Owner & Founder, RYT 200, Special Educator

Breathe and Play all began when I started to see my students as some of my best teachers. One afternoon, I was attempting to multitask during my lunch break by writing an IEP while helping a student navigate a challenging moment. I looked over at my student. He was frustrated by his big feelings, and perhaps felt a bit ignored as I told him I was overwhelmed with paperwork. He laid himself down on the cold floor like a starfish and let out the loudest sigh I had ever heard.

My first thought was, "I really want to do that, too." It occurred to me then that this was true regulation, the kind of regulation that modern society has disconnected us from. Let’s be honest: who doesn’t want to be a starfish on the floor after a stressful day?

During that time, when special education paperwork seemed endless and my nervous system never got the starfish rest it needed, I began my journey with yoga. Yoga quickly became a path not only to alleviating teacher burnout, but also to truly understanding my students' needs. After teaching special education in Montgomery County Public Schools for ten years and becoming a certified yoga teacher, I knew I wanted to create a wellness space within the world of education. A place where we can take rest from our busy lives and simply breathe and play.