I grew up on a chicken farm on the sunny island of Jamaica. So how did I end up in frosty/steamy Chicago?
Well, it's amazing what you'll do for love... But this is not about impetuous youth, so I digress!
My introduction to yoga was through my dad, who woke up every morning at 5:30am to do yoga and to run. I tried
it when I was twelve, from a book by Richard Hittleman (that is still in print!). I was skinny and flexible and it was
fascinating. Little did I know I had become a yogini without even knowing it. Even when I stopped doing yoga and
began studying dance my body still held the memory of those early years.
Ever since I can remember
I've been fascinated with the mind. Why do people think and act the way they do? I studied psychology at
Williams College (in Massachusetts) and continued to explore my own mental and emotional process through meditation.
Though I wasn't consistent in practicing yoga during my early years, it drew me back many times.
I finally made the commitment to a regular practice when I started the teacher training at the Temple of Kriya Yoga in Chicago.
It was in the yoga teacher training program at the Temple of Kriya Yoga, so many years later,
that both interests came together. When we began to study yoga philosophy I suddenly realized the true power of this
practice. The practice brings peace to mind and body. That is its purpose, that is its power. I love yoga
because of this.
It was also while studying for my yoga teacher certification that I met
Billie Topa Tate, who introduced me to Reiki. After one session with her I overcome my skepticism about "all that
energy stuff" and have gone on to discover the wonders of the world beyond our eyes.
The Reconnection has opened my eyes to healing possibilities that I imagined to exist but had never experienced.
Soon
after I began working with clients, I realized that much of what came up was mental and emotional manifesting as physical.
I received a MA in Counseling in 2008 and have concentrated my studies around how trauma manifests in the physical body.
Since all our emotions are experienced through the body, it makes sense that much of our emotional healing should happen there
as well. I've completed the Level I training through the Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Insititute. (Sensorimotor
Psychotherapy is a long way to say body-centered counseling).
Stepping into the
Akashic Records was the biggest leap for me so far. I think The Reconnection prepared me for this and it has been a wonderful adventure
for my personal work and for my clients.
When I'm not working with amazing students
and clients, I'm hanging out with my husband and two awesome kids (there's something to be said for impetuous youth).
Kaia (aka Princess Kaia) was born in 2005 and Xavier in 2000. They are my teachers and they keep me real.
I also love gardening. Xavier and I garden for butterflies, especially Monarchs. There's no better stress
reliever than connecting with nature.
