Diane Israel
Diane Joy Israel is a former world-class triathlete and self-described “running monk” who utilizes her experience with movement to ignite students and clients. Diane says, “Even though I was put in ‘special needs’ classes growing up, I enjoyed learning. I know that I was ‘special’ because I was different—I learned in ways that were embodied and heartful.”
She had a life-changing near-death experience at 17 while running a race. Her athletic career ended at age 28 due to chronic fatigue from over-exercising. After leaving the world of professional athletics, Diane helped found the Transpersonal Counseling Program at Naropa University. The highly competitive world of sports led her to specialize in performance, body image, and eating issues, as well as topics related to somatic movement and nature-based therapy.
“I decided that if I ever taught, I wanted a more expansive approach to learning beyond the traditional, one-size-fits-all model. After two decades of teaching, I have found that my ‘specialties’ match my students’ needs for creative and out-of-the box methods, including in-the-moment emotions, relationships, and individual expressions.”
Diane is a frequently requested public speaker and has participated in TEDxBoulder and the Global Glue Project. She’s been featured by Colorado Public Radio and podcasts such as Running on Om and Nicole DeBoom’s Run this World. She has been a contributor to numerous sports magazines, including Runner’s World and Triathlete Magazine. The award-winning independent documentary film Beauty Mark follows Diane’s personal journey and explores society’s race to perfection.
Due to intense grief following the closely timed deaths of her Mom and Dad, Diane chose to stop and “shelter in place” long before the pandemic, relying on nature to guide her. Diane is a wise (yet wild) woman who is able to reach multiple generations and a spectrum of audiences through her authentic, funny, and direct way of framing life, its challenges, and the continual opportunity to be alive, even when it hurts like hell.
Diane currently lives in Boulder, Colorado with her partner of 28 years, Lindsey Hansen-Sturm and serves as an end-of-life care consultant and ally supporting families as they navigate death.
