Becoming a Phoenix.

In November 2018, I lost my husband of 23 years to suicide and my home to a fire. In the blink of an eye, my whole life changed. I had the clothing on my back and very little else.

My marriage had no longer felt like a safe space, and I had been trying to find a way to leave and find myself again. That night, standing in the cold and speaking with detectives, I told myself: “I am a Phoenix. I will rise from the ashes and become who I was meant to be.”

A friend suggested yoga as a way to work through the trauma. Through yoga, I found a way to cope, rediscover who I was, and find a community that spoke from the soul. I became a yoga instructor as my way to pay that healing forward.

My yoga journey eventually led me to Yandara—a place of connection, shared stories, laughter, tears, and heart. My mission in holding this retreat is to let others experience that same magic and, in doing so, unleash their authentic selves.