My Story…
Like most natural born healers I had a difficult life. I was introduced to deep levels of pain and suffering early in my life. I had a difficult and traumatic childhood that I have spent my entire adult life healing from. This unique experience has brought me the greatest gifts. I have always been naturally tuned in to what I call the Mystic and my relationship with what I refer to as the Great Spirit has been the center of my world. I turned to this great Force at the darkest times of my life and always I am proved a believer.
I have always had a strong connection to animals who I believe to be more advanced beings than what most people realize. In particular, I believe companion animals are extraordinarily special. They were sent with specific missions. We are their assignments. I have always been spiritually in tune, sensitive to subtle energy, and slightly psychic. I was raised in a Christian Church and took much refuge there. However, I had an innate understanding of reincarnation way before I ever heard the term. I was also born with a natural inclination towards the worship of Nature as my idea of God. These beliefs were so strong in me, I never wavered, no matter what. My sense of spirituality was such a strong drive in my life that it dominated everything.
I was always a good student, disciplined, studious, and naturally very curious. I also had a desire to please. I did well in school and went to college right after high school. I graduated with a B.A. in psychology with an English literature minor. I wanted to be a therapist and a writer. In the last year of college I discovered yoga and was taking a Tibetan Buddhist class along with a class on medicinal herbs. My path was revealing itself but still I had no idea of what was before me!
After college I needed a break and something inside of me warned me not to go home. Home was where the source of my problems were. I was not completely conscious, but I decided to trust my feelings and when a female friend of mine asked me to go to the Outer Banks with her for a summer, I said ok! She had jobs lined up for us and a place to live. She said, “One more summer of fun!” Anything but going home is what my insides were telling me although I did not know why. At this point I still was not conscious of my childhood trauma. I had amnesia. So I went with my friend to the Outer Banks. I had no idea I was about to discover Home. I had no idea I would remain on this island for the next 20 years of my life. I had no idea what was about to unfold.
When I moved to the beach the natural beauty was astounding. I fell in love with the ocean, the twilight sunsets, and the clean air. I felt Great Spirit everywhere and my senses began to heal. I was safe and I felt this deep down. I was surrounded by wonderful people and fell into a family quickly. The owners of the restaurant I worked at were incredible and they took me in. For the first time in my life I allowed my life to happen. And, it did. It was not long before a woman I waitressed with told me there was an Ashtanga Yoga teacher in Rodanthe which is the more remote part of the island. I had started practicing Ashtanga with Jennifer Elliott in Charlottesville, it was my favorite type of yoga! So, I went. The teacher’s name is Itay Dollinger and we had an instant connection. He was a student of Tim Miller. Itay encouraged me to meet Tim. He would be teaching in Charlottesville, VA! When Tim walked in the room I had an instant reaction to his energy. My sinus cavities literally bust open and ran for days. My life would never be the same.
So I followed this path of yoga, I let go of going home and going to graduate school. I let myself heal and get strong in my practice. I was discovering myself. Itay needed help teaching and convinced me to go to Tim’s teacher training. I came back from California and started teaching yoga. Teaching was another level of healing because I could give back, I could help others. I was falling in love with myself, with my life, and with yoga. I decided to stay on my magical island and time led me to find the perfect simple, price is right space, and I opened my studio. After this I had a clear focus forward with my path and goals. Doors kept opening. David Williams, one of the most famous yoga teachers in modern history, just called me up one day and asked if he could come teach. David brought Pattabhi Jois to the United States for the first time in 1975, making history. David became a great mentor to me. He taught me how to practice in a more moderate and fulfilling way. He explained it is about endorphins, not adrenaline.
As time went on, my community grew, my heart swelled, and my healing continued. I made a name for myself. As all this success and healing was taking place, I was also becoming more conscious and old memories were starting to surface. I became aware of the reality of my childhood experience. This opened me up even more to new understanding of Self. I had much healing to do in my own path. A new journey revealed itself.
My studio was open for 14 long and wonderful years, I hosted many workshops gathering the Ashtanga Tribe from all over the world, spending time with legendary teachers, and teaching up and down the East Coast myself and even leading international retreats. As time goes on, things change. Something was changing… The atmosphere was changing, the political landscape, and my internal world was changing. Tim retired, the yoga scene was going through huge shifts, and then the Pandemic happened. I am sensitive. I was feeling change in the air, the Spirits were taking care of me. Something inside of me guided me to let go of my space and work at a new local co-op, to downsize, and focus on the work that really made me happy. I did that. What a blessing. The Pandemic came a year later, and the world is so different now.
This change gave me time to Soul search. What is it I really want and need? It gave me time to turn inward and focus on my own self care. It has been good. In this time I have naturally gravitated towards private instruction. I like to do the deep work with people. I also learned to teach on Zoom and fell in love with horses when I started volunteering at a local horse rescue. I decided I wanted to focus more on individual work, workshops, move into coaching, and go back to school to follow through on getting my Masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. I am currently enrolled in an online graduate program through the University of the Southwest. This will allow me more credibility to work with clients on deeper psychological and emotional levels, and I can eventually practice Equine Assisted Therapy. Horses are great healers! I have a new dream now. I would like to integrate my natural spiritual abilities with yoga, animal therapy, and psychotherapy to help people heal. I am coming to you with 20 years of my own practical experience. I am currently being formally trained but I have even more than that to offer. I am a person who has walked through the depths of darkness. I know the way because I have been there. I know healing is possible because I have lived it. I am combining formal training in both yoga and counseling with experiential wisdom. My focus is helping clients find and maintain balance mentally, physically, spiritually, and learn to implement this in their lifestyle. I am not a religious person so I am open to any practice of spirituality that is yours. I can help you find yourself. I can hear your pain, and I can support you in your journey towards wholeness, vitality, and fulfillment.