Susan's interest in athletics led her to the practice of yoga in 1990 to
gain strength and flexibility. She quickly realized that she had acquired not
only physical benefits but emotional and spiritual benefits as well. Her passion
for yoga inspired her toward the path of teaching others in 1999 and she has
been teaching full-time to individuals and groups on Cape Ann and the North
Shore for 6 years. Combining natural teaching ability with learned training
skills from a previous career in corporate training, Susan teaches with patience
and compassion and encourages her students to see beyond their self-imposed
limitations.
Susan studied with Patty Townsend of the Yoga Center Amherst, where she completed
her 200 hundred-hour certification program. She also completed Ashtanga teacher
training with David Swenson, and one of the highlights of her yoga journey
has been studying ashtanga yoga with “guruji” Sri, K. Pattabhi
Jois in NYC. She has also been influenced by Rod Stryker, Richard
Freeman, Anna Forrest, Beryl Bender Birch, Baron Baptiste, Tias Little, Kathy
McNames, Gayna Uransky, and many gifted yoga teachers in the Boston area. Most
recently Susan has found her most inspiring teachers to be her students and
observations of life experiences and relationships. She is a registered yoga
teacher with the Yoga Alliance, and holds a Master's Degree in Human Resources
from Lesley University.
Susan truly enjoys working with beginners
as well as advanced practitioners and has a talent for teaching mixed levels.
In her classes she focuses on moving with breath and awareness (vinyasa)
while providing a safe yet challenging environment. She encourages her students
to be present, increasing body awareness and individualizing their practice
while moving towards inner peace, an open heart and self-realization.
In 2005 Susan took her practice to a deeper level and expanded her offerings
to include Holistic Health Counseling. She graduated from the Institute for
Integrative Nutrition in NYC, which is accredited by the American Association
of Drugless Practitioners. She currently works with clients individually
in 6-month programs and conducts small group sessions that focus on nutrition
and nourishment, cleansing and wellness. Most recently, the yogic path led Susan to study meditation at the Chopra Center in San Diego where she became certified as a Primordial Sound Meditation Instructor. She enjoys sharing her knowledge and experiences to expand and support others in achieving optimal health.