Trainings / Certifications:  RYT 200
RYT since 2011.

Immersions, workshops, and trainings in Iyengar, Anusara, Ashtanga, and other yoga modalities. 100+ hours of training in yoga therapeutics.

Over 100 hours at silent meditation retreats in the Shambala Buddhist tradition.

7 years of teaching mindfulness and compassion to interdisciplinary healthcare professionals.

Clinical Psychology PhD candidate with specialization in neuropsychology.

6 years of experience delivering mindfulness-based therapies.

Hometown: Lexington, KY  

When I’m not teaching, you might find me:  At work, training as a clinical psychologist and using mindfulness and compassion to improve quality of life and functioning for those with chronic illness.

My mantra:  Balance is not the goal, but the teacher.

My “at bat” song:  Can’t stop the feeling by Justin Timberlake – look, you can judge me, but that song always makes me smile and gets me out of my head and into my body.

In my class you can expect:  A practice focused on the integration of mind and body. For the physical practice, I bring an alignment-based flow with respect for all bodies and individual curiosity. For the spiritual or mental practice, I invite students to approach deeper self-awareness, especially of habitual patterns in order to shed what is no longer serving and make space for the best version of ourselves.

Badass moment:  My most badass moments are the ones in which I remember to be present, stand up for what I believe in, and trust in the magic of the universe.

Yoga myth:  The idea that there’s ONE right way to do a pose or sequence is a myth. There is no one right way for anything, including yoga. Just like any science, the biomechanics of yoga poses are evolving principles – we find out new things about the body and movement all the time. Furthermore, what’s right for one, may not be right for another. I like to teach from a place of anatomical knowledge while also encouraging students to feel their bodies and make the practice their own.

Most influential mentor: was my mentor and boss from my previous job as a training clinician. She showed me compassion in action. She taught me how to sit with my own and other’s suffering which feels like a super power.

Party Pose:  Definitely handstands. I will never bore of handstands and they make me feel strong and powerful. Plus, it’s both literally and metaphorically good to get upside down!

I dream:  a world where political and spiritual leaders are held responsible for their behavior.