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Through my own healing journey, I have discovered first hand the profound effects that diet and lifestyle can have on a person's health. Not just on a physical level, but mentally and emotionally as well. Unhappy with my career, recently divorced, and suffering from depression, a friend suggested I give yoga a try. The class was very challenging. I could not do
half the poses, but I walked out feeling amazing and there was nothing I could do to wipe the smile off my face. As a runner and endurance athlete, the physical benefits were obvious, but as I started to practice daily, I became more aware of the therapeutic benefits yoga offered. I began to find more flexibility, balance and strength in all aspects of my life, not just my body. As my body began to open and stretch, so did my mind and then best of all my heart.
As subtle changes unfolded, I became motivated to deepen my practice and learn more. I went back to school to study nutrition, traveled to India to complete my first Yoga teacher-training course and have been fortunate to study with many knowledgeable teachers across Canada and the United States. I am a Certified Holistic Nutritionist, Sivananda Yoga, Restorative Yoga and Moksha Yoga Instructor.
My passion and enthusiasm for all things health shines through in my teaching. I am truly honoured to share with others what I believe has literally saved my life. 
As a competitive athlete my whole life, yoga was far down a long list of activities I wanted to do to stay healthy and fit. I found the entire world of yoga intimidating, not the most accessible to those that had limited flexibility and honestly, a little too 'boring' for me. It was not until a friend of mine convinced me to give it a try that my eyes were opened to this incredible world of yoga. Years of varsity basketball at the University level had left me with severe back problems and in chronic pain at the age of 23. My back pain left numerous doctors and therapists baffled and unable to come up with any realistic solution that would allow me to maintain my active lifestyle. Walking into my first Moksha class, I had no idea how therapeutic it would be. Yoga gave me the tools to walk away from crippling pain, instead of dealing with it via prescription drugs. The beginner friendly atmosphere at Moksha was pivotal in encouraging me to stick with it and feel confident in the classroom despite my limited mobility and flexibility. After practicing Moksha yoga for three years in London Ontario, it was only a logical progression for me to take the month long intensive teacher training in July 2007 in Toronto. After completing the training, I taught at Moksha studios across the country from Montreal to Edmonton. I am thrilled to be back in my hometown of Ottawa, sharing Moksha yoga and its limitless potential with everyone in our nation's capital! 
Like many other people, my first experience to Yoga was on the advice of a friend. It was a Bikram Yoga class. I thought I would not be able to tolerate the heat. However, it was the combination of the heat, concentration of the mind and the movement of the breath that drew me in and kept bringing me back to the mat. After years of aerobics, figure skating and running, I was in search of something on a deeper level. I quickly realized that the techniques to stay calm and focused, while stretching and strengthening my body could all be achieved through Yoga and Meditation. Yoga was the tool I needed to eliminate the daily challenges by releasing mental and physical tensions stored in my Mind, Body & Soul, all one breath at a time. That was 12 years ago. After 8 years of practice, I enrolled in the 200 hour Hatha Yoga Teacher Training program and began to teach after graduating. I have since completed a number of certifications including Yin Yoga training programs with recognized teachers Sarah Powers and Paul Grilley. I continue to learn and enrich my teachings each year, with the Moksha Yoga Teacher Training program being my next exploration. Even after several years of teaching, I consider myself student first, teacher second. Take it one breathe at a time and you can conquer any challenge is my motto. 
My life journey and experiences are colorful and varied and my sense of curiosity and love of life has led me down many roads. My previous career in sales, was extremely stressful and took its toll on my mental and physical health. As a result I turned to Yoga. In Yoga I found the balance, peace and serenity which has enabled me to regain control of my life. Yoga helped me slow down and re-focus my energies on what is important to me. When I found out about the Moksha Yoga teacher training in India, I immediately seized the opportunity because I wanted to further my practice and be able to share the benefits of yoga. I truly believe there is a ripple effect that comes from both the practice and philosophy of yoga that spreads inconspicuously into our lives and to those around us. Yoginis can make a difference in this hectic world. My formal education and training is in Interior Design and Hotel & Restaurant Management. I enjoy travelling, gardening and any physical activity that is done outdoors (hiking, kayaking, skiing), and I especially love spending lots of time with my family. One thing is for certain, my passion for yoga grows everyday. 
After 6 years of weight training my body really needed something else, that something else, was yoga and all that it has to offer. I was not aware that something tremendously amazing in my life was absent and needed until my first yoga experience. I am very grateful that the fitness club where I worked out at offered yoga. After my first class I immediately knew that yoga could not only benefit my weight training goals, but that it could increase my awareness of the body-mind-spirit connection. Thorough yoga, I realize how important it is to not only be physically fit on the outside, but also to be functional with our bodies in our everyday lives. I completed my training in Thailand in 2006. I felt like a new person! I’m a strong believer in “beauty is within.” Having yoga in my life has inspired me to run marathons, be more organized, and be a better person as a whole. I also enjoy pilates, tennis, and cozying up at the fireplace. Consistency and variety in life is key! In the past, I was a Personal Trainer/Fitness Consultant. Balancing health and wellness has always been my key focus. My passion is to share my enthusiasm and knowledge with people through the practice of yoga. One of my favorite quotes: “Discipline has less to do with accomplishment and more to do with intention and with commitment.” See you in the hot room!
My journey with yoga started as a self healing process. In my early twenties, I really needed to do some serious soul searching. A friend of mine encouraged me to try yoga. I thought to myself, "How can stretching help me find myself?" It took me a few classes to really understand the benefits through meditation and the postures. I continued to practice weekly over the following years. When I moved to Ottawa, I found myself lost in a new city, so I began to deepen my practice which evolved to working at a local yoga studio. My first teacher training broadened my knowledge of the philosophy in yoga, mainly with the Eight Limbs of Yoga. Constantly reflecting upon the Eight Limbs of Yoga, I began to see the benefits both internally and with my existing relationships. In 2008, a friend introduced me to Moksha Yoga. I was captivated by what she told me and did my own research. I was amazed with the philosophy behind the practice. I could not help but want to be part of this community. Recently, I completed the Moksha Yoga Teacher Training in Las Vegas. This experience has changed my life in every way. It is through yoga that I have discovered the most powerful movement is found in stillness and living in the present. We are constantly searching, finding, losing, inventing and reinventing ourselves, all in the name of one day knowing who we are, our true selves. As part of Ottawa's yoga community, I have been blessed to be a student and a teacher, sharing equally in this vibrant journey. 
I started on my yogic path early, as a young girl growing up in a spiritual home. But I would feel there was a missing piece for many years, as I first pursued a variety of other forms of body movement. My journey began with eight years of ballet training. Kickboxing, running, and weight training would all became regular pursuits, along with snowboarding in the winter and wakeboarding in the summer. I eventually sought out yoga to stretch out my overworked muscles, but soon began to discover an understanding of balance I had long been searching for. I began to realize my yoga practice was influencing almost every other part of my life. A magical by-product of those muscle-stretching sessions was a calmer mind, a healthier body and an open heart. Yoga had helped me to develop a larger purpose and a deeper meaning in my life, and I was hooked. Before long I was eager to spread this message to others. I began my 200hr Hatha yoga teacher training in Septempter 2006, under the guidance of Yogi Vishvketu and Chetana Panwar. I also trained in Vinyasa Flow, under Seane Corn. 'Yoga makes the rough road smooth.' ~ Rama of Haridwar 
I started practicing hot yoga in 2002 at the Bikram College of India, Ottawa. Stretching in the heat always appealed to me, initially as a physical interest. I am Moksha Certified; I completed the 200hr Moksha TeacherTraining program in Kerala, India, March 2010. Yoga allows me to tap into a sensibility of my dance background. Dance introduced me to discipline and provided a sense of liberty via movement. As a teenager I taught ballet and choreographed various forms of dance. I trained for 12 years in ballet, modern & jazz. My love of movement lead to pursuits in other fitness realms; I found a love for weight training, mountain climbing and cardio training. I am a certified Group Fitness Instructor; I have taught at many local gyms and clubs. Practicing yoga allows me to align my body, mind and soul. The focus required forces me to surrender who I think I am, it forces me to slow down, and it’s challenging and humbling. I amgrateful to have yoga as a means to become more self-aware and to share yoga while helping others connect with what they need from their yoga practice.
Dancing has always been a part of my life, so when the dance studio I had been a student at since the age of eight closed I found myself in a rut. Desperately needing to find a new outlet, my roommate invited me to the Friday night charity class at Moksha Yoga Ottawa. I left the class with my feet a little more grounded, my head held a little higher and my body drenched with sweat; I had never felt better! I soon found myself anxiously awaiting my Friday night yoga class. It was the perfect way to unwind from the week’s stresses. Juggling two jobs as a receptionist and server I felt depleted of all energy. Why was my life all about getting from one job to the other, what happened to the in-between? I needed time to recharge and that’s exactly what yoga offered. It was the one hour a week that allowed me to just be. Since starting yoga in April 2009 I have found myself more aware of my mind and body and how they are connected. I have also left both jobs and now work at the studio full-time and I am looking into the Moksha Teacher training with the guidance of my peers at the studio. Positive changes are in motion and I have finally found myself on not only a new career path but also a new life path. Last year if someone were to ask me about my goals in life, I would have struggled to set just one. This year has been one full of personal growth and change and I can thank yoga for helping me to balance and enjoy my life again. I’ve learned that while dancing brings me joy, yoga brings me peace.