YOGA

Now more than ever we are living in a cerebral, shoulder-up world. We live inside bodies that do remarkable things for us every day, yet we often ignore, overwork, and find fault with them.

My intention as a yoga teacher is to provide my students an opportunity to inhabit their bodies and reconnect with the present moment through mindful, exploratory movement.

My personal journey with yoga began in 2010. After years of competitive gymnastics that took a toll on my physical and mental health, I segued my passion for fitness, technique, and physical expression into yoga. As both a mental health clinician and a student of yoga, I began to uncover firsthand how this practice complements psychotherapy work.  

Many of the skills cultivated in yoga are skills I work on with clients in psychotherapy: attending to the present moment, enhancing bodily awareness, using the breath to calm or activate the nervous system, accepting what arises internally and externally, learning how to be with discomfort, and savoring the process instead of fixating on the outcome.

My teaching philosophy is that yoga is less about what you do and more about how you are doing it. While I emphasize proper alignment for health and safety reasons, I encourage students to focus less on mastering the poses and more on how they are showing up in each pose. I invite students to learn about their bodies and minds, and to balance challenging themselves while giving their bodies what they need.

My intention is to empower every body. I offer a space that is inclusive and non-judgmental. In group and corporate classes, I remain mindful that no two bodies are the same, and offer different modifications and options so my students can determine what works best for them. In private sessions, I tailor the class to meet each client’s specific needs- which may change daily!

I am certified in Vinyasa yoga. This style of yoga intentionally connects breath with movement to create “flow.” I teach classes emphasizing vigorous flows to create heat, as well as classes emphasizing long holds to connect with subtler inner experiences. Many of my classes will build on each other, providing students with an opportunity to practice a particular sequence, learn the alignment, and work towards a deeper state of flow before moving on to a new sequence.

I am also certified in Prenatal Yoga. In these classes I offer specific poses to alleviate common pregnancy aches and pains, and provide physical, emotional, and mental tools for a more functional birth. I rely heavily on props (blocks, blankets, bolsters) to support my students and their changing bodies, and interweave poses, breath work, and childbirth preparation into each class.

I currently offer private or semi-private vinyasa and prenatal classes. I am also a sub at the Prenatal Yoga Center.

Contact me for information about private or corporate sessions