I began practicing yoga regularly in 2006 as way to manage chronic pain caused by a repetitive strain injury. Having explored a variety of treatments that focused solely on the physical body, I was particularly drawn to yoga as it unites the body, mind and spirit. I soon realized that addressing the emotional response to chronic pain was just as important as treating the pain itself. Through yoga I was able to discover a sense of ease in my body and mind while developing tools to effectively manage chronic pain.
My desire to share this knowledge brought me to Honest Yoga in Burlington, Vermont. There, in 2012, I completed my 200 hour yoga teacher training in alignment based Vinyasa. For the next two years I worked part time at my desk job and filled up the rest of my work schedule teaching Vinyasa yoga until the pain that initially brought me to the mat began to resurface.
While observing the number of students with chronic injuries that were showing up in my classes I sought further education to better understand the complexities of our physical and emotional bodies. This search landed me at Ajna Yoga in Victoria, BC (a member school of the International Association of Yoga Therapists) which propelled me into my next level of yoga teacher training. The journey of completing my 500 hour Advanced Teacher of Therapeutic Yoga in Spring 2015 was a humbling experience. Slowing down, backing off and more deeply tuning into the experiences within the body and mind are the basic principles of therapeutic yoga practice. These principles, combined with educational information, empower students to improve functional movements with the intent of promoting safety in each posture.
As the founder of Yoga in Motion, my goal is to make yoga more accessible to individuals living with, or recovering from, injury or illness. I strive to deliver the highest quality of teaching to my students. In September 2017, I completed the 800 hour Yoga Therapist program at Ajna Yoga. I am particularly drawn to working with clients dealing with addictions, mental health issues, or chronic pain. My calming presence, sense of humour and playfulness offers a safe and welcoming environment for my students. I support my clients either in a one-on-one setting or in a class setting.
“Let the beauty we love be what we do.
There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.”
-Rumi