So a little bit about me!

I’ve always loved learning and began my journey  working with pregnant women as I was finishing my 3-year Massage Training in San Diego specializing in Pre and Post Natal Massage Therapy

Massaging pregnant women opened my eyes to the many physical, mental, and emotional changes women go through during this time.  On coming to Australia I continued my work with pregnant women and also started to teach massage at Nature Care College in Sydney.  Since there was no current training for pregnancy massage therapists in Australia I designed a course and taught that for over 10 years.  On moving to Canberra I trained as a Yoga Instructor with IYTA.  I sought out every prenatal yoga training there was around and started teaching here in Canberra around 1999. I soon realized I would be able to support women better if I was a Childbirth Educator and so I became one!   I felt then I was able to combine my love of yoga with my knowledge about birth and that is what I continue to do today!

I have now worked with thousands of women over many years and continue to be passionate about helping them to prepare for their births.  I also modified my approach after becoming a Birthing from Within Mentor (a great book to read Birthing From Within by Pam England) and moved my focus to preparing women for their unique birth experience rather than for specifically a “natural birth”.

Training in Dru Yoga in 2006 expanded my understanding of yoga and its profound effect on our body, minds, and spirit and I now incorporate Dru with Hatha yoga to provide a richer experience for women

I also love training yoga teachers on our  Diploma of Pre and Post Natal  Yoga with the IYTA.

Everything that I study now is to deepen my knowledge about birth so I can share more with the women in my classes (who also teach me so much!).  I’ve seen wonderful transformations in pregnant women who were going to just “see how it goes” to women who prepare themselves deeply on all levels and feel more empowered and confident during their labours and births.

My own life challenges have helped me understand and appreciate the importance of loving support during touch times and connecting women to each other in classes, supporting them postnatally and teaching birth partners how to be present, helpful and loving during labour is all part of this understanding.

I love walking in nature, dancing, singing, swimming and hanging out with my wonderful family – husband and two daughters – as well as my special group of women friends.  I don’t take life too seriously these days and feel very blessed to have met so many incredible pregnant women and new mums who have enriched my life.

Recently I have also become a Facilitator at Quest for Life in Bundanoon, a beautiful centre for wellbeing and healing run by Petrea King.  I work on a programme called Reclaiming your Brain – how to be healthy and vibrant in the senior years!