It was the fall of 2001. I was working full time and alone with our infant. My husband, a Naval Officer, was on his second long deployment in two years; this one because of 9/11. In a nutshell, I was tired and scared. It was then that I went to my first yoga class - in a chapel that had incredibly beautiful and incredibly tall stained-glass windows. What a setting! I told my new yoga teacher that I was facing a lot of fear and unknowns. She gave me a hug. So, for me, yoga is a safe space. It's like the safety and security of that hug.

Fast-forward twenty years, and I experienced the profound loss of my husband to cancer during the Covid-19 pandemic. I am constantly managing the emotions that come with that experience. I'm learning, moment by moment, how to move forward in a life that looks very different than I have ever previously imagined. I’m grateful for all my yoga tools. They - along with close family and friends - help me weather the ups and downs that come with this territory.

Although I don’t currently live on the east coast, I am a born and raised Canadian Maritimer. I’ve been Ottawa-based now for 13 years and having (mostly) raised my son here it also feels like home. I was a “band geek” growing up. I was most comfortable in front of people when I was playing an instrument and making music. I love fabrics (their textures and colours) and the sense of accomplishment that comes with creating an article of clothing or other handmade items. 

Outside of yoga, you can find me walking my dog, taking photos of my cat, baking, enjoying a flat white, cross-country skiing or on a nature trail with friends, strength-training (a necessity, not a passion!), or cycling. Oh, and I love the ocean!