Question 1

Where were you trained?

Accepted Answer

Bachelors in Psychology from San Francisco State University
Dance Medicine Course
Science of Happiness
Emotional Regulation
200 hour Yoga Alliance training through the College of San Mateo with Denaya Dailey
5 hour Yoga sequencing/intention setting workshop with Pete Guinosso
2 hour Yin Workshop with Sarah Sykes
2 hour Arm Balance/Inversion Workshop with Kelly Scanlon
 
Yoga for Teens Certified (50 hour)
Trauma Sensitive Yoga 20 hour Cert from https://www.traumasensitiveyoga.com/
 
Trainings with Dr.Wimmer at Skyline College
Sound Healing and Consciousness intent college courses
Intensive PNF training
Taiji Qigong basics
Adult First Aid/CPR/AED
Mala Bead making workshop with the center of Spiritual Living
The goddess within workshops
 
To see certifications and pictures of my degrees go to the About me + and download the doc attached

Question 2

What does being a yoga teacher mean to you?

Accepted Answer

As a Yoga Instructor I take with great joy the responsibility and gift of being a guide.
To me this means creating a space of love and acceptance for students to connect deep within and explore themselves.
 
I am also a mental health and neurodiversity advocate. I run a discord server to support the neurodiversity community and their allies. ( If you would like to join send me a message )
I am grateful for each student, for they teach me something new about myself.
 
There is no hierarchy in yoga only cooperation.

Question 3

Where are you located

Accepted Answer

I am currently located in the north of the San Francisco Bay Area, California in the United States. Most of my offerings are online.

Question 4

I have ADHD can I meditate?

Accepted Answer

100% I specialize in teaching meditation resistent people. I am a fellow brain so your learning from someone who gets you. 
 
The is a great article that explains the benifts for meditating when you have an ADHD/VAST/ADD brain
https://greatist.com/adhd/meditation-for-adhd

Question 5

What does neurodiverse mean?

Accepted Answer

The term neurodiversity refers to variation in the human brain regarding sociability, learning, attention, mood and other mental functions. These are people who have brains like ADHD, ASD, Bi Polar, and Scitzophrena. This also refers to people who have dyslexia, dyscalucula, auditory or other sensory experiences that are atypical like synestia. 
 
Co morbidity is very common so someone might have Dyslexia, Dyscaluclia, is Hyper Sensitive and has a VAST/ADHD brain. Common comorbidities are ASD and ADHD, ADHD and Bi Polar 1 or 2, for example. 
 
It was coined in 1998 by sociologist Judy Singer, who helped popularize the concept along with journalist Harvey Blume.

Question 6

Are you a vegan?

Accepted Answer

Yep. Since 2012. I practice Ahimsa from my Yoga Philsophy training which means non violence.

Question 7

Can you give some examples of your own practices?

Accepted Answer

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I do the following 
 
mindful of the environmental impacts my lifestyle and purchases make
Daily meditation, pranayama ( breathing) and or asana practice
Compassionate about where people are at and their socioeconomic circumstances
Using Non-violent communication developed by Marshall Rosenberg
being an intersectional vegan ( since 2012)
Being current on gender, sex, and racial equity/equity education 
Growth mindset (without that toxic positivity  ) 
Willing to do things that are uncomfortable
 Being as honest as I can with myself and those around me

Question 8

Are you secular

Accepted Answer

Yes and no. Here is a very rough example of my beleives:
 
I go to science first to understand the world. I am a psychologist and follow the scientific method of testing. I try my best to focus and give scientific examples to things before I bring in religion or philosphy. I am biased just like everyone eles. So here are my world views. 
 
I am a Buddhist, a yogi, connected to gaia and a Jew. ( I am ethnically a jew meaning my line goes back thousands of years to the land now called Isreal) 
 
How I express being a Jew and jewish philosophy/religion/culture
( I am a combination of these three definitions of Judaism) 
 
Reconstructionist Judaism, like Reform Judaism, does not hold that Jewish law, as such, requires observance, but unlike Reform, Reconstructionist thought emphasizes the role of the community in deciding what observances to follow.
 
Jewish Renewal is a recent North American movement which focuses on spirituality and social justice but does not address issues of Jewish law. Men and women participate equally in prayer.
 
Humanistic Judaism is a small non-theistic movement centered in North America and Israel that emphasizes Jewish culture and history as the sources of Jewish identity.
 
Buddhisum
 
I would say I practice a little bit of zen, Tibetian, and Mahyana. I see Buddhisum as a philosphy and a psychology. There are certian spirtual or religious aspects of buddhisum I follow but it's hard to say here. 
 
Shamanisum or Native American philosphies and experiences
 
I am an enviornmentalist and have a strong connect to the Earth, biodiversity and many aspects of multiple indigious religions. I have nothing but respect for indigenous peoples and although my blood is from Powhattan mixed tribe, I don't claim to be native.
 
I do practice in ceremonies, and prayer. I hope to donate my money and time to organizations that save our rainforests and uplift indgenious peoples. 
 
Yoga
 
I follow the yamas and niyamas of yogic philosphy
I conduct myself as if each class I teach is sacred
Our bodies are our temples

Question 9

Is mental illness the same as neurodiversity?

Accepted Answer

No. Mental illness is something that is healable, usually the onset is after an external event like trauma, chemical exposure, physical accident or attack, prolonged chemical exposure, trauma exposure or genetic.
Having a neurodiverse brain doesn't mean that, that person is disabled, if they manage their negative symptoms, they can actually be extremely successful, and I personally believe that neurodiversity is a natural process seen in multiple species including ours. If a neurodiverse person does not get help and learn to manage the negative symptoms of their brain in an unforgiveable society it will very often lead to mental illness and or early death by accident, domestic violence, or drugs sadly.
Some illnesses are chronic and will need medication although there have been case studies where people have completely reversed their illness with holistic practices such as meditation, yoga and or plant medicine (working with a trained professional). Trauma does not have to be a life sentence.
I have worked through my Complex-PTSD over the years and have made a ton of progress. I have also experienced crippling chronic fatigue and depression and was able to defeat those as well. Though not easy, mental illness can in majority of cases be significantly improved with therapy, medication, and holistic practices such as meditation, mindfulness, and yoga.  I personally feel that a combination of medication, therapy and holistic practices in the beginning is extremely beneficial. To keep the brain and person healthy I think that continuing holistic practices for your life is necessary and well, enjoyable. 
Always work with your medical providers both eastern and western to find a plan that will work for you. If we work together one on one and you want me to be in contact with your therapist for example, we can work through that together. 
(When I am a therapist in threeish years maybe we can work together for multiple needed areas ) 
Examples of mental illness are depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, C-PTSD, phobias, Eating disorders and more.