Hannah teaches a relaxing and gently strengthening class, with slow flowing movement, holding postures, and breathing techniques. She gives clear instructions for safe alignment and offers modifications for every body. She is a Kripalu yoga teacher and her classes have elements of mindfulness meditation, vinyasa flow, and hatha practice in addition to the Kripalu focuses of self-awareness and transformation. Her classes include creative sequencing, neuroscience, western psychology, and yogic philosophy themes. They are suitable for beginners, experienced practitioners who want to deepen their knowledge of yoga anatomy and philosophy, and those with injuries or specific healing goals.
She received her certification at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in June 2014. Hannah has taught yoga at music and art festivals across New England and at InanItah spiritual eco-village in Nicaragua. She formerly taught slow-paced, all-level, family, and community-yoga classes in Boston and surrounding areas prior to moving to Western Massachusetts to study Clinical Social Work at Smith College. When not holding therapy sessions or teaching she leads art projects for creating community cohesion. She is the Post-graduate Therapy Fellow at the Trauma Institute & Child Trauma Institute.
My Story
I am lover of the human body, mind, and spirit and all that fuels us – movement and breath, art and music, healthy food, earth, and community make me come alive. My interest in movement first developed in the world of ballet. I studied in intensive pre-professional programs at Boston Ballet and Jose Mateo’s Ballet Theatre, and went on to dance with the university dance program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where I also earned my degree in Public Health and minored in Biology.
My interest in dance and health led me to begin practicing yoga in 2010 as a gentler approach to taking care of myself. I became especially interested in the power of breath and meditation to quiet the mind and tap into my intuition. After working in an administrative role at a mental health clinic for military members for 2 years, I found myself relating to the patients on a deep level and became interested in working as a healer myself. I had a love of yoga and meditation and knew the power these practices had in helping me integrate past adverse experiences and live more fully, so I decided to dedicate myself towards sharing these gifts with others. I began by completing Massachusetts General Hospital’s Relaxation Response Resiliency Program, a meditation and relaxation training for hospital staff. And then went on to earn my 200 hour certification at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, and a Masters in Clinical Social Work form Smith College with the goal of blending Eastern and Western healing modalities. I like to shape classes to the needs of my students, and look forward to connecting with all different types of people.
QUALIFICATIONS
RYT 200, Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health (2014)
LCSW, Association of Social Work Boards (2020)
MSW Clinical Social Work, Smith College School for Social Work (2019)
Certified Crisis Counselor Advocate, UMass Center for Women and Community (2018)
Guiding Savanasa: Leading Deep Relaxation Training with Jennifer Reis (2018)
CPR Certified, American Red Cross (2016)
Relaxation Response Resiliency Training, Benson Henry Mind/Body Institute (2013)
B.Sc. Public Health, summa cum laude, UMass Amherst (2012)
Fully Insured through Yoga Alliance, Alliant Yoga Pro
