Resume of Dr. Dean M. Nelson
Dr. Dean Nelson Dr. Dean Nelson has always had an interest in human potential; as a child, his precocious questioning illustrated the depth of his curiosity. On his journey of discovery, he started three businesses, directed a non-profit dance company and operated two successful holistic healthcare clinics.

He studied with renowned meditation master Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche for thirteen years until Rinpoche’s death in 1987. Dr. Nelson started meditation groups in three cities and ran a fourth with his wife, Jaynine. He has been an instructor in mindfulness meditation for thirty-one years and led retreats and trainings for twenty-six.

Dr. Nelson earned a B.A. in anthropology and sociology from the University of Hawai‘i (1972), an M.F.A. in Choreography from the University of Utah (1976), a Doctor of Chiropractic from Northwest Health Sciences University (1992) and a degree in acupuncture and herbal medicine from the Minnesota Institute of Acupuncture and Herbal Studies (1994). He completed a co-active coaching training in London in 2008 and has trained in two other coaching methods.


Dr. Nelson resides in Hawai‘i with his wife and son and answers to the following titles: husband, father, doctor, businessman, author, teacher, dancer, retreat leader, and life and death coach. His latest endeavor over the past two and a half years has been a family sailing adventure—about which he’s threatening to write another book.