Today we’d like to introduce you to Melanie Pineda-Baker.
Hi Melanie, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I was born in Georgia and raised in Colombia. In 2008, I traveled to Argentina to study visual arts and that’s where I attended for the first time a Vipassana Meditation silent retreat. My love for meditation, yoga and the development of spiritual, physical and mental health began to grow. Through various eastern modalities I began to awake to the expansive nature of our existence and found the strength to take the path of self healing.
I returned to Georgia in 2011 to study English at Kennesaw State University and in 2015 received an Associate’s Degree in Massage Therapy at Gwinnett College. The following months received a 200hr Yoga training certification under Jessie Fletcher. I’m a certified Yoga Nidra Guide and also have certifications in Thai Massage, studying under Micheal Sitzer, Dominique Warfield in Costa Rica, and Sebastian Bruno.
Sharing these healing practices is deeply transformative, I use them to dive inward and strategically work on healing the body, mind and consciousness, which leads to the exploration of the healing journey and it benefits those that come in contact with me.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The journey hasn’t always been smooth. I’ve struggled with self-doubt and finding my visual identity, which made it difficult to build a consistent client base and embody my gifts. There were times when I questioned my offerings and whether I was truly making a difference. Finding consistency and creativity while staying authentic to myself felt like an ongoing challenge. What helped me overcome these obstacles was connecting with mentors and a community of like-minded individuals—spiritual entrepreneurs, energy healers, and new friends who helped me understand myself better. Through these connections, I’ve learned that the journey of self-discovery is just as important as the destination, and that vulnerability and growth go hand in hand. I’m still evolving, but now I embrace that process rather than resist it.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
This spring, I found a note in one of my journals from April 22nd, 2021, where I wrote about dreaming of a house with lots of room and light—a sacred space for family, community, movement therapy, yoga, art, and creativity.
Last year in January, my husband and I moved to a new house, and by February, with the help of my dad and stepmom, we transformed the shed in our backyard into what I now call Casa Semilla—my bodywork and art studio.
I specialize in Thai bodywork, a modality that helps people heal and restore balance in the body through assisted stretching and balancing the elements in the body. I’m also a certified yoga teacher with 14 years of practice and I offer yoga in Spanish to serve the Hispanic community locally.
I’m most proud of is manifesting that dream I wrote about in 2021, and creating a space that truly serves my practice, my community, and my family. Another recent milestone was having the opportunity of being part of the team of instructors for the first Hispanic Yoga Festival in Atlanta that happened this past September and was successful.
I believe healing isn’t one-size-fits-all, and I love offering people different pathways to wellness, whether through bodywork, yoga, or creative expression. What sets me apart is my holistic approach—I blend multiple healing modalities I’ve trained in over the years, including Yoga Nidra, massage therapy, and Thai bodywork, with my passion for art. At Casa Semilla, I host art classes, workshops and mini wellness retreats, creating a space where healing happens through movement, touch, and creativity.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I believe luck is the force and energy that comes from our actions—it creates a ripple effect that we experience as good or bad luck. I feel very lucky to do work that continually affirms I’m on the right path. What keeps me coming back to these practices is witnessing the transformation in me and people when they reconnect with their bodies and find peace within themselves. Every time someone leaves a session feeling lighter, or when a student tells me how yoga has changed their perspective, I’m reminded that this work is exactly what I’m meant to be doing. The practices themselves—whether it’s yoga, bodywork, or creating art—ground me and help me stay aligned with my purpose. That sense of alignment feels like the greatest luck of all.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.casasemillaholistica.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melaniecasasemilla/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61579290295645
Image Credits
Lucie Milan and Christian Rodriguez
