Alex Haley

Alex Haley, PhD, teaches at Spirit Rock Meditation Center, Minneapolis Insight Meditation Community and online through Dharma Ground, where he currently serves as a core teacher. Alex completed Spirit Rock's Community Dharma Leader program in 2012 and graduated from the SRMC/IMS/IRC four-year teacher training in 2016. Beginning in his high school calculus class, Alex has studied and practiced meditation for more than 25 years, including many multi-month retreats of intensive practice.

Alex was previously the mindfulness faculty lead at the University of Minnesota's Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing. He has researched mindfulness, interoceptive awareness as well as pain and wellbeing behaviors through his work on clinical trials with the Integrative Health and Wellbeing Research Program. He is also a member of the Interactive Visualization Lab at the University of Minnesota, which focuses on data visualization, computer graphics, and human-computer interaction through XR.

Alex holds a PhD in Cognitive Science, and is also a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, trained Co-Active coach, and certified Myers-Briggs practitioner. He also previously worked in legal and business roles both domestically and internationally. Alex is a parent of a rambunctious elementary school kid and loves to play (and practice meditation) outside in the heart of frigid Minnesota winters. Alex is passionate about community-based healing and technology for wellbeing.