds, professions, and geographies.  He has discovered for himself that the body and nervous system is a powerful gateway for deepening the connection between one’s Self, purpose, and psycho-emotional-spiritual growth and he looks forward to beginning that journey with you.

BODYWORK

  • Founder of Zen Integration Bodywork
  • Certified Practitioner of Integral Bodywork® Structural Integration from Everett Ogawa in Chicago
  • Certified Practitioner of Zen Bodytherapy® Structural Integration from Audrey Nakamura in Honolulu
  • Trained in the John F. Barnes’ Myofascial Release Approach® with John Barnes and others
  • Trained in Visceral Manipulation with the Barral Institute
  • Graduate of the East West Healing Arts Institute in Madison, WI –  focus on eastern and western integrated approaches to therapeutic bodywork

NERVOUS SYSTEM/TRAUMA THERAPY

  • Internal Family Systems Practitioner - trained with Cece Sykes of the IFS Institute and Derek Scott of IFS Canada
  • Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP) following a 3-year Professional Training developed by Dr. Peter Levine
  • Trained in NARM NeuroAffective Relational Model for developmental trauma with Larry Heller and others
  • Trained in DARe - Dynamic Attachment Repatterning Experience with Diane Poole Heller and Alicen Halquist
  • Trained in Brainspotting with Susan Pinco and Deborah Antinori
  • Certified as a Safe and Sound Protocol® Provider - a listening therapy based on the polyvagal theory
  • Global Certified Provider of TRE® Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises
  • TRE® Certification Trainer
  • Sexual Trauma Training with Ariel Giarretto

MOVEMENT/SOMATIC EDUCATION

  • 4-year Kelowna Feldenkrais Teacher Training with Julie Peck and others
  • 1 year of the Feldenkrais Training Academy in Seattle, WA with Jeff Haller and others

COACHING

  • Completed the Presence-Based® Coaching curriculum with Doug Silsbee and others
  • Associate Certified Coach (ACC) through the International Coaching Federation (ICF)

ENERGY MEDICINE

  • Certified in Zero Balancing®, completing a mentorship program with David Laden
  • Completed a 2 year training in energy medicine with Paul Ditscheitt, Madison WI

ZEN

  • Faculty and former Board Member for the Institute for Zen Leadership
  • Instructor and former Board Member for Chosei Zen
  • 3 year monastic Zen training at the Chozen-ji Zen Dojo in Honolulu.  Ordained as a Zen priest in 2008

EDUCATION

  • Bachelor’s degree in East Asian Philosophy from the University of Hawaii
What My Clients Say

"He works with both confidence and curiosity, and has a special ability to hold space for his clients free from judgement and expectation. As a result of this work I now inhabit my body in new ways."

What My Clients Say

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What My Clients Say

"I’m very happy to report that my whole sense of orientation, safety, and regulation has been deeply improving day by day. (Better sleep, better digestion, more moments of liveliness and joy) I recently was on a trip and was absolutely amazed that the flights, airport, & public transit time didn’t send me into a panic. I felt regulated, noticed some triggers arising, and believe I even felt a sense completion of a pattern in my nervous system. I’ve been getting back into meditation and sleeping like a rock. It’s great!! Alex, I can’t thank you enough for the depth of your container, insight, and care. I’m very grateful!" - David H.

What My Clients Say

"He works with both confidence and curiosity, and has a special ability to hold space for his clients free from judgement and expectation. As a result of this work I now inhabit my body in new ways."

What My Clients Say

"As a licensed therapeutic bodyworker myself, I choose Alex as my bodywork therapist.  It is the focus, self-authenticity, and centered presence that Alex brings to his work that truly makes him a gifted healer."

What My Clients Say

"Eleven months ago, at the age of 22, I had a spinal repair of my L5-S1 vertebrae. This was the last resort to continuing back issues from the age of 10.  I am currently pain free and have not felt this good in a very long time.  If bodywork is desired, then Alex is the person to see."

What My Clients Say

"By the end of the tenth session, I could hardly believe the transformation that took place over time. Only by looking back to session one can I truly appreciate how far I’ve come. The changes were incremental, and minuscule at times, but that’s how lasting change eventuates."

"By the end of the tenth session, I could hardly believe the transformation that took place over time. Only by looking back to session one can I truly appreciate how far I’ve come. The changes were incremental, and minuscule at times, but that’s how lasting change eventuates."

Laura Thomas

"Eleven months ago, at the age of 22, I had a spinal repair of my L5-S1 vertebrae. This was the last resort to continuing back issues from the age of 10.  I am currently pain free and have not felt this good in a very long time.  If bodywork is desired, then Alex is the person to see."

Michael Locasto

"As a licensed therapeutic bodyworker myself, I choose Alex as my bodywork therapist.  It is the focus, self-authenticity, and centered presence that Alex brings to his work that truly makes him a gifted healer."

Courtney Cowie, LMBT

"He works with both confidence and curiosity, and has a special ability to hold space for his clients free from judgement and expectation. As a result of this work I now inhabit my body in new ways."

Annemarie Kalson

"For the last 15+ years I’ve learned to function outside of my body as a method to suppress emotions and also as a protective means in an effort to deal with chronic pain. Not only has Ellen helped me find the ability to listen to my body, but she helped me find my voice and confidence, both of which I was previously greatly lacking. Ellen was a voice of strength when celebrating my success, and she also provided unwavering support when some of the work brought up “old stuff” that felt scary for a short time. To infer that the work we’ve done together has been transformational would truly be an understatement. Not only has my physical pain reduced, my relationships with my family and partner have flourished due to my ability to regulate myself and effectively communicate needs and hold appropriate boundaries. I am so grateful to Ellen for all she has done, and I look forward to continuing our work together as we continue to work on releasing the chronic stress and tension in my body, helping to calm my nervous system, and ultimately move toward an even more comfortable state of embodiment."

"Working with Ellen one-on-one was an incredible deep dive into self-knowledge through experiencing my body. Where Ellen shines is her talent for creating a space for exploration that is gentle, honest, safe, and empowering all at once. Ellen’s knowledge and expertise are clear, but her approach is one of partnership. And it works! I clearly see the physical and emotional results."

"I've always been someone who'd rather be in the library than at the gym. So when I seriously herniated a disc in my lower back, I was completely unprepared for the recovery process. The injury was very bad, and I had to have surgery for pain relief. The surgery was successful, but for many years my core and leg muscles remained incredibly weak and intractable, and I was living with chronic nerve pain in my legs.

Then, after multiple unsuccessful rounds of physical therapy, I met Ellen, and working with her changed my life. She met me where I was with my body and mind-body connection, which felt like rock bottom. She taught me fundamental somatics exercises for recovering command of my body, and radical knowledge for developing my own daily somatics practices. It's not an exaggeration to say her therapy renewed my relationship with myself. Today I feel more cognizant and comfortable in my body than I've ever felt before in my life. My daily life isn't organized around nerve pain anymore, and I'm able to relax and move again. I actually feel more desire to move and grow than ever before. I can't testify to her work and wisdom enthusiastically enough."

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