Every day we interact with so much that’s outside of us. Rarely do we give the same amount of focus and energy to ourselves, to going within.

With the pressures and busyness of daily life, you might be searching for more opportunities to hear your own voice, to process your thoughts and emotions, to get “unstuck” and back into a flow. And what happens when you don’t get that space and time?

You find it harder to make decisions and stay present. You seek outside validation. You struggle to separate the true and untrue stories that you hear or tell yourself. And you may have trouble identifying and communicating what you need.

When you sense that imbalance and feel pulled to go within, you do things like buy a pretty journal or two. You sign up for yoga classes. You download a meditation app. But as so often happens with solitary activities that are purely for yourself, you struggle to find the time to do it all. If you block the time on your schedule, it’s likely that you choose one practice over the others.

This is one of the many reasons I both practice and teach Yoga and Journaling—it’s a clear time set aside for you to go deeper both physically and mentally, to explore mindful movement and take regular pauses for self-reflection. These are gentle yoga classes with journaling prompts interspersed throughout, typically built and sequenced around a specific theme. The theme is what drives the class, including the movements, the journal questions, the meditation, and the breathwork. The result is a beautiful opportunity to tap into your inner wisdom and reconnect to your Self (Atman, Divine Self, Higher Self, Inner Self, Soul—whichever word resonates with you). Practicing as a community together, we encourage one another to make this sacred time for ourselves.

My classes are for deep feelers and thinkers. They are for those who want to slow down, engage in self-study, examine their stories, and find inspiration. They are for those looking to build a deeper connection with themselves so they can show up more fully in their lives.

Check back for 2022 Group Classes!

In the meantime, you can practice with me for free through the Yoga & Journaling Embodied Reading Series.

The Honor Your Pace Yoga & Journaling Series is also available. These four practices are just $22 for the whole package, and they are designed to help you explore and embrace the pace at which you would like to move through your life.

All classes and 1:1 sessions are held on Zoom.

My classes are open to all, no previous yoga or journaling experience required. I typically teach gentle flows, Yin, and Restorative classes, as well as standalone guided meditations. Some of my classes are a combination of a few methods—they kick off with a short flow and end in restorative or yin postures. Modifications are frequently offered, and I’ll let you know ahead of time what to expect, including which props you might need and the common items around your house that you can use in place of the traditional props.

I believe that every single one of us is a student, including the teacher. I teach yoga, but I am also a lifelong student of yoga, and I have a life full of learning still ahead of me. I like to remind students of this and acknowledge that I am merely here to support and connect—you are the only one who truly knows YOU, your body, and what you need. I suggest postures, practices, and journal prompts, all with the goal of helping you build your personal practice and your relationship to your Self. Always listen to your body (inside and outside of class) and take only the postures and practices that feel right for you. Not feeling a journal prompt I suggest? No problem. Write whatever is on your mind, sit and meditate quietly, or try doodling or drawing instead. Honor where you are at in any given moment—that is part of coming to know and understand yourself.

We are all exploring, studying, and doing our best to figure things out as we go. We practice together so we can share experiences and even stories that remind us we are not alone on this journey. Our work may be done at the individual level, but it doesn’t mean we can’t use a little support along the way.

There was a time in my life when I allowed everything outside of me to define and shape me: where I went to school, where I worked, who I was friends with, my relationship status, my religion, the expectations of bosses, coworkers, friends, family, and significant others.

I took on identities and stories that weren’t mine with incredible ease. I called myself adaptable when really, I was impressionable. There was constant anxiety bubbling within me as I tried to keep up appearances.

After years of traditional therapy, I began a deeper exploration into the spiritual realm. I was about 30 when I started to practice yoga and meditation regularly. The idea of an inner wisdom existing within all of us both fascinated and comforted me. I heard it referred to as the Divine Self, the Inner Self, the True Self. In yoga philosophy, there is the concept of Atman, the Self (with a capital S), the innermost essence of an individual that exists beyond worldly definitions or identifications, and is always present.

I began to tap into this inner wisdom through yoga and journaling, which started out as two separate practices. Both helped me realize how far I had drifted—that I often didn’t know the difference between my own thoughts and feelings and those of another. I continued to explore this, but since journaling was such a solitary activity, I more often found myself in group yoga classes where I could feel that sense of community.

Then I discovered Yoga & Journaling as a unified practice. I took my first Yoga & Journaling class at Room to Breathe in Chicago on my lunch break. A yoga teacher I very much admire, Amber Cook, led the classes, and they forever left an impression on me. I am a writer and storyteller at my core, and experiencing such a harmonious combination of these two practices that are so meaningful to me was transformative.

Why do I think they work so well together? To break it down, practicing and living the principles of Yoga (which is so much more than Asana, or the physical postures) brings us closer to realizing that innermost Self. Meditation, breath, mindful movement, focused concentration—all of these bring us back to ourselves.

Journaling adds another layer to the practice that allows for deeper self-study, which relates to Svadhaya, the fourth Niyama as described in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. Examining ourselves – our values, thoughts, emotions, and actions – can help us spot our patterns and our stories, showing us where we may not be in alignment with our true selves.

As a storyteller, I like to also think of this in terms of stories. There are the stories people tell us and there are the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves—both true and untrue. I think journaling helps us investigate these stories that exist behind our thoughts, emotions, and beliefs. And through regular practice, it allows us to honor our stories and rewrite the ones that got misreported along the way.

For me, both yoga and journaling (whether they practiced together or separately) are spiritual practices. Each time I practice, I come to know myself better, and it becomes easier to channel my inner wisdom. I want this for you as well, which is why I decided to teach.

I think we all struggle with the amount of noise and information coming at us each day, whether consciously or unconsciously. So much of what we experience in our daily lives can distract and prevent us from seeing and knowing who we really are.  And if we don’t make connection to ourselves a regular practice, it’s easier to drift further and further away from our true center.

I hope you’ll join me and my community, so we can get back on track together.

I completed my 200-Hour Vinyasa Teacher Training in June 2020 with Xenia Guido at her former San Diego studio, Pura Vida Yoga.

I’m also completing a 65-Hour Advanced Psych Sensitive Yoga Teacher Training at Room to Breathe in Chicago.

I am a registered teacher with the Yoga Alliance.