I live in Northern California, in an apple orchard which grows in a clearing in the redwood forest, where the rhythms of land and season continually point to interdependence and the living intelligence of this world. Nature has been one of my greatest teachers — not as something separate from us, but as an aliveness that actually is us. This understanding of interconnection informs everything I offer.

I’m the founder and director of the Refuge at Pudding Creek (or just “Pudding Creek” for short), a retreat center devoted to personal and collective awakening through mindfulness, yoga, nature, and creative expression. Pudding Creek grew from a longing to create spaces where people can slow down, listen deeply, and remember their natural creativity and vitality. I also authored Mindfulness for Beginners: 4 Weeks to Everyday Peace, Gratitude, and Focus, which reflects my love for making contemplative practices accessible, practical, and alive.

For over 25 years, I’ve immersed myself in the study and teaching of yoga, meditation, and mindfulness. My path has taken me to retreat centers and training programs in India, Myanmar, and throughout the United States. Along the way, I’ve deeply studied yoga, Buddhism, and somatic therapeutics, allowing these traditions to inform one another in a way that feels embodied rather than abstract.

I’m especially drawn to practices that help us inhabit our bodies with more kindness and curiosity. My teaching weaves together yoga therapy, yoga nidra (reclining meditation), Vipassana meditation, and mindfulness-based approaches that support both physical and emotional well-being. I aim to meet students where they are — with warmth, humor, and a deep respect for their lived experience.

I’m a lifelong learner at heart. I’ve completed multiple yoga teacher trainings, Spirit Rock Meditation Center’s Dedicated Practitioner Program, and a Community Dharma Leader Training. I continue to study, practice, and retreat regularly. Currently, I am obsessed with gardening and the lessons that nature teaches in the garden about my body (and the body of the earth!), sustainability, and abundance.

Alongside my formal work, I dabble in art and writing as ways of listening and creating. Whether I’m teaching, writing, or simply walking among the trees, I’m continually inspired by the possibility of remembering our belonging — to ourselves, to one another, and to the living world that holds us all.