Meet Shilah and Shelly, the Co-Creators of Aspen Monarch.
Aspen Monarch is here to support curious seekers on their paths of awakening and embodiment. We offer personal sessions, group work and retreats, and collaborate with many other wellness professionals through our trainings and courses to bring you a well rounded and diverse experience of learning and personal exploration. Our work encompasses many modalities and brings forward the intersections between them that have proven transformational over time. Through Yoga, Herbalism, Somatic Therapeutics, Ayurveda, Depth Psychology, Inner Work and holding reverence for the unseen mystery, we weave together a wide range of modalities and practitioners that support people in getting to know themselves.
Our name originates from the symbolism found in both the Aspen Tree and the Monarch Butterfly. The Aspen grove, although it looks like many individual trees, is one organism living and breathing together; the health of one impacts the health of all. The monarch butterfly inspires us to remember that even through life’s most challenging transformations we can emerge as the most beautiful version of ourselves. By experiencing our own transformations we contribute to the collective growth of our communities and all our relations.
We are here to assist clients with their personal growth and transformation, as well as professionals and service providers who want to add to their existing skill set. Our work sits at the intersection of grounded methodologies and reverence for the unseen and our sessions, courses, resources and trainings are how we bring forward our offerings.
A fun fact about us is that since we are in the business of helping humans, we do not use AI to generate our workshops, course content or other resources that we provide. 100 percent certified organic human experience is what you will find here :)
Hi, I’m Shilah
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been curious about the meaning of my life. That curiosity, woven with a deep connection to the seen and unseen, set me on a path of self-exploration more than 20 years ago. I searched far and wide, only to realize the answers I sought were always within. True teachers along the way helped me remember how to access that inner space and return, again and again, to living from it with presence and embodiment.
Teaching has unfolded as a natural extension of this journey. After completing my first 200-hour yoga training in 2009, and later my 500-hour designation in 2012, I began sharing through classes, workshops, and retreats around the world. What began as a love for mindful, meditative movement blossomed into co-creating an accredited Yoga Teacher Training school.
My curiosity has always pulled me toward deeper layers of healing, and over time it led me into the heart of embodiment itself; the body as a doorway into wholeness. I was drawn to the quiet intelligence of plants, the subtle current of energy work, and the honesty of inner listening. Coaching and Spiritual Healing opened doorways; Ayurveda, Herbalism, and Somatic Therapy deepened them. After the birth of my daughter in 2021, I continued my education through a registered 522 hour Ayurvedic and Herbalism program and apprenticeship, which opened the door to seeing clients as both a Registered Ayurvedic Yoga Therapist and Registered Ayurvedic Herbalist.
Sharing what I’ve learned naturally moves through me and I truly enjoy walking the path of self discovery with others. My intention is to keep this work accessible and rooted in integrity, honoring the generosity of my own teachers by supporting those truly committed to the path. I believe remembering ourselves through embodiment, honest communication, and the willingness to feel deeply, is what creates the foundation for a meaningful and energized life.
Credentials & Professional Registrations
ERYT 500 — Yoga Alliance
YACEP — Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider
Registered Ayurvedic Yoga Therapist (1000 hours) — Association of Ayurvedic Professionals of North America
Registered Ayurvedic Herbalist (500 hours) — Association of Ayurvedic Professionals of North America
Registered Ayurvedic Lifestyle Consultant (500 hours) — Association of Ayurvedic Professionals of North America
Registered Meditation & Spirituality Teacher — Association of Ayurvedic Professionals of North America
Certified Professional Coach — LCI
I have spent much of my life exploring different forms of healing, and in doing so, I’ve discovered layers of myself I didn’t know were waiting to be remembered. For me, healing has never been about “fixing” what’s broken. It’s about coming home to who we already are.
My own path has been shaped by lived experiences; navigating an autoimmune condition, becoming a mother, and decades of seeking. Each of these moments has invited me to meet myself more honestly, and to remember that while our journeys may look different on the surface, what we all long for is the same: to feel whole, connected, and at home in our bodies and our lives.
This curiosity to remembering has guided me through trainings in somatic integration, energy work, nutrition, and many forms of inner work. It has also led me to the joy of guiding others as they reconnect with themselves in ways that feel embodied and true. My work is gentIe yet powerful, creating a space where people feel deeply seen, heard, and supported as they explore their own path.
I believe that healing happens when we create space to feel, to listen, and to weave the wisdom of body, mind, and spirit back together. It’s an honor to walk beside others as they discover their own inner compass and remember their wholeness.
Outside of this work, I love being in nature - hiking, bird watching, and soaking in the beauty of the world around me. I find joy in cooking, reading, and traveling to experience new cultures and local foods, always returning home with new inspiration and perspective.
Training & Studies
Certification in Transformational Coaching with an emphasis in Somatic Integration Therapy
Current mentorship in Somatic Integration Therapy
Reiki Master & energy work
Graduate of the Embodied Life Coaching Program
Two-Year Healer’s Training with Shilah Sarkissian
Nutritional Therapy Practitioner — Nutritional Therapy Association
Bachelor of Science in Biology — UC Santa Barbara
Additional studies in herbalism, yoga, and diverse inner work modalities
Hi, I’m Shelly
What Our Clients Say About Working Together
Working with Shilah has been one of the greatest gifts of the past 2 years. She has a beautiful way of making me feel truly seen, while gently guiding me through the deep, sometimes messy, process of self inquiry and transformation. Her wisdom, compassion and presence have changed the way I relate to myself and they continue to shape the way I hold space for others. I am deeply grateful our paths crossed.
-Carolyn Rohsler, Montreal, Canada
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Working with Shilah has been beautiful, hard, messy and deeply freeing. Aspen Monarch has given me a space where I feel safe enough to be honest with myself, while also being gently challenged to go deeper. Shilah has a unique ability to walk alongside people without trying to rescue them. Each workshop and retreat has been so intentional and held with such care which creates a safety to truly meet yourself. The work has changed not only how I relate to myself but also how I show up in my relationships…I’m incredibly grateful for the space she’s created. I’ve worked with Shilah through 1:1 sessions, workshops and her Tofino retreat, and each experience has reflected the same intention and care
-Ashley Johnson, Calgary, Canada