My Story

I first came to yoga looking for strength, flexibility, and balance. But when the pandemic hit, yoga became something much more: a way to move through grief, stress, and isolation.

Every time I stepped on my mat, it felt like looking into a mirror. I could meet myself exactly as I was with honesty, breath, and presence.

At the same time, I was navigating graduate school, ADHD, and (eventually) a diagnosis of complex PTSD. Yoga gave me space to face myself, and my trauma-informed teacher training helped me put words, validation, and practices to what I had already been experiencing.

I realized that stress, trauma, neurodivergence, queerness, and the demands of being a helper. They don’t just live in our minds. They live in our bodies, our habits, our environments, and in the way we move through daily life. And yoga, when paired with occupational therapy, helps us connect those dots.

"Every time I stepped on my mat, it felt like looking into a mirror."

What Got Me Here

I bring together both lived experience and formal training:

• Master of Science in Occupational Therapy | East Carolina University

• National Board Certified Occupational Therapist licensed in North Carolina

• Bachelor of Science in Health Promotion & Behavior + Certificate in Health Disparities & Equity | University of Georgia

• 200-Hour Registered Yoga Teacher | Yoga Alliance

• Certification in Trauma-Informed, Accessible, Adaptive, & Inclusive Yoga Teaching

I deeply resonate with the work of Stephen Porges (polyvagal theory), Arielle Schwartz (therapeutic yoga for trauma recovery), and Kristin Neff (self-compassion) and integrate their principles and frameworks throughout my personal life, teachings, and practice.

"My work lives at the intersection of science and practice—where OT meets yoga."

My Philosophy

For me, the yoga mat is a training ground for real life. It’s where we practice nervous system regulation, self-compassion, and feel good movement so that, when we need them in daily life, they’re already familiar and available.

That means yoga isn’t just what happens on the mat. It’s also:

• Smartly selecting movements during those slivers of time between tasks at work that reduce the stiffness in your back

• Noticing when your tank is running empty while out with friends and being able to engage in a steady and nourishing breathing pattern to get you through it

• Coming home from work to an environment that's soothing to the senses an supports intentional recharge

• Waking up dreading another day of work or a challenging task but choosing mindful self-compassion rather than suffer through it with grit alone

Yoga helps us respond instead of react. It gives us the capacity to show up imperfectly but more resourced, balanced, and connected.

My work draws heavily on polyvagal theory, practices centering interoceptive awareness, mindful self-compassion, acceptance and commitment therapy, and trauma-informed approaches through the lenses of occupational therapy and yoga.

"The mat is a space to practice being just as much as it is a training ground for the doing of daily life."

What It Feels Like to Work With Me

Working with me isn’t like taking a drop-in yoga class where you follow along for an hour and leave. It’s a back-and-forth. A conversation. An exploration.

My approach is:

• Warm and compassionate | You’ll feel supported, not judged.

• Gently structured but adaptive | There’s a framework, but we’ll stay responsive to your needs in the moment.

• Observant and attuned | I notice subtleties in how you move, breathe, and respond, and I help you notice them too.

• Exploratory and experiential | You don’t just hear about tools, you practice them, reflect, and try again.

This work isn’t only about regulation. It can also give you tools for:

• Managing pain or fatigue so you can focus on what’s meaningful to you

• Resting more deeply and intentionally

• Making everyday activities feel more possible and less draining

• Showing up in your relationships with more presence and less reactivity

"It’s not just yoga. It’s an interactive, experiential process designed for your real life."