When I was in my early 20’s I started to realize that there were parts of my daily experience in my body that seemed “stuck” or “frozen.” I noticed after a long day of school or night at work, I would need to sit still for hours on end to decompress. This was not a constructive time of self-care, but rather a gap in time for my nervous system to slow down enough to sleep at night.

Sleep was something that never came easy to me as a child or young adult. Most nights were restless and I would wake several times flooded by repetitive, intrusive thoughts. I attempted to keep myself as busy as possible during the day by burning the candle at both ends to avoid the symptoms of what I now understand as PTSD.

When I went to my first yoga class, I was looking for a way to stop being at war with my body. Years of being stuck in survival mode had left me with the experience of constant chronic pain and emotional stress, frequent episodes of disassociation and poor memory, an inability to connect meaningfully in social settings (not to mention a short temper).

It was not instant and it was not always easy or comfortable, but as I showed up for myself on the mat I began to notice changes over time. My weekly yoga practice became a gateway to remembering what it is like to be more at ease and at peace with myself. I saw small glimpses of being more at home within my body. The physical poses, breathing exercises, stretching, and meditation taught me how to be more present and attuned to my emotional and physical needs, as well as more accepting of myself.

Over the past 13 years, I have fully dedicated myself to exploring the healing potential of yoga both as a student and a teacher. I’m a Yoga Alliance Certified Education Provider at the Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher 500 hour level (E-RYT 500). I have completed numerous additional certifications including trauma-informed instruction with Hala Khouri from Off the Mat, Into the World; how to work with aging populations through Duke University’s Integrated Medicine “Yoga for Seniors” program; and years of intensive study and certification of yogahour Hatha teaching technology with Darren Rhodes; among others.

I currently lead a special care yoga research program at Emory University’s Cognitive Empowerment Program for older adults and their care partners experiencing the early stages of dementia and memory loss. There I have a passion for working with neurodiverse populations and making chair yoga accessible for everyone.

As a trauma-informed yoga instructor, my role is to hold space for you to make a home for yourself as you explore your internal landscape. My aim is to make your practice a brave space for autonomy and choice-- that means making yoga accessible for any body. Together we will craft a practice that supports your individual goals exploring boundary, sensation, and choice.

What to Expect:
Weekly virtual yoga classes will alternate between:

Embodied Awareness and Active Self-Discovery - a beginner-friendly, more active yoga practice with a goal of developing more presence through movement. This is a great class for folks looking to improve their connection to and relationship with their bodies, develop skills in awareness and non-judgement of physical and emotional sensations, and build confidence.

Restorative Yoga for Deep Nervous System Reset - a beginner-friendly, restful yoga practice with a goal of helping our bodies gradually experience safe stillness and a more nourished and resourced nervous system. This is a great class for folks who struggle to relax but would like to learn, who need a break from fight/flight, but may have challenges in shifting to a more restful state. You can expect guided breathwork, body scans, and supportive postures as we begin to disrupt the connection between productivity and self-worth. It is our hope that you will experience rest as a powerful tool for healing.

These sessions are open to the public at a cost of $11 per class - you do not have to be a client of Align Wellness to attend. If you are a client of Align Wellness, please contact your therapist or melanie@alignwellnessatl.com to receive the discount code to register for FREE.

In person workshops will also be offered several times per year with a specific therapeutic goal and theme at local yoga studios and other partner organizations around town. These will be announced in our newsletters, so please sign up to stay informed! In person workshops will also be offered FREE to Align Wellness clients.