Dechen Ellen McSweeney is a relational practice facilitator, coach, musician, writer, and founder of The Nectary. Dechen creates and serves group fields where people can encounter the sacred in themselves, each other, and the living world. 

meditative training
Dechen is a lover of deep retreat practice, and has been a Dharma student for fifteen years. Her training includes seven years in the Insight tradition, two years of full-time training at the Monastic Academy, and an 80-day solitary retreat. She is presently a student of Geoff Fitch. 

relational training
Dechen is a psychodynamically-trained psychotherapist in private practice. Her training in relational practice includes a 6-month in-person SAS training with John Thompson, an in-person Level Up immersion with Jordan Allen, and multiple training experiences with Sofia-Jeanne Caring. She is also a graduate of Pacific Integral’s 9-month program, Generating Transformative Change. 

collaborators
Dechen is in close collaboration with a network of metamodern practitioners. She is an apprentice facilitator with Pacific Integral, and will join Layman Pascal as co-host of the upcoming Metamodern Spirituality Lab. She leads twice-annual Circling immersions in British Columbia with Ty Cooke, and has co-held intersubjective practice spaces with Sam Hinds in Berkeley and in Asheville. She worked closely with Daniel Thorson and Cheryl Hsu during the birth, life, and death of the Church of the Intimate Web (2023-2025). She is also a founding member of Lyric, a Circling quartet. 

home 
Dechen lives in Washington D.C. with her partner Zen. They have been married for almost a decade.