Caring for care-ers
Building bridges from caring to self-care to community care to collective care
Calling all “caregivers”, parents, activists, Earth-tenders, healers, lovers, first-responders, teachers! Humans who deeply care for others. Thank YOU! I know you are tired, burnt-out, overwhelmed. Resentful at times? Grief? Do you ever feel like you are holding up the sky all on your own? This is a space for you to embody rest, connect to your core-self/Nature, and put your dang oxygen mask on first before assisting others! This is also a space to share resources with other care-ers who are living under these systems that keep us running on a perpetual hamster wheel. Enough! There is an endless resource of compassion, care, and love to nurture all of humanity. It starts here. With you. Your loved one’s. Your community. Our collective.
Calling all “caregivers”, parents, activists, Earth-tenders, healers, lovers, first-responders, teachers! Humans who deeply care for others. Thank YOU! I know you are tired, burnt-out, overwhelmed. Resentful at times? Grief? Do you ever feel like you are holding up the sky all on your own? This is a space for you to embody rest, connect to your core-self/Nature, and put your dang oxygen mask on first before assisting others! This is also a space to share resources with other care-ers who are living under these systems that keep us running on a perpetual hamster wheel. Enough! There is an endless resource of compassion, care, and love to nurture all of humanity. It starts here. With you. Your loved one’s. Your community. Our collective.
Welcome!
I’m Ray (she/her/they), a nature lover, dog mom, yoga therapist, and your friendly park ranger during most summers.
I love care-ers. Whether you are a caregiver in the literal sense, a parent, therapist, nurse, shift worker, activist, etc… You are the balm of this planet. One of the most remarkable qualities of a great care-er is your empathetic heart, a trait that can be both your superpower and what depletes you. Your ability to get in tune with others' feelings and needs is a precious gift, but without rest, boundaries, and collective care it will leave your cup empty. The opposite is possible. Abundance and sustainably are obtainable.
Did you know that nearly HALF of middle aged adults are caring for both their children and aging parents?. More than HALF of caregivers say they don’t receive enough support. People, we were never meant to do this on our own. It’s time to break out of these individualistic boxes and create communities of care. That’s my dream.
Will you join me?
Embrace the journey
Why yoga therapy for boundaries?
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Your practice provides a daily container for you to connect to your core-self. Your core being is naturally boundaried with eternal overflowing energy. The more you can connect to this source of truth, the more you will naturally exude boundaries and find ways to express them in a way that is authentic to you.
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Turn your empathy inward. Through an individualized practice, you can steadily increase your ability to perceive and understand your internal sensations. Boundaries are all about understanding your needs and acting on that information. As you increase interoception, it will become impossible to ignore your limits and internal compass.
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Nervous system regulation seems to be trending right now in wellness circles. But it’s often misunderstood. It doesn’t mean being happy all the time. You can be sad, mad, annoyed, (insert emotion), AND be regulated at the same time. With increased interoceptive awareness and a full toolbox, you will begin to adapt and respond and instead of react or shut down. And, you will have more compassion for yourself when you do react or shut down (it will happen!) - this isn’t something we can think our way out of.
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Your personal practice acts as an anchor point. A place to come back to time and time again in order to tap into your internal well of safety. Trying on a new way of being can be scary. Establishing boundaries after a lifetime of well…not, is a big deal. Yoga therapy provides tools to ground you, and carry you through.
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This work is a rewiring of neural pathways that are deeply ingrained. It requires a constant practice of self inquiry, or svādhyāya. Ancient wisdom offers perspective, guidelines, and clarity as you navigate your relationship to yourself and others.
What to expect
What you can expect
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As an outdoor educator for over 11 seasons in National Parks I’ve always turned to Nature as my teacher. Nature accepts you as you arrive. It doesn’t care what you look like, how you dress, or how you show up. YOU are nature. Welcome to a judgement-free space where you’ll be supported to do this work as nature intended, unapologetic, unashamed, and authentically you.
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This practice will challenge you and at the same time it will feel like coming home. You can count on me for compassionate communication, warmth, and validation - nothing less than you deserve. Yoga in the West has a long way to go in order to be inclusive and welcoming to all. I pledge to continue to be a student of yoga in addition to learning from leaders and voices in accessibility, BIPOC folks, queer folks, fat-liberators, and new world thinkers.
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Yoga therapy is most often one-on-one work but you can trust that you are part of a much larger community of survivors, caregivers, and health care professionals who are working to bring more awareness to mental health and TBI. I promise to do my best to connect you to any additional resources you may need on your journey. Welcome home.
