I began with Lava in 2017, looking for a lower impact workout that would help maintain my flexibility, balance and core strength.  I found that I really enjoyed the classes along with the music.  I love the community at the studio and have met many wonderful students and instructors.  After practicing for several years, yoga has become more than workout.  The classes leave me refreshed and relaxed.

I completed the 200 hour RYT certification from Lava Yoga Teacher Training.  I look forward to sharing my passion for yoga.

Like everyone else living this life, I’ve been through things that should have broken me. As a child, I found strength somehow and kept on keepin’ on. In 2017, I endured something that, in that moment, I thought would be the thing that succeeded in breaking me.

I knew I had to find a way out, and remembered my childhood friend and sweetest boy I’ve ever known, David-Leigh’s son. I knew from David that his mom owned her own Yoga studio, and I pleaded for her to let me clean the studio in exchange for yoga classes. This was the beginning.

As time went on, I understood why I had all of this anger and weakness, and it was my own mind telling me things should be one way, even though they never would be, which helped me to realize that I am the only one suffering from wanting things to be other than exactly what they are.

Not only did yoga help my body heal from years of trauma, yoga helped heal my mind from a lifetime of emptiness I didn’t know could be so easily filled with self-love. Yoga saved me. I have never stopped insisting to anybody who will listen, that yoga will solve any and all problems. Lava yoga can save you too. Try it out and see what you’ve been needing to release!

I began my yoga journey 20+ years ago at the Bikram studio in Lawrence. I had never tried any type of yoga before my first hot Bikram class. But that was it - I was hooked!! The heat and humidity was perfect for me, as well as community with the amazing instructors and fellow students. Over the years, I’ve added other types of yoga to my practice, finding joy in each of them.

I completed Yoga Teacher Training in the Fall of 2021 and started teaching in the Spring of 2022. The connection experienced in practicing and teaching yoga is like no other. It’s wonderful to interact with yogis of all shapes, sizes, experience level, motivation, etc. Whether practicing or teaching, the delightful coming together of breath, movement, and spirit is profound and has been incredibly impactful on my life. My favorite aspect of teaching is providing some insight into the poses and how to breathe through the movements to achieve the tranquility that yoga offers. I love watching and listening to my students and guiding them through a thoughtful yoga experience.

Yoga is truly an extension of my life. I recently “mostly” retired from a hectic consulting career, and teaching yoga has provided the ability for me to interact with others in the most positive way. When I’m not in the studio, I love spending time with my sweet husband, Zach, our cranky dog, Trooper, and our boys. I volunteer at a farm sanctuary weekly and serve on a local board for a community healthcare clinic, and I am a huge Prince fan. Life is definitely good.

Peace, and be wild.

As a wife and mother of four children, I struggled to know who I was. Then one day in 2019, I was asked by a friend to come to a yoga class with her. I knew nothing about yoga or what to expect. After my first class I was hooked. I love the heat, the meditation, the practice of challenging myself, but also practicing being kind to myself when things don’t go as I want it to or think it should. It’s one place where I can go and truly be myself, and it continues to help me find acceptance within myself. In addition, it is a place full of people who are kind, accepting and loving of one another.

I have never been an athlete, but I’ve always enjoy being active. I participated in running sports in high school but only because I was never focused, coordinated, or athletic enough to do other activities competitively. Being a person with ADHD, anxiety, and a lot of childhood trauma, I struggled to focus or attend to anything for very long. For me, Lava Yoga was what I needed. It has allowed me to be active, as the yoga flows are challenging, but also mindful in slowing down. It has helped me find myself- the person I want to be and strive to be - a more loving, kind, coordinated and confident me. My hope for all that come to one of my classes, is that you will find peace and begin to see all the beautiful things about yourself, through your yoga practice.

I’ve been part of the Lava Yoga family since 2019 and completed my 200 hour RYT certification at the beginning of 2025. I originally sought out yoga at the recommendation of my therapist to help alleviate anxiety and depression symptoms. Over time yoga became an important and exciting part of my life that I love sharing with others!

I’m also a licensed social worker and spend my daytime hours helping incarcerated women prepare for living in the community. I’m an avid animal lover and indoor plant collector. I’m thrilled to be part of Lava’s team of instructors and look forward to seeing you on the mat! 

Movement has always been part of my story. I danced throughout my youth, and my passion for ballet continued into adulthood, particularly while living in Phoenix. It was there, in a ballet studio that also offered yoga, that I took my first class - and I was instantly hooked. What started as curiosity became a lifelong practice rooted in flow, strength, and mindfulness.

Alongside yoga, I love high-intensity training and pilates - there’s something about the balance of power and grace that feels so natural. My classes reflect that balance: a creative mix of building strength, increasing flexibility, and moving with purpose. When I’m not on the mat, I work as an Art Director at a local high school, where I encourage students to explore their own creative expression. In 2025, I became a certified RYT 200 yoga instructor, now sharing my passion for movement that feels both empowering and artistic.

I’m a Topeka native and have been part of the Lava Yoga family for several years now, following in the footsteps of my sister and fellow instructor, Maddi Berger. Yoga has truly changed my life, and seeing it now from an instructor’s perspective has made that transformation even deeper.

Health has always been something that’s important and deeply intriguing to me. Knowing that I’m not only improving my own well-being but also helping others improve theirs is such a beautiful and rewarding experience.

I love being part of the Lava Yoga community because it’s the one place where I know I’m never judged - where I can show up exactly as I am, try new things, and let all of life’s worries fade the moment I walk through the door.

As an instructor, I hope my classes create that same sense of peace and possibility - a space where others can feel supported, inspired, and experience the same life-changing growth that yoga has brought to me.

As a 44-year veteran advocate for health and wellness, my journey commenced when a gym manager urged me to instruct a group fitness class, previously led by a highly popular instructor. Despite initial trepidation, I accepted the challenge.

This pivotal moment ignited my passion for promoting holistic well-being, encompassing physical, mental, and social aspects. Subsequently, I pursued a nursing degree (RN) and certifications as a Group Fitness Instructor, Personal Trainer, Wellness Coach, Nutrition Coach, and Yoga Instructor, among others.

My expertise has been refined through extensive education, training, and experience, enabling me to empower others in their pursuit of optimal wellness. I am eager to continue sharing my knowledge and skills, with the ultimate goal of enhancing the quality of life for others.

Presently, I am delighted to be teaching Pilates classes at Lava Yoga.  And I am looking forward to the opportunity to guide a warm/hot flow class. My certifications include: Certified Group Fitness Instructor, Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Wellness Coach, Certified Nutrition Coach, Certified Les Mills Core, Certified Les Mills BodyBalance, Certified 200 Hr RYT, Certified 85 Hr Prenatal/Postpartum Yoga Instructor, Certified Barre Instructor, and forthcoming certifications in Les Mills Yoga and Pilates.

Hugs!

My journey with yoga started when I was in high school and I lived with my grandmother. I went with her to her classes but just to be with her. Later on when I was 25 years old I moved to Dallas and started yoga at the gym. After coming back home I realized how much yoga made me happy and I thought about it as something I wanted to do when I retired.

In 2018 I moved to South Carolina where I met one of my favorite teachers giving classes at my gym. At one point I approached her to let her know how much I loved her classes and how much I'd like to be doing what she's doing, she told me teacher training was going to be provided at her studio. Since then, a lot has happened and my journey in yoga has been amazing. 

I was very lucky to find lava yoga when I moved to Topeka and just restarted my practice after having my daughter. I do yoga not only to be present and take care of my mind and body but because it gives me a sense of connection with the students and they motivate me specially after each class when they go out with a smile.

I grew up as a competitive dancer and continued dancing through college, where I fell in love with the discipline, creativity, and connection that came with expressing myself through movement.  After years of performing, I found that yoga allowed me to stay active while focusing on balance, flexibility and maintaining strong, toned muscles.  It gave me a new way to move with intention and awareness, while still feeling that same sense of flow and expression that dance once brought me. 

Now that I'm no longer dancing, yoga has become my favorite way to stay active and connected to movement - it gives me that same sense of expression and flow, but with more balance, peace, and intention.  I love how it continues to challenge me, helping me build both physical and mental strength while keeping me grounded.  As a nurse, yoga has also become my greatest form of stress relief - a space to reset, breathe, and return to myself after busy days of caring for others.  Teaching allows me to share that connection with others - to help people find balance in their bodies and minds, and to discover strength that feels both empowering and restorative.  

Around age 10 mom wanted to start yoga in the mornings with my little brother and I to keep us active and build up her strength. She got us our own mats, and though we never did follow through on our plans, she planted a seed in my brain that day. Years pass and I’m in high school now, gaining weight fast from a combination of depression, heartbreak, and anxiety. It grew more and more apparent I needed to make some lifestyle changes to break this cycle.

In 2020, I embarked on my healing and holistic journey. I started reading a book on chakra healing searching to heal my body and mind from the inside out. I was implementing everything I had learned from meditation, to sound healing, to crystals, to changing my diet. Most importantly, it reintroduced me to yoga and all of its amazing healing benefits. Every morning I would bring my mat outdoors and teach myself the flows out of the book. I started to feel more in tune with my body, and felt better and better about the reflection in the mirror long before the weight came off.

I started practicing regularly at a gym for a few years until a dear friend introduced me to Lava yoga. I immediately noticed how open I felt compared to yoga in a normal setting and it feels liberating to sweat everything out. The community here was so warm and welcoming I felt I belonged. Yoga has deepened the connection I have with myself, helped me through the most traumatic experiences of life, and grown my self confidence in ways I’d never imagined. I’m grateful to be a part of this team and I hope to see you on your mat soon!