My journey into yoga began on New Year’s Day, 2007 when someone took me to a yoga class in La Jolla, CA, where I was doing postdoctoral research in biochemistry.  I immediately recognized that yoga provided something I had been craving deeply.  Since then, my yoga practice has been a haven from the challenges of my personal life, a respite from the rigor of my scientific pursuits, an antidote to anxiety and competitiveness, a cure for physical and emotional pain, a compass and map for my life, and a source of strength, inspiration, insight, and fun. Over the years my practice has changed significantly, adapting to my needs, particularly after I developed myalgic encephalomyelitis and learned to live with the limitations of this chronic illness.

I have learned repeatedly that life still happens on the mat – everything we struggle with most will arise in our practice, allowing us to confront ourselves from within the safety and support of the practice, with the help of our teachers and community.  Additionally, yoga practice does not end when we step off of our mats – we rely on our practice to maintain the same calm, equanimity, vibrancy, and insight in all of our daily activities.

I have found that the yogic philosophies and practices for integration of mind, body and ‘spirit’ (however you wish to think of it) provide powerful tools to help all people become happier and healthier.  My yoga teaching flows from both my scientific understanding (I am, after all, a former chemistry professor!) and embodied experience.  I blend ideas about physiology, anatomy, and psychology with my enthusiasm for the kinesthetic experience to help my students gain stability, openness, insight, and – ultimately – joy and freedom through their practice.

I have trained in many yoga traditions, including Ashtanga, Iyengar, ParaYoga, and Viniyoga.  As a yoga teacher, I draw on this broad knowledge to support each student based on their individual needs and goals.  I specialize in using yoga to address fatigue, stress, anxiety, depression, and insomnia, as well as adapting yoga for people with physical disabilities.

I am grateful for the numerous teachers who have supported my learning and practice, particularly Ben Vincent, Josh Vincent, Richard Freeman, and Matthew Sanford.

For a detailed listing of my yoga training and skills, please see my CV.