I used to live in an anxious state. Breathwork set me free.

It’s more nuanced than that, of course. I had a good support team, a great therapist, and had been talking through things that were causing my anxiety for years. Breathwork was the piece that gave me space for somatic release, which worked through a lot of the pent up energy that caused much of my anxiety.

For the purpose of sharing my long path in a condensed space, here’s the nutshell version. My earliest memory is one of me visiting my Aunt Prabha (Laura) at an ashram in Connecticut. I was standing outside in the sun, when an old man with a long beard approached me. He knelt down and smiled at me, then lifted me high above his head. As his smile widened, he gave me the name Shakti Prema. This loosely translates to divine love, or divine light. He was Swami Satchidananda, the founder of Integral Yoga®, which meant nothing to me at the time. But looking back, I believe this moment was divine.

With the exception of that experience, I wasn’t really spiritual or into meditation. I was a knot of anxiety. It was paralyzing. After years of therapy, a Xanax addiction, and a strong lean on alcohol, I started breathwork as a last ditch effort to shift something, and it changed everything.

Breathwork gave me the space to feel emotions that were bottled up inside me. It was jarring at first, but after doing it consistently for a while, I was able to trust myself in the process and let it all out.

Once I felt ready, I explored the practice of Reiki. It was so different than breathwork. It was slow and quiet, connecting me to a softness I hadn’t often experienced. It felt like peace. I was surprised at how much different it was from breathwork. I loved both practices, and realized they served different purposes.

Meditation was something I practiced on and off for years, but I was really able to come back to it once I explored my emotional body with the breath. It is one of my favorite practices. It’s my daily dose of grounding and expanding. It’s a wild, gorgeous practice that’s highly underrated.

I understand how each of these practices work, and how they can be applied to help or shift things. I know how to ease in, and when to use what tool. Most importantly, I know that you are the expert of how you feel and what you need. I am here to help you build your spiritual toolbox, to guide you through these practices, and help you feel comfortable dropping in and being present. I’ll walk with you all the way.

My pronouns are she/her.

Credentials

REIKI

I am a Reiki Master Teacher, holding an advanced certification in Animal Reiki. I am an active member of the International Association of Reiki Professionals, and the International Reiki Organization.

BREATHWORK
I am a Certified Breathwork Facilitator, trained by David Elliott. I am a Certified YOGABODY® Breathing Coach, trained by Lucas Rockwood.

MEDITATION
I am a Big Heart Meditation Teacher, having completed both the Big Heart Meditation Teacher Training, + Servants of Love Advanced Meditation Teacher Training with the incredible David Harshada Wagner. I am a Certified Yoga Nidra Guide, and NSDR facilitator.

YOGA
I am a Certified Yoga4Sobriety instructor, a 200 hour Registered Yoga Teacher through Yoga Alliance, specializing in Restorative Yoga. I am the creator or the class, Mind Body Melt.

NUTRITION
I received my certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition through the T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies at e Cornell. T. Colin Campbell, PhD. is the Professor Emeritus of Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell University. I am an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, certified by the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.

NOTE: I do not practice a specific way of eating. I am an omnivore, and want to share this for the purpose of our work. I’m not big on supplements, I don’t believe in eliminating any foods. My goal is to help you find an easy way to get and stay healthy through food, movement and rest.

I have taught at various healing spaces and yoga studios, including Nirvana Yoga + Wellness, Maha Rose, Frequency Mind, Reset NYC, Qwell Meditation Studio, Good Vibes Yoga + Kombucha Bar, Alluem Yoga, and Anima Mundi Apothecary, and at the NEPA Yoga Festival.