My introduction to yoga came in my sophomore year of high school as a way to bond with my mother and to deal with anxiety. We went to a class at our community recreation center. I was instantly mesmerized by the calm, thoughtful voice of my first yoga teacher, Mavis. Under her teaching, yoga transported me to a more peaceful place, helping me find some stillness and some hope. I still remember some of her teachings from the Yoga Sutras, one regarding a person having enough patience to happily count all the leaves of the trees in the forest. I also truly enjoyed the physical aspects and challenges of the practice. My relationship with yoga has grown over the years, and I am still very much a student of asana and meditation. Under the instruction of Marni Task, I completed a 200-hour teacher certification with an emphasis on the Juvamukti and Anusara traditions. I am a physical therapist in Cleveland and I strive to incorporate elements of yoga into my work. I am very excited to be sharing my practice at Acenda.