Why a clinician, and not just a coach
There are many good yoga teachers and wellness coaches. What shapes my work is years spent sitting with people through crisis, recovery, and the difficult work of creating lasting behavior change.
We talk a lot about the connection between mind and body, yet most of the support people get for stress still focuses on the mind. Talk therapy is valuable, but when the body is stuck in a stress response, it’s hard to think or talk your way out of it. Calm has to be felt physically, too. That’s why I teach practical tools that start with the body.
I also know how easily the demands of everyday life, including work, kids, relationships, health, and the constant pressure to keep up, can leave us overwhelmed and disconnected from ourselves. Yoga offers a way to come back into our bodies, slow down, breathe, and give the nervous system a chance to settle. I learned that the hard way, and it’s a big part of why I teach it now. You don’t have to be in crisis to need that.
| Typical wellness offering | What I bring |
| Training | Varies widely, from weekend certificates to 200-hour trainings | I have a Master of Public Health, a state license in addiction counseling, and advanced training in yoga, including trauma-informed and yin-based practices. I bring together three areas that are often treated separately: public health, behavioral health, and somatic practice. |
| Understanding of stress | General relaxation techniques | Clinical knowledge of how stress, trauma, and addiction can affect the brain, body, and behaviors |
| When someone is struggling | May not recognize the signs, or know what to do next | I am trained to recognize distress and connect people with the appropriate level of support |
| Showing results | Attendance numbers | Clear, measurable outcomes that show the impact of the work |
Master of Public HealthMPH
From Eastern Washington University. My public health education has taught me the importance of not only helping people once they’re in crisis, but creating programs, environments, and resources that support well-being before they are in crisis. It also gives me the tools to design programs that reach beyond one person or one class and evaluate whether they’re actually making a difference.
Licensed Addiction CounselorLAC
I’m licensed by the State of Montana and completed my graduate studies in Addiction Counseling at Montana State University. My experience includes working as a clinician, behavioral health advisor, and crisis counselor, as well as developing behavioral health programming for local and national nonprofit organizations.
Yoga credentials and training
E-RYT 200 (Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher) and Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider (YACEP), certified in trauma-informed yoga, Yin yoga, and corporate yoga.
Community work
Volunteer with The Compassion Project, Suffer Out Loud, and Shatterproof, and communications consultant for national health organizations.
Workshops and classes are educational and are not therapy or treatment. If someone needs more support, I help connect them to their EAP, a provider, or crisis resources, so they get the right care.