I was introduced to yoga in 1999 by a good friend who invited me to a class at her gym.  I'd always heard yoga was good for people with injuries and I was still experiencing chronic knee pain from a high school sports injury.  I was immediately captivated by yoga; we were fortunate to have an amazing teacher and I ended up joining the gym just so I could keep going to her class (thank you Melba!).  After several weeks of consistent practice I noticed my strength and flexibility increasing as my pain was decreasing.  I noticed that I slept better on yoga days and that in general I was feeling more patient, more optimistic, and less stressed.  My friend and I also began taking classes at a yoga studio in town and I continued with both until I moved here to Tampa.

Our family went through a big transition between the move, my husband's drastic career change, and the birth of our second child.  Amidst all of this I veered off the yoga path for a while...I missed it terribly and bought a few videos to practice with at home.  It just wasn't the same as a class experience but the closest studios were on the other side of town and it wasn't easy to get there regularly.

I then met a friend who'd also just moved to the area and was missing her yoga practice too.  We attended a couple of classes together and with her support and encouragement I found myself back on the path and eventually headed toward teacher training.  I completed my training at Discovery Yoga in St. Augustine, Florida in the summer of 2006 (https://www.discoveryyoga.com).  Discovery owner and program facilitator, Deva Parnell, is an AMAZING teacher and provides an extremely comprehensive program.  I feel so fortunate to have studied with her and her incredible faculty; the entire experience was powerful and life-changing.  I returned from Discovery not only prepared to teach my own classes, but completely re-inspired and awakened as a person.

Since then I have taught consistently at several locations in the Tampa area.  Currently I teach at New Thought Yoga in Apollo Beach.  I've taught yoga to children from different schools and organizations and periodically I offer intensive workshops.  I also served as faculty for Serenity Stream Yoga's teacher training program, which was a tremendous honor. 

My Approach to Practicing & Teaching

I am trained in the Kripalu tradition and Kripalu has been nicknamed the "yoga of compassion."  It focuses on yoga from the inside out; it's not about how you look in a pose or achieving the perfectly sculpted body.  It's not about competing with others or even yourself, but having compassion for yourself and coming to the mat exactly as you are.  Kripalu stresses the concept of "meditation in motion" which involves combining poses and breath techniques in a way that enables you to feel your way through the practice rather than think your way through.  This approach allows you to cultivate a deep awareness and connection to the body and mind that inspires intuitive, spontaneous movement. 

I therefore stress self-acceptance in my classes as well as growth, safety, comfort, and fun.  My goal is not to transform people into elite, advanced yogis or make them look like Madonna!  I consider myself an "everyday yoga teacher" here to help average people cultivate a new awareness of their bodies and feel better in their own skin.

When I'm not teaching or practicing yoga I enjoy running, gardening, and spending time with my family.