About Me

My Experience with Scoliosis and Spinal Fusion

My mild childhood scoliosis progressed quickly during my teens, resulting in constant pain and a noticeably uneven posture. At sixteen, I underwent spinal fusion surgery to stop the rapid progression of my curves. My spine was fused from T5-L3 using Harrington rods.

When my surgeon cleared me to resume normal activities without much guidance, I was hesitant to do even simple things like stepping into the ocean because I was afraid of being knocked down. Over time, I slowly rebuilt my confidence and eventually discovered yoga.

About fifteen years later, I could no longer tolerate sitting all day at an office job and realized I needed to make a major change to regain my health. Although I had considered yoga teacher training, I doubted whether my practice was "advanced enough."

My Training in Back Care Yoga, Yoga for Scoliosis, and Scolio-Pilates®

I completed my 500-hour Yoga Teacher Training through YogaWorks in New York City in 2012. That experience inspired me to study how scoliosis and spinal fusion affected my own practice. I learned that certain movements needed to be avoided or adapted to better support my spine over the long term.

It became clear that I wanted to help people like me. I wanted to support those who needed a teacher who truly understood what it means to live and move with an atypical spine.

Since then, I've completed extensive training in yoga, Yoga for Scoliosis, back care, and Scolio-Pilates®, combining lived experience with specialized education to support people with scoliosis and spinal fusions.

As part of my commitment to serving the scoliosis community, I completed Elise Browning Miller's Yoga for Scoliosis teacher training in 2020. That experience showed me that movement isn't about fitting into an ideal image of yoga. It's about honoring your own body, finding joy in movement, and realizing you're not alone.

In 2023, I discovered Scolio-Pilates® through the National Scoliosis Clinic and immediately connected with its thoughtful, individualized approach. Becoming an Authorized Scolio-Pilates® Practitioner in 2025 deepened my ability to help clients improve posture, balance, and everyday comfort. I even noticed the difference myself on my first long road trip without the pain I had always expected.

Clients come to me because they want to sit or walk longer without pain, travel more comfortably, build strength safely after spinal fusion, improve their balance and posture, reconnect with activities they love, and feel less fearful about movement.

Every body is different, especially when scoliosis or spinal fusion is involved. Rather than following a one-size-fits-all approach, I help you understand your own spine and develop a movement practice that's tailored to your body, your goals, and your comfort level. My sessions combine yoga and Scolio-Pilates® principles to help you move with greater confidence and less pain.

We shouldn't feel we have to hide our differences. With the right guidance, we can learn to work with our bodies instead of against them. Together, we can discover strength, confidence, and freedom we may not have thought possible.

I'm based in North Carolina's Charlotte Metro area (Cornelius/Lake Norman) and work with clients both in person and virtually.