My story

A few years ago, I discovered yoga therapy, and it profoundly transformed my life.

I was emerging from a dark place. My husband had survived a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and we were navigating the challenges of a long and arduous recovery. Even as things began to stabilize, it felt like our entire world had shifted. I found myself searching for a sense of purpose. I had a feeling that I wasn't doing enough, helping enough. I was stuck and somewhat lost.

My yoga therapist created an individualized practice for me. Gradually, I started to feel lighter, more alive. But, above all, it became increasingly clear that the way I interacted with the world, especially in my relationships with others, didn't feel authentic.

When my husband expressed his pain or shared about his depression, I was like an empathetic sponge, absorbing all his suffering as if I could carry the burden for both of us. An impossible task that left us both feeling frustrated and depleted. I noticed that my boundaries in all relationships seesawed between being overly porous or overly rigid—a cycle I felt powerless to break. Instead of living my life and expressing my needs directly, I either ignored them or kept them to myself, endlessly contemplating various ways to articulate them. "If only I were smart enough," I'd think. "If only I could find the right way to express it." Beneath it all was a dysregulated nervous system and a deep-seated fear of disappointing others.

Today, I can't claim to have mastered boundaries because, like yoga, they are an ongoing practice. This realization, frustrating as it may be, is also beautiful. It tends to be the case for most important things in life. I now view boundary work as part of my yoga practice—the two are interwoven. I've become more attuned to my needs, and my practice equips me with tools to return to my core self when I feel dysregulated or lost. Surrendering expectations has become easier, and, above all, it now feels natural to be compassionate with myself (ahimsa, the root of yoga).

For the longest time, I felt that something wasn't quite right, though I couldn't pinpoint what IT was. Boundaries, I've come to realize, aren't just about saying "no"; they are a way of being. It doesn’t have to take a traumatic event to prompt change; you are worthy of it today, right now. Are you a helper, a fixer, a giver, an empath? You can read stacks of books on boundaries, or cite scripts but I have a more organic and embodied approach for you: yoga therapy. Through this transformative journey, you'll find yourself living authentically in your relationships. You’ll say YES, and mean it! Most importantly, this change will come from YOU. Not from me, not from someone else’s script, from you. What could be more empowering and authentic than that?