Author, coach, and spiritual leader Rochelle Melander has helped
thousands of people create rich lives, meaningful work, and great
books. Rochelle brings to her work a solid education in coaching,
therapy, writing, and theology; the practice of life-long learning;
years of experience as a writer, speaker, and coach; and a passion
for hearing and nurturing the dreams of others.

Professional and Academic Achievements

Rochelle Melander. . .
 

	graduated Magna Cum Laude from Concordia College in Moorhead,
	Minnesota, with majors in Theater Arts and Religion.
	earned two theological Masters degrees from The Lutheran
	Seminary at Philadelphia.
	is a certified Coach U graduate.
	holds a certificate of study from The Center for Family Process
	where she studied with Dr. Edwin Friedman.
	has eighteen years of experience as a spiritual leader and
	visioning consultant.
	founded LifeRhyme Coaching in 2001, the Write Now! Writing
	Workshops in 2006, and in 2007 Rochelle launched Right Now!
	Coaching.
	has written nine books and hundreds of articles.
	is an editor who has mentored many authors to success.
	is a life-long learner. In the past fifteen years she has read more
	than 1500 books.
	is a member of the International Coach Federation and the American
	Society of Journalists and Authors.

 
Personal Achievements and Passions

Life Loves
I am happily married to my soul mate and writing partner, and we have two amazing children. My favorite activity each day is hearing what my family has to say about life!

Generation
I'm vintage Xer.

First Love
I think I was three. It was a book, probably Cat in the Box by Dana Michel or one of the One, Two, Three with Ant and Bee books. Later on, I fell passionately in love with A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle. When it comes to books, I'm a polygamist not a serial monogamist—I believe in reading many books at once. (You should see the stacks of books in my house!) Here are some of the books that have changed my life:
 Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
 Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney
 Frederick by Leo Lionni
 Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde
 Proverbs of Ashes by Rita Nakashima Brock and Rebecca Ann Parker
 Writing a Woman's Life by Carolyn G. Heilbrun
Composing a Lifeby Mary Catherine Bateson
Inspiration Sandwich by SARK
The Dance of the Dissident Daughter by Sue Monk Kidd
Let Your Life Speak by Parker Palmer
Touching Our Strength by Carter Heyward
Thirst by Mary Oliver

Next Love
I don't think I've been still more than a minute of my life (except to sleep). I love to dance. We have a room in our house that's nearly bare except for the stereo. It's where we all meet to boogie. I love lots of music but my heart belongs to The Indigo Girls.

Places I Love
I live in Milwaukee, a small city on Lake Michigan. I love to walk by the lake, picking up my beloved heartstones.
I regularly visit San Diego and the Pacific Ocean—a place that makes my heart sing.

Loving to Connect
One of the great joys of my life is getting and staying connected to people. Family, friends, neighbors, colleagues, mentors, clients, and strangers enrich my life beyond measure.


 click on any of the book covers to purchase
 

A Generous Presence: Spiritual Leadership and the Art of Coaching by Rochelle Melander A Generous Presence was named by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat to be one of The 50 Best Spiritual Books of 2006! The Brussats select these books from the over 300 books they review each year. A Generous Presence is a collection of story-driven essays about the philosophy, tools, and work of coaching that is designed to support all spiritual leaders in deepening and enriching their personal and professional relationships. By practicing the coaching tools Rochelle Melander offers, spiritual leaders will be better equipped to guide those they work with toward accepting the past, creating a life vision, and setting goals for the future. Additionally, the tools provided in this book will help leaders understand themselves and enable them to strengthen their definitions for healthy living, raise their awareness about their own life and relationship skills, and improve their skills in relating to individuals and groups.

The Spiritual Leader’s Guide to Self-Care by Rochelle Melander and Harold Eppley Are you too tired to take proper care of yourself? Are you burned-out by ministry but don't know how to get well? Are you starting out in ministry and want to avoid the pitfalls? This book will coach spiritual leaders like you through fifty-two weeks of exercises that will enable you to be healthy in every area of your life!

Our Lives Are Not Our Own: Saying "Yes" to God by Rochelle Melander and Harold Eppley Does your life matter? How do your choices affect others? What can you do in your community to impact the world? This book of essays tackles the topic of personal stewardship from a holistic point of view. Grounded in solid biblical study and theological reflection, these essays will get you to think about how you use your time, money, and stuff.

Growing Together: Spiritual Exercises for Church Committees by Rochelle Melander and Harold Eppley Dreading your next church meeting? Looking for a way to connect spiritually with others? This handy book offers a solution for turning around committees who have become stuck by the business of running a church. Melander and Eppley have created a simple small group process that you can apply to any committee, task force, or group meeting. Each of the fifty thematic exercises contains a prayer, community building time, bible reading, and questions for reflection. You can also purchase Growing Together here. Editions of this book have recently been published in Germany (2000) and Great Britain (2001).

Timeouts with God: Meditations for Parents by Rochelle Melander and Harold Eppley Don't have time for devotions? Need a "timeout" from your own children? Tired of those devotional books that make parenting sound like a breeze? This book of short devotions presents an honest, down-to-earth look at the gritty side of parenting and then assures you that God is always willing to meet you in that place. It reminds you that, "Now is not forever and your forever is in Jesus' hands." Each devotion is accompanied by a biblical text and a short prayer. This book was featured on the national radio program "Decision Today."

Welcome Forward: A Field Guide for Global Travelers by Rochelle Melander and Susan M. Lang This book will support you and your group through every step of the planning and travel process. You can learn more and purchase this book by clicking here.

Dancing in the Aisle: Spiritual Lessons We've Learned from Children by Rochelle Melander and Harold Eppley In this world of spiritual gurus, some of our best teachers are children. If "we listen closely to children's voices, if we pay attention to their actions and habits, if we reflect on the stories they tell us about their lives, we learn something about our own journey of faith." (Melander and Eppley, p.xiv) This insightful collection of essays will teach you to look at your faith in new ways and challenge you in your own spiritual journey. Each essay is followed by questions for reflection and a spiritual challenge.