Yoga originated in India around 5,000 years ago as a spiritual discipline intended to help people find liberation and relief from suffering.  Yoga is a Sanskrit word, formed by the verbal root word yuj, which means to yoke or unite and is practiced as a system to harmonize and unify the body, mind, and spirit.  While yoga has both influenced and been influenced by many different religions and spiritual traditions, including Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism among others, yoga’s ancient roots are traced back to pre-Vedic times and pre-date any religious affiliations.

The yoga I live and teach today is rooted in the 8-limbed path, as outlined in the Yoga Sutra by the Indian sage Patanjali some 2,000 years ago. Today, many Westernized takes on yoga focus solely on the physical aspect for health and fitness, but yoga by origin has always had a much deeper purpose of creating freedom from internal and external suffering.  By intention, philosophy, and application, yoga has always been a trauma-informed practice and modern science is now backing what the ancient practitioners already knew – that yoga has the power to help us heal.

Deep gratitude to my teachers Annie Carpenter, Jill Miller, Hala Khouri, Kyra Haglund, Richard Miller, and my mentor, Susanna Barkataki, for supporting me in the ongoing work of becoming more culturally and trauma informed as both a teacher and a student.

Trauma and chronic stress can retune our autonomic nervous system toward chronic states of defense. When we’re stuck in chronic states of defense, an embodied or “felt-sense” of safety may feel unreachable.

The Safe & Sound Protocol (or SSP) is an evidence-based program developed by Dr. Stephen Porges that functions as an acoustic vagal nerve stimulator to help repattern the autonomic nervous system and initiate healing.

Please note that the Safe & Sound Protocol must be scheduled separately (you cannot use this page to book). Learn more about the SSP and how to book here. 

Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises (or TRE®) is an innovative series of exercises created by Dr. David Bercelli that assist the body in releasing deep muscular patterns of stress, tension and trauma. The exercises safely activate a natural reflex mechanism of shaking or vibrating that releases muscular tension, calming down the nervous system. When this muscular shaking/vibrating mechanism is activated in a safe and controlled environment, the body is encouraged to return back to a state of balance.

TRE® is based on the fundamental idea, backed by research, that stress, tension and trauma is both psychological and physical. TRE® is designed to be a self-help tool that, once learned, can be used independently as needed throughout one’s life, thereby continuously supporting and promoting personal health and wellness.

Deep gratitude to Dr. David Bercelli, Lynea Gillen and Jim Gillen for their wisdom and mentorship.

The vagus nerve (often referred to as cranial nerve X) is the 10th cranial nerve and the longest nerve of the autonomic nervous system. It plays a vital role in nearly every regulatory function in the body. Vagus means "wanderer" in Latin, which is appropriate as the vagus nerve wanders throughout the body and innervates almost every organ system. 

The vagus nerve is a key player in the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest). 

Stimulating your vagus nerve can help lower your heart rate, reduce blood pressure, aid digestion, regulate your emotions, reduce inflammation, and evoke feelings of safety, connection and social engagement. 

Non-invasive vagus nerve exercises include breathing techniques, sound vibration techniques, eye exercises, self-massage techniques, yoga, cold-water immersion and more. 

Primal Mvmnt® is a fiercely empowering movement experience that combines primal movement patterns, martial arts, breathwork and sound to help physically release stress and  re-awaken your animal instincts. 

Primal Mvmnt® draws inspiration from many teachers and styles including Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Kung Fu, Tai Chi Chuan and Qigong. 

Tai Chi Chuan is an ancient Chinese healing arts that is classified as an internal practice based on cultivating, recovering and sustaining the state of balance and harmony in the Yin-Yang realm. While many people know Tai Chi as an exercise practice, a moving meditation or a martial art, Tai Chi is actually an ancient Chinese philosophy of yin and yang – an explanation for the formation of the universe and the foundation of human life.  Together all that is Yin combined with all that is Yang appear as two balanced aspects - of the One - in the widely recognized Yin-Yang symbol (also called Tai Chi Tu).  Tai Chi means “supreme ultimate” or “universal harmony.”  

Qigong is a form of Traditional Chinese Medicine, which offers a way to consciously exercise one's Qi to promote self-healing by utilizing breath, concentration, and fluid movements.  There are many styles of Qigong from medical Qigong to meditative, and moving Qigong.

Kung Fu is an ancient traditional Chinese martial art used for self-defense combat, physical and mental health, discipline, and healing the body.  The lineage I draw from is based on the historical Nan King Guo Shu Institute’s teachings. I studied under Sifu Jonathan Weizhang Wang, founder of the Beijing Tai Chi & Kung Fu Academy who is trained under both Grandmaster Jiang Hao Quan and Grandmaster Daniel Yu Wang.  The curriculum I trained in includes long fist, long range techniques, close range techniques, circular technique, and animal emulation.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a grappling art, a self-defense system, and a component of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Originating in Japan, Jiu-Jitsu served as the unarmed combat system for the Samurai, and later evolved into Kodokan Judo (also known as Kano Jiu-Jitsu) under founder Kano Jigoro in the 1880’s. Kano’s top student Mitsuyo Maeda brought Jiu-Jitsu to Brazil in 1914 and introduced it to the Gracie family. Helio Gracie was the founder of the Brazilian style of Jiu-Jitsu, which is the most widely practiced form today. I earned my blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu from Professor Henry Akins at Dynamix Martial Arts, who received his blackbelt directly from Rickson Gracie and was only the third American at the time to receive that honor.

Deep appreciation to my martial arts teachers past and present including Sifu Jonathan Weizhang Wang, Grandmaster Daniel Yu Wang, Dr. Raul Ramirez, Dr. Bita Yadidi, Henry Jun Wah Lee, and Professor Henry Akins.

The Tiny Habits method was created by Dr. BJ Fogg, a world-renowned Behavior Scientist at Stanford University and New York Times bestselling author. His breakthrough method cracks the code of habit formation and gives people hope and evidence that they can change. Tiny Habits is based on 20 years of research and Dr. Fogg’s experience personally coaching over 40,000 people.

My deepest appreciation to Dr. BJ Fogg for his groundbreaking work and to Linda Fogg for her expertise and mentorship.