One of the greatest things for me, and something that yoga seems to create and feed on, is connection. I love making connections – in classes, at the grocery store, through organizations, walking my dog, etc. I love that everyone has a story and we can all be part of each other’s story in one way or another. Yoga has created and continues to create those connections in my life.

When we meet on the mat, each practice and practitioner inspires me to be mindfully present and to maintain the role of a student, continuously learning and teaching cohesively. We have so much to learn from one another, from nature, from the world around us, and from ourselves.

Introduction to Yoga
I was first introduced to yoga in college when I was training to be a Resident Assistant. Part of our RA training was a team building event at a local yoga studio. I happened to be on crutches as a result of dislocating my kneecap a week before returning to school. As everyone was picking out yoga mats and finding a spot on the floor, I sat myself in a chair feeling pretty self conscious about not being able to participate.

The yoga teacher, whose name was Sudharman, had a long white beard and was an energetic force to be reckoned with. He looked at me and invited me to find a space on the floor. I tried to explain about my knee, but he told me he was sure my body would do what it could do and it would protect itself. As the practice began, I realized I was more capable of participating than I had originally told myself I was. My mind had quit before I even allowed it to begin. I practiced the entire hour.

I left that practice feeling euphoric and recognized I had just unlocked something truly special. I knew yoga would come back to me when the timing was right.

Yoga as My Guide
I began an almost daily practice in 2014 as a way to combat the anxiety and stress of life, children, marriage and medical diagnoses.  An at-home practice became a calming lifeline for me and the journey toward becoming a teacher was illuminated when I experienced my first retreat deep in the redwood forests of Santa Cruz in 2018. I traveled by myself, shared space and broke bread with people I didn’t know and left feeling a newly intimate connection to myself.

I firmly believe spending time with old-growth redwoods forests, or any place of nature really, will give you many insights, but combined with yoga was life-changing for me. The connected energy between strangers in a collective space inspired me to delve deeper into the intricacies of yoga. I knew after leaving that retreat becoming a yoga teacher was in my future. I completed my 200-hour with Savasanation Yoga Academy in 2021.

Additional Training
I am a learner by nature, so jumping into a 30-hour Meditation Teacher Training rooted in yogic philosophy with Steven Ross and Jenny Fairbanks and a 20-hour Postnatal Yoga Teacher Training with Lucia Ilaria Seglie/Arhanta Yoga Ashrams in 2022 and 2023 seemed like logical things to do! These are both areas I am passionate about and the more knowledge I attain, the more knowledge I can share. Having gone through postpartum depression myself, I recognize that the tools of yoga can be incredible useful. If someone had suggested meditation or asana to me during that time, my journey would have been very different. If I can provide an outlet for one person to avoid that pain, I will take as many courses as are needed.

Additionally, in 2024 I completed a 30-hr Immersive Pranayama Yoga Teacher Training with Arudhati Baitmangalkar and Aham Yoga that I highly recommend to anyone who wants a deeper look at this practice and it’s significance to the yogic practice.

Finally, I completed my 300-hour yoga teacher training in December 2024 with Susanna Barkataki and Ignite Yoga Wellness Institute.

I have linked all the spaces for those who may want to deepen their own practice and utilize the resources that have been immensely beneficial to me.

How I Teach
My style of teaching can be summed up with one word – unrushed. I take many of the Yamas and Nimayas into consideration when designing and teaching classes, ensuring we are not just moving our bodies, but moving our energy in a way that makes sense for the present moment. To me, there is no such thing as being bad at yoga and every body can practice yoga. Our biggest challenge is getting out of our own heads (ha!) and trusting that yoga is how we feel not what we look like. This means that our practice may look different from the next person’s by using blocks, chairs, straps or other props, but the intention of connection remains the same.

Yoga is a way to connect an individual’s breath and spirit to the breath and spirit of the universe. Utilizing movement in the body to shift the energy is essential to deepening these connections both on and off the mat. 

My intention when teaching is offering space for students to come as they are and take what they need from each practice, understanding that every day is different. I also work to ensure my classes are a supportive space where community and connection can be cultivated and always welcome feedback from practitioners and teachers alike.

But Who Am I?
I’m a nature lover and always have been – a biophile, if you will. I grew up in the woods and getting outside and putting my feet on the Mother always grounds me and centers my soul. Camping and hiking are a must when the weather is cooperative (even sometimes when it is not!)

In the last few years I have also developed a love of all things plant and garden life. I take great joy in watching nature grow and flourish from tiny seeds to bountiful blossoms. It is a reminder to me that growth takes time and to practice patience. Everything can be traced back to the yogic journey!

I love color and have yoga pants and headbands in an entire rainbow. I like good, black coffee and quiet mornings. Music speaks to my soul and my house is rarely without it playing loudly. It’s a must! Reading for fun and for learning, journaling and writing have always been a big part of my existence as well and I am always grateful when I am given recommendations on novels to devour. I recently was reconnected to my love of writing and began sharing this with Elephant Journal. You can check out my articles here!

A favorite piece of me though is being a mom. I am incredibly grateful for the monumental lessons my children have taught me throughout the years. They are the greatest gift I could give to this world.

Where I Teach/Have Taught
Since becoming a yoga teacher, I have taught classes throughout the un-ceded Piscataway and Manahoac land, now called the Northern Virginia area, including:

• Weekly classes at Sthira Sukham Yoga
• Weekly classes at Easy Day Yoga
• Supporting the work of the Ryan Bartel Foundation as a Senior Teen Mental Wellness Facilitator
  
• Workplace Wellness/Corporate Yoga events for the US Navy Supply Command, All Traffic Solutions, Westgate Elementary School, Sugarland Learning Academy, and Guilford Elementary School
• Community classes at Loudoun County Public Libraries (monthly classes with Gum Spring Library and Purcellville Library) and Faith Chapel Gathering Place
• Private classes for groups and individuals
• Preschool/kids yoga for PTO/PTA programs.
• Private Birthday Parties
• Loudoun County Public Schools Mental Health and Wellness Conference
• Field Day at elementary schools

Retreats:

• Grounding Within Sept 2024 at River Mountain
• A Grounded Journey – Oct 2025 at River Mountain

Workshops:

• A Kiss of Connection
  • This 4 week virtual workshop series aims to deepen your yogic practices and explore the sanctuary of your inner knowledge through connective conversations.
  • The sacred space will be held on Zoom Wednesdays throughout October 2025 from 7:00pm-8:15pm and is pay-what-you-can
• BLOOM
  • BLOOM is the reminder that your power comes from within- what you nourish and where you flourish stems from the seeds of possibility and knowledge planted within you. “If you tend to the flower, it will bloom, no matter how many weeds surround it.” -Matshona Dhilwayo
  • This intentional 2 hour movement and meditation experienced utilizes the gifts of yoga to dive into the wellspring of your growth and potential. We will explore movement through a slow flow practice designed to invite Manipura, the solar-plexus chakra, to awake and ignite your inner power and wisdom, hold space to journal and inquire within, and complete the evening with a meditation guiding you to trust all that is blooming within you to extend your path forward – whatever that means for you!
• Embrace Midwinter
  • A workshop designed from my own experience of navigating the Winter Blues or Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD.) Yogic movement, pranayama, meditation, and mindfulness have proven to be effective in supporting in my own journey of lifting my spirit during the gray winter days. In this 2 hour workshop, you can expect to learn asana poses to support your nervous system and improve circulation, a pranayama practice to balance mind and body, and be guided through a meditation to ground your being and leave you with a sense of calm.
  • *Disclaimer* This workshop is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
• The Joy of Breathing
  • A pranayama workshop originally designed for teens at a local high school to offer tools to utilize during challenging or anxiety-inducing areas of their lives. This workshop has expanded into teaching beginners to get curious about their breath, their bodies, and support their parasympathetic nervous systems using the yogic art of breathing and controlling energy.
• A New Approach to Stress
  • I co-developed and taught a stress-reduction workshop with Carrie Dowling CPC, ACC, ELI-MP, CDS of Rocket City Coaching, LLC. The intention of this 3 hour experience was to introduce movement, breath work, meditation, and a presentation on recognizing the areas of influence stress may be affecting you and offer tools to help you create your formula for success.

Additionally, I teach guided meditations, host small women’s retreats, and continue to learn and grow through my own practice by taking classes at local studios and online. These opportunities expand my own understanding of myself and the yogic connection.

I would love to practice with you sometime -as a student or a teacher. Feel free to reach out and connect!

With Peace, Love, and Light, I will see you on the mat!