Alice Mackinnon

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Becoming a Stillness Ninja: Healing Through Surfing, Stillness & Self-Trust

🎙️ with Dr. Alice Mackinnon

What if healing didn’t come through the hustle—but through stillness? What if slowing down wasn’t giving up—but a powerful act of coming home to yourself?

In this rich and soul-stirring episode of Her Brave Story, Chrystal is joined by Dr. Alice Mackinnon—wellbeing educator, trauma-informed EFT coach, surfer, Zen student, and author of two powerful books:
🌀 Becoming a Stillness Ninja: Reflections on Resilience, Recovery, and Love
🌀 Wellbeing on a Budget: The Inner Ninja Handbook

Together, they explore Alice’s journey of healing, identity, and creative courage. From surfing through heartbreak to trusting herself enough to begin again, Alice speaks openly about the turning points that shaped her becoming—including her transition from a heterosexual marriage to marrying her soulmate and creative partner, Jennifer Jefferies.

Alice and Jennifer now co-lead the Smart & Sassy Seniors Project—offering live events, a podcast, and vibrant community spaces that empower women to age boldly and live fully.

This episode is more than a conversation—it’s a practice in presence.

✨ Inside, Alice gifts us with a calming EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) demo that you can use anytime to ground and reset.
✨ She also reads a moving poem from Becoming a Stillness Ninja—a moment of deep pause and poetic beauty that’s not to be missed.

This one runs a little longer, with layers worth returning to—so make a warm drink, carve out time for yourself, and let it land gently.

Because sometimes, the bravest thing you can do… is be still.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

How Dr. Alice Mackinnon became a Stillness Ninja and what that really means
The healing power of surfing and how it helped her rebuild after heartbreak
Why slowing down and practicing stillness is an act of bravery
How Alice self-published her books using coins (yes, really!) and creative resourcefulness
A soothing, in-the-moment EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) practice you can try yourself
Her transition from a heterosexual marriage to marrying naturopath and speaker Jennifer Jefferies
How the Smart & Sassy Seniors project came to life—and what it's all about
The inner editor trick she uses to move past perfectionism and finish her books
A powerful poetry reading from Becoming a Stillness Ninja
Why trusting yourself—especially in midlife—is essential for true wellbeing

⏱ Timestamps:

00:00 – Meet Dr. Alice Mackinnon: Zen student, wellbeing ninja, surfer, and author
05:57 – Her Journey of Resilience: What led her to healing and helping others
08:45 – Finding Love Again: Life after heartbreak and marrying Jennifer Jefferies
10:43 – Intro to EFT: What Emotional Freedom Technique is and why it matters
16:04 – Live EFT Practice: A powerful, calming technique you can try right now
22:03 – Healing Through Surfing: Stillness, rhythm, and the wisdom of the ocean
37:23 – Loss as a Crucible: How grief cracked her open and shaped her story
42:43 – Becoming a Stillness Ninja: The inspiration behind her book
58:31 – Bravery & Dreams: Why choosing yourself changes everything
01:08:55 – The Role of Intuition: How self-trust can lead us home