Exploring Life & Business with Dee Marie, MA, CYT of Energy Source & CALMING KIDS (CK): Creating a Non-Violent World

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dee Marie, MA, CYT.

Hi Dee, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Dee Marie, MA, CYT was born in Boston. She began dancing and performing at the age of three. She performed with numerous companies in Boston, graduated Cum Laude in dance/theater, from Skidmore College, in Saratoga Springs, New York. The Dance Teacher’s Club of Boston certified Dee Marie as a dance instructor. She moved to New York City and toured in a Broadway show and performed in several dance companies before experiencing a traumatic car accident while entering a NYC taxi. Doctors predicted that Dee would probably never walk again. Unwilling to accept this grim diagnosis, she began her journey back to health by taking charge of her own recovery, using exercise therapy, strength training, stress management, visualization, yoga, and meditation. During that time, Dee worked intensively as a Biomechanics researcher at HJDOI (world-renowned Orthopedic Institute in Manhattan) and learned strength training and weightlifting techniques from Olympic training coach, Oscar Cartes.

Dee then earned a master’s degree from New York University in therapeutic exercise and motor development and became certified by the American College of Sports Medicine. For two years, Dee was also the President of the Association of Personal Trainers, in New York City. She lectured on stress management and Yoga Science for the city of New York, the United Federation of Teachers, Univera Life Science Corporation, The Optimists Club: Friends of Youth and The National Kid’s Yoga Conference in Washington DC. Since moving to Boulder in 1992, Dee has presented for the Colorado School Counselors Association, the Jefferson County, St. Vrain County and Boulder County School Districts, as well as the Boulder and Colorado Health Departments.

Dee Marie is a certified adult yoga teacher, recognized by the Himalayan Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy, a children’s yoga teacher and a Colorado State certified pre-natal yoga instructor. Dee has been a practicing clinical yoga therapist since 1986 under her business name Energy Source.

While working with adults, Dee realized that many people were struggling with body and breath awareness, and that physical and mental wellness techniques should be taught in schools. After the Columbine mass shooting in Colorado Dee became obsessed with changing the school paradigm. She spent five years studying the effects of integrating a comprehensive nonviolence educational yoga program into the elementary school curriculum. This pilot project proved incredibly successful. As a result, in 2006, Dee Marie was elected the SAVE (Stop America’s Violence Everywhere) Representative for the State of Colorado, as designated by the American Medical Association Alliance. She received state recognition and the National Heath Awareness Promotions Award for her CALMING KIDS (CK): Creating a Non-Violent World program. CALMING KIDS is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization that works locally, nationally and globally teaching school age students and certifying educational professionals and health care providers to be able to instruct children and teens. The CK curriculum is designed to decrease violence and increase concentration utilizing breathing techniques, yoga postures, stress management skills, and conflict resolution strategies for students of all ages and abilities.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
As a Yoga Therapist working under my business name, Energy Source, one of my biggest struggles was simply being able to describe what I do. It took 15 years before I could clearly articulate my role. When I worked in medical settings, such as doctors’ offices and chiropractic clinics, my work was often categorized as Physical Medicine, Physical Therapy, or Exercise and Relaxation. Over time, terms like “meditation” became more accepted. Today, “yoga” is widely recognized, but it’s often reduced to a movement-based (asana) routine with some time to relax at the end. Unfortunately, Yoga Therapy as a profession still hasn’t fully entered public awareness.

For the past 39 years, my work as a Yoga Therapist has gone far beyond just teaching postures. It encompasses nutrition consultation, respiratory therapy, emotional and lifestyle coaching, and physical rehabilitation. Despite this, promoting myself as a Yoga Therapist remains challenging, as most people still assume I simply teach a yoga class.

Another major hurdle came when I launched my nonprofit. In 2004, introducing yoga to schools was met with resistance. The word “yoga” triggered concerns about religion, given the strong emphasis on separation of church and state in the U.S. Although I had four years of evidence-based research to support the program’s benefits, my initial outreach to schools was met with skepticism. I initially named the program AHIMSA, a Sanskrit term meaning “nonviolence to self and others.” Despite positive feedback and interest from principals and counselors, the word “yoga” in the school day was a non-starter.

To adapt, I rebranded the program as CALMING KIDS (CK): Creating a Non-Violent World and described it as bully-proofing instruction. Initially, I only offered teacher training, which proved successful. Eventually, schools began asking for more: they wanted direct student engagement and programs centered on relaxation and self-regulation. Demand grew steadily.

I always believed it would take until 2024 for the culture to catch up, and it has. Now, schools, districts, and parents are actively seeking out CALMING KIDS for mindfulness, anti-anxiety, and relaxation training for students, educators, and families. It’s been a long journey, but the tide has finally turned.

As you know, we’re big fans of Energy Source & CALMING KIDS (CK): Creating a Non-Violent World. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Dee uses her extensive educational and practical experience in dance, yoga, yoga therapy, sports training, motor development, exercise therapy, relaxation and meditation to provide private and class instruction for individuals of all ages and populations in Boulder and the broader Denver Metropolitan area under her business Energy Source. She feels blessed to have had 39 years of experience helping all types of individuals, including those at the Center for People with Disabilities, veterans, stressed out executives and aging seniors.

Dee’s wildly successful nonprofit organization instructs students, preschool – high school age, school staff, parents and all youth providers on how to apply stress management, self-regulation and mental wellness into everyday activities. Since 2004, CALMING KIDS (CK): Creating a Non-Violent World has traveled throughout the state of Colorado training students and teachers. Teacher training has also been instructed in Nebraska, Kansas, Maryland and Virginia and has reached as far as Mexico, Puerto Rico, China and the Middle East.

Dee Marie is very proud of teaching peace in the Middle East, sharing calming techniques with over 300 teachers and 1200 students.

Along with a team of extraordinary individuals Calming Kids has designed products in five different languages, both online and hardcopy to support teachers, families and students for a mindful journey to mental wellness.

Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
CALMING KIDS is an evidence-based program that was studied over five school years in collaboration with a statistician from the Harvard School of Public Health. The research was supported by funding from the Colorado Medical Society, backing from the Boulder Valley and St. Vrain Valley School Districts, and recognition from the American Medical Association Alliance.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://CalmingKids.org
• Instagram: CalmingKids
• Facebook: CalmingKidsYoga
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CalmingKidsYoga