Andrea Barton
C-IAYT, E-RYT200, RPYT, RCYT, YACEP...
We are all incredibly good inside, and those letters under my name symbolize years of exploring how humans connect with that goodness. By standing beside you as you reconnect with your own inner awesomeness, your children get an excellent start in a world beyond their control. They are worth it, and so are you!
Something waits for us on the other side of our hardest moments- that light within the cave. My experiences with homebirth, pregnancy loss, postnatal anxiety, rage and depression, substance use, losing my parent within a month of giving birth... these moments tore my heart wide open. And now I honor them—within the recollection there is tenderness, love and respect—because they also led me here.
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Certified Yoga Therapist, International Association of Yoga Therapists (C-IAYT)
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Experienced yoga teacher, Yoga Alliance (E-RYT200®, RYT500®)
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Registered prenatal yoga teacher, Yoga Alliance (RPYT®)
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Registered children's yoga teacher, Yoga Alliance (RCYT®)
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Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Partner (YACEP®)
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Perinatal Mental Health Educated helpline volunteer, support group leader and yoga teacher with Postpartum Support International (PSI)
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Group Facilitator for Partners in Parenting (PIP)
The cave you fear to enter may hold the light you seek.
- Rumi
Spaciousness is a virtue
Parenthood is a constant state of transition affecting us on all levels of our being. It’s normal to feel conflicting emotions, thoughts and concerns as you are conceiving, moving through pregnancy, caring for your child, and naturally-flowing into menopause. Grief arises for legitimate reasons, appearing in obvious and subtle ways. Even when we have supportive circumstances at home we can experience strong feelings of sadness, dissatisfaction, anxiety, anger, intrusive thoughts, post-traumatic stress and beyond.
The tension that we carry in our mind, body and heart binds us in old patterns, separating us from the spaciousness and presence that is available, sometimes even separating us from the most important people in our life.
If you find yourself pausing and wondering if it will always be this hard, know that what you're feeling is totally valid, and you can make choices that support your wellness. Working together, we will acknowledge what you've been through, embrace your personal wellness goals, and reclaim your right to live with greater peace, grace, self-compassion and appreciation for the journey.
Stress is caused by being “here” but wanting to be “there”...
- Eckhart Tolle
I didn't find yoga. Yoga found me.
I began taking yoga classes many years ago, as a way to stay "fit" while managing software development. But it was during pregnancy when it became clear that practicing strength, flexibility and relaxation impacted my mind and emotions, not just my body.
For years prenatal and postnatal yoga classes became my new "happy hour" and held space for all of it—strength and softness, confusion and certainty, excitement and fear. Asking for help didn't come easy to me, though it wasn't clear why. Slowly I began reconsidering my closely-held "superwoman" identity, wondering where it came from and if it was helping or harming connection with my growing family.
Through deeper practice and study of philosophy subtle messages within my body became noticeable, and my breath felt magically medicinal. Thoughts, emotions and feelings could feel less sticky, less personal, belonging to the public domain of being human. I'm forever-grateful to the generations of teachers who have preserved, expanded and shared this wisdom for other curious folks, as well as modern pioneers in biology, neuroscience and psychology who continue to explore the mystery of life, consciousness and humanity. All one needs is the curiosity and courage to look within... your wholeness is right there, waiting for you.