From my very first class taken in 1991, yoga resonated with me in a powerful way. I was working in New York City in a high-pressure, stress-filled environment and happened upon a branch of the Himalayan Institute that offered hatha classes. I would enter the studio with my mind buzzing and body tense and frazzled from a day's work, and would leave class a different person! I felt calm and relaxed, refreshed and alert. Even in my earliest experiences with the practice, I realized that yoga was transformative on more levels than just the physical and mental. The Himalayan Institute provided a comprehensive understanding of yoga and its sister science, ayurveda, and continues to inspire an appreciation of how these disciplines deepen one’s awareness of wholeness, integration and interconnectedness to the web of life.
My teaching journey began as an outgrowth of enthusiasm to share this very special body of knowledge. I see my role as teacher and student as two sides of the same coin – learning and sharing, sharing and learning are the processes that have become my daily joy. My yoga involvement brought me in contact with Debbie Traugh, the director of the Centre for Health and Wellness in Bloomsburg, PA. It was through her insight and encouragement that I entered the field of massage and bodywork.
Today I feel fortunate to teach yoga and meditation, and to offer ayurvedically-guided lifestyle suggestions and massage therapy services on a full-time basis. My primary location is Bloomsburg's Centre for Health and Wellness. I also offer these services from several other locations, including my home studio, Stillpoint, located in Benton.
I am deeply grateful to all of my teachers who have set me on and illuminated the path of yoga, to all of those who study with me for their friendship, support and exciting “aha moments,” to Deb Traugh who created and maintains the sacred space where I work, and to my husband, Carl, for his love, inspiration and absolute mastery of the corpse pose.
My teaching journey began as an outgrowth of enthusiasm to share this very special body of knowledge. I see my role as teacher and student as two sides of the same coin – learning and sharing, sharing and learning are the processes that have become my daily joy. My yoga involvement brought me in contact with Debbie Traugh, the director of the Centre for Health and Wellness in Bloomsburg, PA. It was through her insight and encouragement that I entered the field of massage and bodywork.
Today I feel fortunate to teach yoga and meditation, and to offer ayurvedically-guided lifestyle suggestions and massage therapy services on a full-time basis. My primary location is Bloomsburg's Centre for Health and Wellness. I also offer these services from several other locations, including my home studio, Stillpoint, located in Benton.
I am deeply grateful to all of my teachers who have set me on and illuminated the path of yoga, to all of those who study with me for their friendship, support and exciting “aha moments,” to Deb Traugh who created and maintains the sacred space where I work, and to my husband, Carl, for his love, inspiration and absolute mastery of the corpse pose.
"Know yourself at every level - body, breath, mind and soul. All healing forces are within you." ~ Swami Rama, Founder of the Himalayan Institute.
The approach I use in my practice is rooted in the idea that health and wholeness exist within us, and that healing is a remembrance of our connection to the greater unified field of intelligence. My focus in working with individual clients is to enhance their awareness of the body/mind/spirit connection, and to assist them in finding wellness in every layer of their being.
My group yoga classes have evolved as my understanding of yoga's transformative potential has deepened. In addition to the solid foundational content I receive from the Himalayan Institute, my classes reflect the diverse influences of studying with Gary Kraftsow, Angela Farmer and Victor Van Kooten, Sarah Powers, Rod Stryker, and Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen. I’ve moved away from my earlier years of teaching people how to “DO" postures, and have gravitated toward a more insight-based, curiosity-driven experience of how to "BE" in the shapes, in the breath, in the moment; how to incorporate into daily life the lessons experienced on the mat. I'm fascinated by a breath-centered approach to movement, and I enjoy finding different ways of sharing this with my clients and fellow students. Although this approach encourages experimentation, the spirit of the classes remains firmly anchored in traditional yoga philosophy and technology.
Whether my clients are interested in maintaining a strong immune system, or are suffering from chronic problems such as arthritis, digestive issues, high blood pressure, musculo-skeletal issues, fatigue, headaches, etc., or even psycho-physiological imbalances like anxiety, depression and burnout, these modalities hold powerful potential for resolving suffering and restoring health.
The approach I use in my practice is rooted in the idea that health and wholeness exist within us, and that healing is a remembrance of our connection to the greater unified field of intelligence. My focus in working with individual clients is to enhance their awareness of the body/mind/spirit connection, and to assist them in finding wellness in every layer of their being.
My group yoga classes have evolved as my understanding of yoga's transformative potential has deepened. In addition to the solid foundational content I receive from the Himalayan Institute, my classes reflect the diverse influences of studying with Gary Kraftsow, Angela Farmer and Victor Van Kooten, Sarah Powers, Rod Stryker, and Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen. I’ve moved away from my earlier years of teaching people how to “DO" postures, and have gravitated toward a more insight-based, curiosity-driven experience of how to "BE" in the shapes, in the breath, in the moment; how to incorporate into daily life the lessons experienced on the mat. I'm fascinated by a breath-centered approach to movement, and I enjoy finding different ways of sharing this with my clients and fellow students. Although this approach encourages experimentation, the spirit of the classes remains firmly anchored in traditional yoga philosophy and technology.
Whether my clients are interested in maintaining a strong immune system, or are suffering from chronic problems such as arthritis, digestive issues, high blood pressure, musculo-skeletal issues, fatigue, headaches, etc., or even psycho-physiological imbalances like anxiety, depression and burnout, these modalities hold powerful potential for resolving suffering and restoring health.
yoga/meditation:
Himalayan Institute Yoga Teacher Association, certification at 500 hour level
Himalayan Institute Meditation Teaching Course of Study
Integrative Yoga Therapy certification
Member of Yoga Alliance, E-RYT500
ayurveda:
Ayurveda Health Counselor
Professional Member of National Ayurvedic Medical Association
Continuing studies with Kathryn Templeton and Dr. Rosy Mann
massage/bodywork:
American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA)
National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork
Pennsylvania State Licensed
Himalayan Institute Yoga Teacher Association, certification at 500 hour level
Himalayan Institute Meditation Teaching Course of Study
Integrative Yoga Therapy certification
Member of Yoga Alliance, E-RYT500
ayurveda:
Ayurveda Health Counselor
Professional Member of National Ayurvedic Medical Association
Continuing studies with Kathryn Templeton and Dr. Rosy Mann
massage/bodywork:
American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA)
National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork
Pennsylvania State Licensed