As a yoga professional since 2002, I draw from decades of a personal practice and formal study which continues to this day. Many years as a student(29) and teacher (17) have exposed me to people of all ages with fluctuating abilities and interests. As a yoga teacher, I strive to blend your needs and interests with my expertise.
Personalized sessions and therapeutic referrals for all abilities, practice levels, and interests are available through Montana Yoga Therapy. My private practice specializes in the development of a home practice and a trauma sensitive approach to chronic pain, anxiety, and depression.
Over the years I have taught through The Yoga Fitness Center, The University of Montana- Department of Health & Human Performance , The University of Montana's Mind Body Lab, The Learning Center at Red Willow, The Missoula Vet Center, The Women's Club, The Missoula Art Museum, and Montana's chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. I am available for workplace workshops and wellness talks.
About me personally - well, it's all me - be it on or off the clock (or on or off the mat). I've enjoyed living in the Missoula valley for over 25 years now. I hail from Nashville, Tennessee. As I like to say, I am from the south but not 'of the south' being born to parents from New York & New Jersey. My yoga practice officially began in Auburn, Alabama with occasional trips to my first teacher in the near town of Tuskegee. I spent a decade working as a baker, then nearly as long at naturopathic clinic. Then there was a spell of piecing it together while starting to teach yoga where I bottled wine, walked dogs, fed chickens, planted onions, assembled jewelry, and what not to make ends meet. In what we may call freetime - I enjoy walks with friends, shared meals, learning more about the world through field trips, creative pursuits, documentaries and music (I'm a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll). I stay close with my family and have made family out of the best of friends. Always looking at ways to improve, I strive to do my best at living simply with respect for the air, water, land, and all beings everywhere.
Certificates and Specialized Trainings
Viniyoga Foundations Program for Teaching and Yoga Therapy, The American Viniyoga Institute, Gary Kraftsow, 1000 hrs, 2016- 2020
Overcome Pain, Neil Pearson, 2016
Yoga Therapy for Chronic Pain, Yoga Therapy for Sleep Issues , Yoga Therapy for Anxiety and Depression, Gary Kraftsow, 2015
Restorative Yoga, Judith Hanson-Lasater, original teacher training, retreats and Relax & Renew trainings, 2002-3, 2006, 2016
Teaching Yoga to People with Disabilities, JoAnn Lyons, 2015
Mindful Resilience for Recovery and Resilience, Veterans Yoga Project, Dan Libby, 2014
Erich Schiffmann, retreats and teacher trainings, 2012, 2013, 2014
Therapeutic Yoga Intensive, Functional Synergy, Susi Hately, 2013
Traditional Hatha Yoga, 700 hrs, Yoga Research and Education Center, Georg Feuerstein, Patricia Walden, Judith Hanson Lasater, John Friend, Thia Ashonoah, Dharmanidhi, Dr. Marc Halpern, Thomas Ashley-Farrand, Wah and Jai Uttal, 2002, 2003
Multi-day workshops and in-depth intensives/trainings with: Susi Aldous Hately, Donna Fahri, Myra Lewin, George Purvis, David Swenson, Angela Farmer, David Garrigues and most extensively with with GaryKraftsow, Judith Hanson Lasater, and Erich Schiffmann.
