What drew you to yoga?
I was introduced to yoga in college but didn’t stick with it since there weren't any yoga studios in the area. After graduating, I started practicing with a community of yogis in a carpeted room in the center of a small town. After my first vinyasa practice I couldn’t walk, but I was addicted. I craved the practice, the community, and the post-savasana feels. I’ve been faithfully stepping back on my mat ever since.  

Why do you practice?
I practice yoga because it brings balance and peace to all the other areas of my life. It takes my raging anxiety down a notch and allows me to be the best version of myself. Yoga has calmed the chaos during so many stages of my adult life that the practice has become a trusted friend.  

(Life+) How does yoga change you off the mat?

When I started practicing yoga, there was a visible difference in my physical body. My shoulders dropped a little, I held my head a little higher, and I carried myself in a way that made people notice the difference. I wasn’t wound up so tight, I wasn’t sweating the small stuff, and I wasn’t so…. there’s no other way to put it, mean.  

What is your style?
Practice with me is all about linking the movement to the breath. I like a creative flow with opportunities to make it your own. I’m always searching for interesting ways to use props during my classes to help with alignment while challenging the mind and the body to work together.  

Where are you when you’re not teaching?
Outside of the studio I’m usually enjoying time outdoors, hanging with my dogs, or traveling with my husband. During the school year, I spend the majority of my time teaching little humans at a nearby elementary school.  

What illuminates you?
Sunshine, pizza, and Portland, Maine. Preferably all mixed together on a hot July day.