I first found yoga in 2015 in my hometown West Dundee, Illinois. I was drawn in by the physicality of an advanced flow practice, but soon came to love the alignment behind each posture. This helped me get in touch with my body and mind, and gave me a space to sift through my thoughts and perspectives on the world.
While being a student at the University of Illinois, pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance, I completed my 200-hour training at Amara Yoga and Artswith Linda Lehovec and Luna Pierson in 2018. Being mentored by both these teachers as well as my first teacher Kim Brown, owner of Sama Yoga in West Dundee, I could combine my love for anatomy and alignment with my love for vigorous movement and flow.
In 2020 I decided to complete two 26 hour certifications to continue my growth and understanding of yoga. Through Wild Abundant Life and Matthew Kimmeth, I pursued my first certification module in Restorative and Yin Yoga and my second in Meditation, Mindfulness and Yoga Nidra. Both certifications provide me with a better understanding of these disciplines' nuances, and the proper tools to teach these specific lineages of yoga.
Since Fall 2020 I have been teaching yoga at a specialized private school to a breadth of middle school and high school students. This private school focuses on creating a one-to-one learning environment for young adults who may be challenged by a traditional school environment. In this setting I have had the opportunity to teach kids with a range of challenges from ADD/ADHD, depression, anxiety, Autism, and Bipolar Disorder the beauty and lifelong practice that is yoga. It was also in this setting that I learned how much I enjoy teaching yoga one-to-one, and giving each student a personalized class tailored to their specific needs.
Most recently, in the summer of 2021, I had the amazing opportunity to travel across the world to Bali, Indonesia to pursue my 300 hour teacher training with Zuna Yoga. After spending the month studying with master teachers Everett Newell and Katherine Girling, and assistants Rebecca Klewstigh and Daniel Novoa, I developed a deeper love and understanding of the teaching and philosophical practice of yoga. This training in particular was a great experience for me because I was surrounded with love and support while I continued to deepen my personal practice, question and explore ancient yoga ideology, and take space for myself.