Patrick Mellen
Teacher and Founder of Balance Lab
Originally from Ohio, Patrick now lives with his husband in Brooklyn. He came to New York to be an actor and through that work met his teacher, Chloe Wing. Studying under Chloe, Patrick became a certified teacher of the Alexander Technique in 2012 through Alexander Technique International. Leaning into the meditation techniques also learned from Chloe, Patrick met MBSR and received his Certificate in teaching of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction through Brown’s School of Professional Studies in 2022.
His work at the intersection of the Alexander Technique (systematized body awareness) and mindfulness (non-judgmental awareness) experiments with the mind and body as the beginning (and end) of living with more ease.
As an actor, Patrick has appeared on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and in Broad City.
how do I start? If you are looking to join the “Balance Lab Online Studio” start here! If you are looking for one-on-one lessons start here. If you want to meet with Patrick for a 15-minute chat on Zoom start here
is this for beginners? In a very real sense we are, all of us, beginners. If you have never practiced mindfulness or never heard of the alexander technique, check out this intro video here. tl;dr: beginners welcome
can I cancel my “Online Studio” membership? yes, at any time, it is your responsibility to cancel according to the terms and conditions
can I pause my subscription? reach out for options or cancel and come back anytime!
what equipment do I need? Mostly curiosity, but you’ll access the space through zoom and if you choose to move around you’ll need a bit of space to shift from sitting to lying down to standing (but only if you want to shift from sitting to lying down to standing)
do I have to have my camera on in classes? Not mandatory, but encouraged! having your camera on is at times helpful to the teacher, especially at the beginnings and ends of practices.
are the library videos captioned? yes, and if you have other resource needs that Balance Lab can support please reach out
can I buy a drop in class pass? Sign up for the membership that starts with the free 1-week trial to drop in to any group classes. Cancel before the end of that first week to avoid charges or the system will prorate the rest of the month and you can be a full member!
what are the qualifications of the teachers? Patrick is certified to teach the Alexander Technique through Alexander Technique International and he has been certified to teach Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction by Brown University’s School of Professional Studies (see more about Patrick above)
what are the risks? when invited to mindfully move, there is the risk of overstretching or going beyond one’s own boundaries - to mitigate these risks, invite yourself to move more slowly if this is the first time moving through any particular practice. when invited to practice mindfulness or the alexander technique, the risks involve learning one’s edges