I am a licensed clinical social worker and yoga instructor.  I am passionate about holistic health.  In my 20 years of clinical work with persons with anxiety, depression and other mental health symptoms, I discovered that many of my clients had unhealthy eating habits, poor sleep hygiene, and struggled to fit in regular physical activity and relaxation.  Some also struggled with medical care compliance, were in occupations that lack meaning and purpose for them, and were not engaged in fulfilling supportive relationships.  Despite my client’s efforts to improve their mental health, poor habits in other areas of their life, served to sabotage their efforts and or further negatively impacted their mental health.

While working at the Emory University Student Counseling Center, I became increasingly interested in integrating holistic health practices to support my client’s mental health outcomes. During that time I worked closely with a colleague who’d recently developed the counseling center’s Stress Clinic. The Stress Clinic’s practices focus on teaching overwhelmed and anxious students relaxation strategies such as mindfulness meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, time management and prioritization skills, and foundational pieces such as the importance of obtaining adequate sleep for optimal stress management abilities.  In an effort to expand these skills and to better partner with my clients in their effort to reach and sustain optimal health and wellness, I pursued training in health coaching through Emory University’s Continuing Education Health Coach Program, completed two yoga teacher trainings, a mindfulness meditation mentorship and studied to become a Certified Financial Social Worker, helping my clients to identify and understand their money mindset and how to implement personal strategies to support them in reaching financial wellbeing. 

I take an integrative approach to mental health treatment assisting clients in building healthy lifestyles that provide proactive protection, maintenance, and obtainment of optimal mental health and wellness.

I assist my clients in getting to the root causes of their inability to make and sustain healthy lifestyle practices. This often includes supporting clients in identifying core beliefs and societal pressures that influence unhealthy, limiting, and ineffective behaviors. With this increased awareness, I support my clients in courageously aligning their actions with their personal passions, desires, and values.

In my individual and group health coaching, I partner with clients to help them reach self-identified goals related to self-care and purpose.  If you are currently working with a mental health professional and choose to work with me solely for health coaching or yoga sessions, know that our work together is not intended to replace your current psychotherapy and or psychotropic medication treatment, but instead to compliment it.  The aim is to optimize your mental health treatment outcome by identifying and engaging in healthier, more effective lifestyle practices. 

Education

Master of Social Work, Clark Atlanta University: 2001

Bachelor of Arts, Indiana University-Bloomington: 1998

Post-Graduate Advanced Training

MSW Post-Graduate Fellow, Yale University School of Medicine Child Study Center: 2001-03

Fellow, (Bush) The Edward Zigler Center in Child Development and Social Policy: 2001-2003

Health Coach Certificate Program, Emory University Continuing Education: 2015 

200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training, Sacred Thread Yoga: 2017

95 Hr Holy Yoga Teacher Training, Holy Yoga: 2018

Continuing Education

Meditation Mentorship with Meryl Arnett at Sacred Chill West: 2017

Meditation Immersion with Meryl Arnett at Sacred Chill West: 2017

Trauma Sensitive Yoga Immersion with Holle Black at Integrative Yoga Studies: 2018

Holy Yoga Touch Training with Jonnie Goodmanson at Holy Yoga: 2019

A Pranakriya Approach To Yin Yoga Teacher Training with Amanda Trevelino at Pranakriya Yoga: School of Yoga Healing Arts: 2019

Applied Polyvagal Theory in Yoga Master Training Levels 1 & 2 with Dr. Arielle Schwartz with The Embody Lab: 2021

Decolonizing Therapy for Black Folk at Kindred Community Healing with Shawna Murray-Browne, LCSW-C: 2021

Certified Financial Social Worker through Center for Financial Social Work: 2021

Balanced Intention: The Practice and Theory of Yoga’s Slow/Held Traditions-Yin Yoga, Restorative Yoga, and Somatic Practices with Patty Schmidt and Marti Yuri: 2022

Trauma Sensitive Yoga 20 hour Foundational Training with Center for Trauma and Embodiment: 2022