Sheila Kelly, MA, is an Embodiologist and a visionary woman who has a dynamic background which has evolved into the Belly Intelligence approach. She is keenly intelligent, has a provocative presence and a penetrating mind, and understands the psychology and research in the arena of mind-body communication. Most of all, she does not talk about the mind-body experience, but she lives it. There are 3 main streams of influence, education and experience that have integrated to breathe life into her unique approach to mind-body conversation:

• As an experienced educator, curriculum designer and facilitator, with a Masters in Whole Systems Design for Organizational Change (www.osr-nw.org), Sheila’s worked in non-profit management, program development, leadership training and healthy relationship education.  Thousands of people, including school and non-profit staff, women, teenagers and children and community members have benefited from her efforts to promote healthy communication and relationships, deal with conflict and build environments where people feel safe, respected and empowered. In her business, Kelly Connect, Sheila offers an educational approach that infuses the body’s intelligence and perspective into everyday conversation through workshops and staff development.
• Through her thriving dance business, “Shimmy with Sheikha” www.shimmywithsheikha.com, Sheila has taught Middle Eastern Belly Dance for over a decade and has studied the effects of Belly Dance on hundreds of women.   She understands that Belly dance is an organic approach to embodiment, as it its movements naturally move our awareness down into our pelvis or belly center. Her instruction is female-centered, technical, and comes from a perspective that movement is a gateway to the soul.   She has 5 instructional dvds, over 20 choreographs and teaches over 50 women of all ages.
• For 14 years, Sheila has been  student of the Ridhwan School (Diamond Approach), a spiritual approach integrating depth psychology with meditation and spiritual practices to deepen one’s contact with the nature of soul and being (www.ridhwan.org).  She has infused this learning into all aspects of her life and work, and is now in a training program to become a teacher of the Diamond Approach.

“The Belly Intelligence technique devised by Sheila provides an effective and simple way for people to experience and learn from their bodies. I see it as an important tool in my practice as a holistic physician, as it empowers participants to tap directly into their somatic understanding and knowledge.”
Andrea Cohen, MD, Holistic Neurololgist

Participants report that Sheila’s approach is body centered and mind blowing.  Here are some comments students have shared after experiencing Sheila’s facilitation of the Belly Intelligence workshops:

“She has a great capacity to create and hold space.  She is easy to listen to and has a nice voice tone.”
“She has a way of asking the questions that almost seem simple, yet not always easy.”
“Sheila is deeply committed and inspirational; her heart and mind were both working to show us/teach us valuable lessons.”
Other words participants have used to describe Sheila:

• Very effective, warm and present;
• Articulate, authentic, precise, compassionate guidance
• Very welcoming, accepting, non-threatening
• Very clear and effective; exuded calm and confidence
• Perfect balance of leading and allowing
• You really held a safe container for us!

If you want an experience that will pull you out of your head and into your body, come and try Belly Intelligence.

Sheila has also been teaching Middle Eastern Belly Dance for over a decade. If you would like to find our more about belly dancing with her, check out her web site at www.ShimmyWithSheikha.com!