MEET KATIE
Sup yogis!
I am an E-RYT 500! If you’re not familiar with what an E-RYT 500 is, no worries, I’ll explain.
According to Yoga Alliance standards, the “E” stands for “Experienced,” because I have been teaching yoga full-time for over 8 years. I taught in Los Angeles for 7 years, and I currently teach for Yoga Glo. I lead retreats all around the world, and I also lead Yoga Teacher Trainings, both virtually and in-person.
The “RYT” stands for “Registered Yoga Teacher,” which means I’ve undergone training under a Yoga Alliance School to become a yoga teacher. In fact, I’ve been a student in many different trainings! My specialty is Vinyasa, but I am also trained in Yin, Yoga Sculpt, and even Reiki II.
The “500” means that I have 500+ hours of training. Essentially, an E-RYT 500 is the highest level of yoga training—humble brag. I have studied under Noah Mazé, Peach Friedman, and Rocky Heron, and because of my amazing teachers, I fell in love with anatomy, alignment, and mechanics— which shows in my classes. But as much I love teaching the foundations, I also encourage curiosity, creativity, and playfulness in my classes. Here’s why: the teacher is definitely an important guiding figure, but the practice of yoga comes from within, and only YOU know what feels good in your body.
I would describe my teaching style as laidback and conversational. I have fun while I teach, and I quite enjoy teaching! So we laugh a bit in my classes, and dare I say… we have fun. Call me non-traditional, but my favorite music to flow to has been, and always will be, Hip-Hop. If you play Drake in your classes, you will forever have my heart. I believe that yoga should be practiced with serious dedication and devotion, but with a light-hearted approach.
In all seriousness though, I do believe that yoga is a practice of the mind, which is why I was drawn to it. I have personally noticed the positive impact of yoga on my life, both physically AND mentally. Maybe it’s my background in behavioral health and wellness (I have my Master’s in Clinical Psychology), but the power of the mind has always been intriguing to me, and yoga teaches us how to become better human beings. What I think of as an Awesome Human may even be different than what you think of as an Awesome Human, and that’s okay. We are all a work in progress, and we are all on a unique journey.
I’m passionate about sharing this practice because I know that it is my dharma, or duty, to do so. Not only do I believe that yoga is a powerful tool in bettering ourselves so that our bodies feel strong and our minds feel calm, but I believe from the bottom of my heart that this practice is life-changing. Don’t believe me? Try it.