Diana first began to dabble with yoga in high school over twenty years ago. “I have always enjoyed yoga for it’s ability to calm my busy mind and help alleviate tension in the body,” Diana explains.
Diana’s study of yoga intensified following the struggles she faced as a new mother. “My experience with postpartum mood disorder was one that I was completely unprepared for and it left me feeling disempowered as a mother. I knew in preparing for my second child that I wanted tools and strategies in case this were to happen again,” she reflects. Diana immersed herself in yoga, taking yoga classes and choosing a childbirth course that focused on mindfulness and breath awareness.
While Diana faced similar challenges with her second postpartum period she explains “It was such a departure from my first childbirth experience. Despite all of the challenges I faced it felt wonderful to be aware of what was happening in my mind and my body.”
It was in 2017, after being approached by one of her teachers, that Diana made the decision to deepen her study of yoga by enrolling in the 200 hour Hatha Yoga Teacher Training at the Bodhi Tree Yoga Centre in Kemptville, Ontario. Having previously completed a 40 hour yin yoga teacher training, Diana was excited to dive deep into the teachings of yoga once again.
Her year long studies allowed Diana to fully blossom into the caring, competent and knowledgeable teacher that she is today. Her yogi peers describe her as compassionate, sweet and giving. It was, in fact, these qualities along with an overwhelming desire to help others that years ago lead Diana into a career of nursing.
Today Diana blends her nursing knowledge with the teachings of yoga, to deliver a style of class that is deeply therapeutic and one that honours the total body, mind and spiritual benefits that yoga offers. Diana’s thorough understanding of anatomy enables her to lead students in finding their own expression of the pose most suited to their individual alignment needs.
“Developing a daily yoga and meditation practice has strengthened my ability to respond with a clear mind during difficult moments in life. I hope that my own teachings will continue to evolve and grow as I continue to learn and apply the teachings of yoga in my life on and off the mat,” Diana says. Drawing from her own personal mental health challenges, Diana is most passionate about sharing the teachings of yoga so that those who struggle with their own mental health may receive these same benefits.
Training Highlights
300 Hour Yoga Teacher Training - Awakened Spirit Yoga, Online, February 2023
200 Hour Hatha Yoga Teacher Training - Bodhi Tree Yoga Centre, Kemptville, ON, 2018
40 Hour Yin Yoga Teacher Training - Bodhi Tree Yoga Centre, Kemptville, ON, 2017
Bachelor of Nursing Science - Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, 2004