Certified Yoga Instructor
Certified Children’s Yoga Instructor

Tfwest2008@gmail.com or 513-415-0594

Why and how I teach yoga:

Our world is complex and ever-changing and as we learn to love ourselves and treat ourselves with gentle care and compassion, we are making an impact.  We remember who we are at our centers.  Gentle yoga, Gentle Flow and Yin are practices that help us remember to be patient and tender with our bodies and minds.   As we slow down in these practices, involving gentle stretching, conscious breathing, and meditation, we make space in ourselves.  More and more people are becoming aware of the health benefits of yoga.

I have experience developing and instructing programs for individuals and groups:  adult and seniors, corporate yoga, corporate mindfulness, family yoga, afterschool and summer camps, enrichment yoga and high school physical education programs within the Cincinnati Public School District, Head Start programs, yoga classes for ESL students.  Most recently I have taken on the challenge of offering continuous virtual yoga programs for both children and adults throughout the global pandemic.

My children’s yoga curriculum focuses on enhancing creativity and self-confidence and engaging each child in fun movements. Yoga and mindfulness are great ways to find a little bit of fun and calm each week practicing movements and breath.  Anxiety rates in youth are rising, and yoga and mindfulness can help.  Just a few of the many benefits that can really be helpful to our young people right now are: finding calmness, healthy activity, increasing focus, regulating emotions, and managing stress.   Yoga and Mindfulness help students cultivate a deeper connection with themselves, make new friends and manage stress all while enhancing creative thinking, mindfulness, self-esteem, and conscious leadership.

How I came to be a yoga instructor:

Practicing Yoga and mindfulness changed my life in a beautiful way. As a young adult, I found it to be a calming and centering practice that helped me navigate through a sense of not belonging… feeling different… out of place. Later, I raised my incredible daughter as a single parent.  As many parents may be able to relate… sometimes, the stress and anxieties that I experienced felt insurmountable. I knew that I needed to find some way to find more balance.  I became more committed to practicing gentle yoga and I slowly began to experience changes. I was able to find calm in chaotic moments and connect more with my strength and peace in a high-stress work environment. 

I have studied yoga for over ten years and have been teaching for the past 5 years.  I have completed both the 200 and 500 Level Certified Yoga Training Programs, am a certified children’s instructor, and more recently, I have attended trauma-informed yoga trainings.

I came to Tikkun Farm about 5 years ago and began donating my time.  Tikkun Farm is a beautiful place and I love the vision of the farm. I’m thankful to be a part of the healing offered to the community and the lives of people who come here. You can feel the healing energy when you arrive.  Teaching yoga here has helped me realize this is how I want to participate in Tikkun Olam– the ongoing repairing of the world.

Please feel free to reach out with any questions or for a brief consultation as you are deciding how Yoga and Mindfulness could benefit you.