Melissa (she/her) deeply believes in applying the culture and teachings of yoga to bring to light the long standing disparities in wellness spaces. She is passionate about bringing yoga and Ayurveda back to its roots, and reclaiming representation within the wellness community. O...
Melissa (she/her) deeply believes in applying the culture and teachings of yoga to bring to light the long standing disparities in wellness spaces. She is passionate about bringing yoga and Ayurveda back to its roots, and reclaiming representation within the wellness community. Originally from Munsee Lenape land (Queens, NY) she currently lives on Tsalaguwetiyi, S'atsoyaha and Shawandasse Tula land (Nashville, TN) where she works to make yoga accessible through yoga therapy, mentoring yoga teachers, and mantra. Melissa also utilizes her background in public health to integrate yoga into schools and clinical settings. She has been practicing yoga since she was a child, thanks to her mother, and has been studying it deeply since the age of 18. Melissa firmly believes in continuously adapting the practice to the individual as they move through human experiences. Melissa has had asthma since she was 2 years old, and has seen firsthand the positive effects that yoga and pranayama can have not only on chronic illnesses, but how we perceive the world.
Currently, Melissa works individually with clients offering yoga therapy in the Viniyoga tradition. She offers weekly community chanting classes, as well as pranayama classes for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color). Her offerings focus on how to tune into our true self and dharma (calling, purpose) when it comes to taking action toward what we believe in. She also works as the Program Director at Wellemental, an app-based company that strives to create inclusive spaces for kids to breathe through BIPOC-centered practices. When Melissa isn't teaching, she loves to practice singing, bike ride, and experiment with Ayurvedic cooking! You can find her classes and 1:1 offerings at www.findyourbreath.net or connect with her on IG at @findyourbreath.
