Meditation instruction can often have a rigidity to it, demanding a certain number of hours of practice with a heavily prescribed structure. My philosophy is softer than that. I believe that beginning mindfulness practices need to be practical for the everyday lives of busy people.

For someone who isn’t used to being active, it can be intimidating to jump into a big new exercise regimen. But over time, if you start slow, it doesn’t take more than a month or two for the body to start to love the habit of it. I think meditation and mindfulness can work the same way. We can open the door with short practices that can be done in the midst of your everyday life in a few minutes in the morning or before bed.

What I see with my students is that once they start practicing, even for a short time, the benefits are so great that they want to continue. They notice the thought patterns and habits of their mind without feeling so hooked on them. Their gratitude increases and they feel more joy in their lives. Often they notice that they feel more calm and can navigate difficulties with more ease. They become intrinsically motivated to keep practicing.

I have practiced yoga and meditation for almost fifteen years and will complete a two-year Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Training Certification in June of 2019 through the University of California-Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, studying under Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield. Meditation and self-compassion practices have been invaluable to me in healing chronic migraine pain and bringing more presence and joy to my life, work, and relationships.

I am a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis and the University of Michigan’s School of Public Health. I have worked in non-profits and in the corporate world, most recently serving as a vice president at a healthcare startup in Chicago.

I’m excited to be offering online and in-person meditation and mindfulness courses and workshops in the greater Chicagoland area.