About Us
My own journey to healing and wellness began when I took my first yoga class in Raleigh, NC in 2000.
Having been an athlete growing up, I was immediately drawn in by the physical aspect of the yoga poses and the flow.
As I continued exploring the practice, I began feeling the subtle benefits of yoga on my mental and emotional bodies, and it awakened something in me spiritually. I wanted to dive in deeper so I signed up and attended my first yoga teacher training at the Asheville Yoga Center from 2005-2006.
I started to teach part-time and continued my studies in different styles of yoga, such as Vinyasa, Anusara, Prenatal and Restorative.
Soon thereafter, I found myself juggling a full-time job and a family. My physical yoga practice waned, but I practiced yoga by being present with my young children.
Mission Statement
Unlike the Western model of medicine which typically only treats symptoms, Ayurveda is preventative and curative medicine, addressing the very roots of disease. The practice of Ayurveda creates the optimum conditions within the body and mind so that healing can occur through the body's innate intelligence.
Shortly after my youngest was born, I began to experience repeating episodes of back pain and spasming. These were debilitating events that essentially immobilized me on my back for days. As I found out later, I had a herniated disc between L4 and L5 along with other degenerative disc symptoms in adjacent lumbar vertebrae. The yoga practice I had once enjoyed was no longer possible. I felt the weight of this injury and my perceived failing body not just physically but mentally and emotionally.
After the worst episode which laid me up for about 2 weeks, I decided I could not continue down this path. My Physical Therapist suggested I look into Pilates and I took her advice. My Pilates teacher started me off slowly, but I was able to progress fairly quickly, as a testament to the healing power of this practice. My core strengthened significantly and I developed the ability to fluidly mobilize my spine again. I came away from each Pilates session feeling longer and stronger. I was hooked. I signed up and took the BASI Pilates Comprehensive teacher training in 2013-2014. I began teaching Pilates classes and private sessions at a couple of local studios in Raleigh. Because of the strength and flexibility I gained from practicing Pilates, I was able to return to practicing and teaching yoga, too. Pilates allowed me to feel stable and secure within my own body again. It also gave me a newfound sense of hope for the future. Since I began practicing Pilates ten years ago, I have not experienced any back problems.
I was introduced to Ayurveda through my yoga teacher training. I was intrigued about this ancient healing practice with ties to yoga and with roots as deep and wide. I read several books on Ayurveda and was initially excited to incorporate some of its wisdom, but without someone to guide me, I didn’t know where to begin. So I put my interest in Ayurveda on the back burner and continued on with my other interests and pursuits. Ayurveda did not give up on me, luckily, and kept appearing in my life sporadically. However, it wasn’t until I faced some challenging health issues that I decided to seek out an Ayurvedic Practitioner. The work with my Practitioner opened me to the wide, wonderful field of Ayurveda. Through her recommendations, the symptoms of my issues improved, which was incredible, but I also discovered the depth of the imbalances in my body and mind that still needed healing. Directly experiencing the innate healing power of my body that occurred from the practices of Ayurveda made me want to learn more.
In 2019, I enrolled in the California College of Ayurveda (CCA). Today I have completed the academic portions of the Ayurvedic Health Counselor and Clinical Ayurveda Specialist programs. I am now in the Ayurvedic Health Counselor internship at CCA. As an intern, I am excited to start seeing clients under the direction of my supervisor who is a Doctor of Ayurveda. I would be honored to help you in your journey to health and wellness, either through Ayurveda, yoga, Pilates, or any combination of the above. Namaste.
