My Story
Ok, so this probably isn't what you'd expect of a meditation teacher, but 16 years ago, at 24, I felt like my life was out of control and I was crazy - too much partying and unhealthy dating habits were a theme of my twenties, a reaction to feeling like my life wasn't going the way I had hoped, even though on paper it seemed I was having an amazing time. I majorly lacked self esteem, self trust and the self love to make good longer term choices for myself, and I was thoroughly mentally punishing myself when things would go wrong. Amongst all this, I had a deep, unshakeable feeling that I needed to learn meditation. Not really realising I was on this path of inner work, I kept following the nudges deep inside me to keep going, even though it felt like I couldn't do meditation properly for years... YEARS!
I started learning traditional styles of meditation, annually through monks in Asia and then practicing at the London Buddhist Centre in between. Back then, there were no apps or jazzy programs to teach you more easily, so four years in, I finally realised that I had been doing it right this whole time... and then I like everything else, I did it to the extreme. I became addicted to meditation, in a way where I was hacking deep, deep meditation chasing the highs. It was in this phase, I explored with absolute openness, many styles looking for best that had the most tangible impact for my anxious, ADHD brain and life. This encouraged me to find other ways to access the state of deep meditation I knew how to reach, in ways that allowed me to flow more naturally. Turns out the hurdles I faced to meditation and switching my mind off, were actually pretty similar to most people, especially those who give up.
7 years ago I came across breathwork and this literally changed my life. I was able to regulate my nervous system which was previously driving me like an out of control car, on two wheels, going down a windy, mountain cliff edge road. From that new regulated place of mental and emotional balance, I then was able to really successfully separate myself from the limiting beliefs that up to that point were defining the edges of my life; and change the negative subconscious patterns I had, to be more positive and start living confidently from a place where I believed what I wanted in life was possible for me. This totally changed the trajectory of my life.
The methods I use in my work are the techniques I used to help myself heal, or other practices of the same style - which I know how to apply from training in and deeply practicing myself. I practice what I preach and I love to share what I have found to be the best and most potent routes for embodied transformation, having been through the trial and error process for nearly two decades.
Today, my joy, my love for myself and others comes from a bottomless well of inner connection, empathy and awareness. I hope to bring everyone I work with closer to this expansion of self too.
I have trained in traditional pranayama with Yogalap, I am an advanced instructor, Neuosomatic breath therapist and Transformational Coach, studying to become a Master with SOMA Breath, and I am a trained facilitator in OSHO Active Meditations, qualifying in Pune, India - where I am a continuing facilitator at the OSHO International Meditation Resort. Achieving this was the biggest personal goal I had set for my career - now my focus is to help others with what I know. Having now also participated in the Health Optimisation Summit in London twice as part of the Soma Breath team, my exposure to the latest advancements in bio-hacking technology and and wellness support, means I can do so with cutting edge knowledge combining the techniques and technologies of both our inner and outer worlds.
I work with both groups and individuals, and have listed some of the more niche areas below to give you an insight into my work.
*Health issues, eg. Cancer, pre-op nerves, end of life, dementia. *Bereaved partners and children, including those affected by suicide. *Adults and youths with mental health and psychiatric conditions, including those sectioned in live-in facilities. * work in schools with somatic behaviour and mindset invention, anxiety management, including students with SEND needs, coping with exam pressure, and managing emotions. *Working with business owners and entrepreneurs to get crystal clear on their offerings. *Couples breathwork, to deepen connection and relationship harmony. *Assisting those going through relationship breakdown, including divorce. *Assisting Ayurvedic Nursing Colleges in India, with understanding physiological states of body coherence. *Assisting high level business people in India to find peace, balance and re-evaluate life priorities in India. *Family breathwork to build connection, and assist parents with tangible tools to help their children. *Carers, to help process the emotions that are often needed to be held back while caring for a loved one. *Families of those effected by debilitating conditions, eg. Alzheimers and dementia, Motor Neurone Disease, etc. You don't have to do this alone.
My Approach
My approach is that healing is not a race, and no one size fits all. While our need to feel better is often urgent, we must respect our body's pace, the practices we use, and your holistic harmony as a priority. The breath is a powerful tool, and so is the body and mind; as practitioners we must use this with care and attention, which is why I try my best to avoid highly activating techniques that put the body in a fear state. Also, there may be a variety of methods which should be sequenced specifically for the right effect, and so treatment approaches may need a combination of different methods, to help you achieve your desired outcomes - and this is why you seek the help of an expert. Coming from a background in meditation, this also influences my work, and I believe it's the secret sauce for everything.
I am focused on using my knowledge and experience to enhance other's lived experiences, often changing the trajectory of their lives - helping them to heal, find more ease, connection, peace and acceptance, to live healthier, more balanced lives and achieve their biggest, wildest dreams also.