I first stepped on a yoga mat 20 years ago when I was 23. I immediately fell in love with the quiet and calming grace in which yoga postures were held, the amazing, physical strength that can be developed over years of dedicated practice, and the over-all good feelings that I received both during and after each practice. I was initially drawn to yoga because I was born with a weak back and learning yoga helped me to fight back and make the rest of my body as strong as I could make it. Nine surgeries later, I am here to tell you that yoga has made it possible for me to work through my depression surrounding my back issue and has helped me to successfully and naturally manage my pain. There have also been periods in my life when I wasn’t able to do any physical activity at all and I learned to explore sound healing and meditation as other powerful ways to gain strength, feel better, and not feel any pain. Once I learned about sound healing and meditation – and the incredible transcendence it allowed me to feel – I was truly never the same. Teaching about holistic nutrition is another educational passion of mine. I’m a firm believer in the expression “we are what we eat.” Our bodies are literally manufactured out of the food we consume and it would be my privilege and honor to be able to offer my knowledge and education about holistic nutrition back to others, and to guide people on the healthy, natural path we were born to live. I’m a graduate of the Southwest Institute of Holistic Arts in Tempe, Arizona where I received my Holistic Practitioner degree, specializing in Advanced Yoga Training (500 hour certified), Integral Breath Therapy, Yoga Nidra, Sound Healing, Restorative Yoga, Holistic Nutrition, and Life Coaching. In addition to a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in Business/Leadership & Advocacy, I also have a Master’s Degree in Education from Marquette University.