ABOUT

My journey towards focused and effective self care began when I was a young violinist suffering from severe asthma and eczema along with chronic, debilitating repetitive strain injuries that sometimes stopped me from being able to write, let alone play my beloved violin. My struggles to recover led me to get a Fulbright Scholarship to work with an amazing teacher named Marla Mutschler and to research ways to reduce injury risk for String Players.  My efforts to be more active and injury free led me to studies in the Teacher Training Program at the Iyengar Yoga Institute in San Francisco.  I was diagnosed with ADHD at age 40 after what felt like a lifetime of stress due to chronic pain, compulsive eating, grief and burnout.  Learning to thrive and parent with ADHD after a long life where I didn't know what the 'problem' was meant that I worked hard to dismantle Negative Thought Patterns, Habits and Shame.  For over ten years I have been a Practitioner of Vipassana Meditation and attend several silent retreats a year in support of my Practice.  I study with Tuere Sala (www.tueresala.org), a guiding teacher of Seattle Insight Meditation Society and Capitol Hill Meditation Group.  I have also sat retreats and studied with Phillip Moffitt, Gil Fronsdal (www.insightmeditationcenter.org), Ruth King (www.RuthKing.net), Andrea Feller, Lynne Koerbel (www.Brown.edu) and Bob Stahl (www.mindfulnessprograms.com).  I am a Volunteer at ADDA (www.add.org) where I co- host the Accountability Group and benefit enormously from the insight and understanding of fellow ADHDers. 

Training and Qualifications

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Qualified Practitioner, UMass, 2017

ACSM Lifestyle Wellness Coach, 2016

ACSM Certified Personal Trainer, 2013

Restorative Yoga Teacher Training with Judith Lasater, 2008

Advanced Studies/ Teacher Training Program at Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco, 1996- 2004

Fulbright Scholarship, UK- US 1992- 1995

Graduate degrees in Violin Performance and Pedagogy, Arizona State University, 1995

B.A (Hons) Music, ABSM, Royal Birmingham Conservatory, UK, 1990