Learn More About My Approach

Yoga for Real People

My approach to yoga is rooted in accessibility, kindness, and real life.

Real People Yoga was created for people who may not see themselves reflected in traditional yoga spaces: beginners, returners, people with changing bodies, injuries, stiffness, nerves, or a quiet fear that they don’t quite belong. People who want to move, breathe, and feel better without feeling judged, rushed, or pressured to perform.

I believe yoga should support your life, not require you to change your body to fit a pose.

Built on Gratitude, Not Rebellion

I want to be clear about something that matters deeply to me: this approach is not a rejection of traditional yoga or the teachers who shaped me.

I was incredibly fortunate in my training. My 200‑hour program with Angel and Terry, and my 500‑hour studies with Jennifer, Jim, and Amanda, gave me a strong foundation, deep respect for the practice, and an appreciation for yoga’s many dimensions. I carry their teachings with me every time I step on the mat.

Real People Yoga grew not from dissatisfaction, but from lived experience — mine and my students’.

How My Experience Shaped My Teaching

I didn’t come to yoga as a naturally flexible, fearless, or perfectly put‑together person. My first in‑person class was sweaty, awkward, intimidating, and unintentionally hilarious. I worried about what I wore, how I looked, whether I was doing it “right,” and whether I belonged at all.

Over time, yoga became transformative — not because I mastered advanced poses, but because I learned to show up imperfectly and keep going.

I’ve practiced yoga in a larger body. I’ve taught students who needed help getting down to the floor. I live with physical limitations of my own, including bulging discs in my neck and a foot injury that makes balance poses unpredictable on a good day.

Those experiences didn’t disqualify me as a teacher. They sharpened my empathy.

I still have a larger body — just not as large as it once was. I’m not a fitness model or a yoga stereotype. I’m a regular, middle‑aged woman who has lived a full life, including deep loss.

In 2018 and 2019, I lost my husband and my mother. Yoga didn’t fix that grief, but it gave me a way to breathe through it. It gave me structure when everything felt unmoored, and a place where I could show up exactly as I was — exhausted, heartbroken, and human.

Yoga didn’t save my life in a dramatic, cinematic way. It helped me survive one day at a time. And sometimes, that’s everything.

What You’ll Find in My Classes

My classes emphasize:

• Clear, practical cues

• Functional movement and options

• Breath awareness

• Permission to modify, pause, or rest

• Humor, humanity, and real talk

You won’t hear pressure to push, perform, or chase perfection. You will hear reminders that your experience matters more than how a pose looks.

Gentle doesn’t mean easy. It means intentional.

Not One‑Size‑Fits‑All — And That’s Okay

Yoga has many paths. Some people connect deeply with chanting, essential oils, Sanskrit, or long philosophical talks. I respect that — and I respect the teachers who offer it beautifully.

My style tends to be more grounded, conversational, and accessible. You’re more likely to hear encouragement, laughter, and the occasional dad joke than a lengthy dharma talk. For many people, that makes the practice feel safer, lighter, and more sustainable.

If you’re an elite athlete chasing advanced inversions, I may not be your teacher — and that’s okay.

If you’re someone who thought yoga “wasn’t for you,” you’re exactly who I had in mind.

Why This Matters to Me

The moments that keep me teaching aren’t about perfect poses.

They’re about the student who slowly regained ankle mobility after months of patient practice.

The student who began in chair yoga because the floor felt impossible — and now moves comfortably on a mat.

The student who used her breath and practice to navigate a painful divorce.

These are quiet, meaningful transformations. They happen when people feel safe enough to show up as they are.

The Heart of Real People Yoga

At its heart, yoga isn’t about touching your toes or balancing on your hands.

It’s about touching parts of yourself you thought were out of reach — strength, patience, humor, resilience — and finding balance in ways that actually matter.

You don’t need to be flexible. You don’t need the right clothes. You don’t need to know what comes next.

If this resonates, you’re in the right place.

I’m grateful to share this practice with you.