What if your artistry relied as much on emotional resilience as it did on technical precision?
We’re ILUMN: former professional dancers turned therapists and coaches. We’ve stood where you stand in the mirror, asking ourselves if enough is ever really enough. Like you, we chased perfect technique, craved creativity, and pushed for perfection… only to find ourselves untethered.
That’s what brought us here.
Why We Exist
Dance asks so much of you. The discipline, the artistry, the demand for perfection – it’s easy to lose the harmony between the love that first pulled you into movement and the weight of expectation of the field. Maybe you’ve felt it: the isolation, the self-criticism, the anxiety that sneaks in? These struggles aren’t personal flaws; they’re the culture of dance as we’ve inherited it. Until now.Â
And, while awareness is growing, too often mental health support shows up reactively – after the injury, after the burnout, and after the breaking point. What’s missing is integration: well-being woven directly into your class, rehearsal, and performance.
This is exactly why ILUMN exists.
We help dancers reimagine what thriving looks like: not just pushing through, but moving from a place of creativity, empowerment, and wholeness. Our mission is to create an embodied, authentic space where you can release perfectionism, soften the grip of self-criticism, and reconnect and brighten your inner light.
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How We Support You
Our approach is multifaceted. We are here to help you:Â
- Shift from external validation to inner trustÂ
- Transform anxiety into grounded presence
- Redefine success as alignment, not perfection
ILUMN is where dance and well-being belong together. Not as an afterthought, but as the foundation for artistry that truly lasts.
How Are We Different?
Embodiment
We offer a unique approach to connecting with your body, focusing on relationship and inner experience rather than just the exterior.
Experiential
Our content blends scientifically backed practices with personalized services, such as meditations, body scans, breathing exercises, and journaling, to foster meaningful connection.
Psychoeducation
We provide evidence-based tools from mental health professionals who are also experienced dancers, combining expertise from both fields.
Flexibility
Whether you have time for a deep practice or just a five-minute break, our work is designed to be done at your own pace, on your own schedule, and from any device.
Who Is This For?
the bunhead
the student
the pre professional
the newly-professional
the ballerina
the danseur
the almost retired
the retired dancer
the dorm counsellor
the studio teacher
the rehearsal director
the artistic director
"At the centre of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want."
–Lao Tzu
Meet the Founders
Kari Brunson WrightÂ
After almost a decade-long career as dancer with Pacific Northwest Ballet and 12 years as a plant-based food entrepreneur and CEO, Kari discovered that what brought her the most joy and fulfillment was helping people grow personally, professionally and spiritually. In 2022, she became a certified coach and started a practice with a focus on “being well”. She lives in Seattle with her husband and two young children and spends her time cooking vegetables, listening to podcasts, reading fiction, and digging in her garden.
Rachel CoatsÂ
Rachel is a licensed mental health counselor in the state of Washington and a former professional ballet dancer of 15 years. She sees clients in private practice and has a passion for helping dancers navigate their art form in an expansive and healthy way. She enjoys traveling, spiritual practice, exploring the forests and waters of the Pacific Northwest, and experiencing the world through the fresh eyes and open heart of her young son.
Josh SpellÂ
Josh is a licensed social worker in the state of Washington and currently works in private practice in Seattle. Before beginning his practice, Josh worked in the field of eating disorders and generalized behavioral health settings. He was a dancer with Pacific Northwest Ballet from 2001 to 2011 and danced with Kansas City Ballet for two seasons. In addition to his therapist and social worker identities, Josh is a plant enthusiast, world traveller, aesthete, and lover of the arts.
