I currently provide yoga therapy and dance classes in the Findhorn Bay area in Northern Scotland for people with a wide range of abilities, as well as those with life limiting conditions such as cancer, Parkinson's, depression, ALS, physical and/or cognitive disabilities. I have been teaching yoga, dance, somatic modalities, and creative movement in a broad range of educational and community settings here and abroad for over 40 years.
Inspired by the transformative power of conscious movement, I provide yoga therapy and classes based in yoga’s eight limbs in a variety of contexts and as appropriate combined with other somatic, dance, creative movement and coaching modalities in a wide variety of education and community settings. I’ve served able-bodied people, those with physical and cognitive disabilities, people with injuries or other life limiting conditions, and ‘at risk’ populations over many years.
Having returned to live in the Findhorn Ecovillage in Northern Scotland in 2018, I now work with Findhorn College, Dance North and independently. I previously worked for the Findhorn Foundation from 1988-1995, an international education center based on the core beliefs underlying the world’s major spiritual traditions. I’ve led many spiritual and personal development workshops that included meditation, guided imagery, movement and the arts here, across Scotland, and in the USA.
As a faculty member at Cabrillo College in Aptos, California 2003-17, I taught hatha yoga, mainstream dance classes, adaptive dance and a social emotional learning course for the ACE Program. I also taught students with additional support needs for the Adaptive Yoga Project in Santa Cruz, as well as offering private yoga therapy sessions and classes, dance classes, and workshops for participants in NextStage's classes for movers over 50. From 2016-17 I taught people living with Parkinson's and other mobility limitations for Dominican Hospital's PEP program. My primary professional qualifications include:
C-IAYT, Certified by the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT)*
Certified Yoga Therapist, Inner Peace Yoga Therapy, Durango, CO
RYT 500 (Mount Madonna Institute, Watsonville, CA and Yogadurango, CO)
Diploma in Counseling and Therapy, The Psychosynthesis and Education Trust, London, England
MFA in Dance, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
MS in Kinesiology and BA in Dance, University of California, Los Angeles, CA
I recently completed a Certificate in Coaching and Mentoring Skills with Wise Goose Coaching. While living in Santa Cruz , I complete the following trainings and certificates: Non-violent Communication Nine Month Integration program at NVC Santa Cruz, Prison Yoga Project Certificate; Pilates Matwork Teacher Training at Pacific Movement Center. I was also a Master Mentor with the Academy for College Excellence (ACE) program for under-prepared students.
* “The yoga therapy components of my teaching are based on certification by the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT) and Inner Peace Yoga Therapy, not derived from my status as an RYT 500 with the Yoga Alliance Registry.”