Coach MJ
“MJ has supported me through my spiritual, professional & emotional growth. She is a holistic healer & guide whose classes provide me with a much needed sense of community.”—Craig Manbauman. Thought Leader / Veteran / R.N.
“MJ lifts up people. She makes us all want to be better and do better. Her life long practice of compassion & skill for holding space is a model for us all.”—Stephan Wolfert. Actor / Veteran / Founder of De-Cruit®
“The body-mind-spirit spectrum can be assessed in infinite ways: if your way calls for a spot-on, common sense approach that’s wrapped in love and a smile, then MJ is your source.”—Stephanie Marango. M.D. / Author, The Wisdom of Your Body: What It Is & How to Decipher It
Photo by Michael Kushner
My name is Mary Jo (MJ) McConnell and I am here to help your hospital’s healthcare workers navigate this challenging time as their “resilience coach”: mitigating PTSD and promoting healing.
I began my journey as a healer by becoming an R.N.,
then serving as a Captain in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps.
But I had another passion – the performing arts. For the past 40 years I have been a professional actress – lucky enough to have trained with some remarkable professionals, earn an MFA from The American Conservatory Theatre, tour the United States in many Broadway musicals, and appear in television shows, film, and corporate industrials. These seemingly disparate careers have skills in common: listening, story telling, and observing human behavior.
Fourteen years ago two of my friends were diagnosed with cancer. As a witness to their treatment I was shocked by the lack of a holistic approach and began using every tool in my arsenal to help them. I ultimately went back to school (Institute for Integrative Nutrition) to be certified as a health coach by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. I am proud to say that I have helped many reclaim their health, mitigate their stress and improve the quality of their lives.
I am also trained as a Guided Meditation leader, and use this as stress management tool and a method of imprinting your staff’s goals.
As a “De-Cruiter”, I am trained in Stephan Wolfert’s methods of using science and Shakespeare to promote healing = Theater as Medicine. Many in the veteran community have benefitted from this program www.decruit.org.
Veteran’s Art Workshop Online Portal (VAW-OP)
MJ created this platform with her veteran colleagues March 2020 to offer free arts/wellness classes to veterans, their families, and caretakers.
Every Friday at 1PM eastern, she offers a guided mediation workshop along with behavioral tools to enable peacefulness and support a mindfulness practice.
MJ is a “De-Cruiter”
This unique program designed by veteran and artist Stephan Wolfert offers veterans the opportunity to write the narrative of “the incident that most affects them” and then apply the inherent feelings to a piece of Shakespearean text that mirrors that emotional experience. When buoyed by the support of a trusted community, the veteran, while using theatre training (grounding, breathing, non-judgmental observation of feeling in the moment) can fully express themselves.
MJ is currently adapting this program to support the emotional challenges facing healthcare workers.
Intro to De-Cruit for Nurses debuts Nov. 3, 2023 at New York University for community health nursing students!
