I began teaching yoga in 2001 and have been a devoted student of the practice for over 25 years. I am an Experienced Yoga Alliance Registered Teacher (E-RYT500) with an additional emphasis in Prenatal Yoga (RPYT). My classes are thoughtfully designed, and encourage an individualized exploration of yoga postures with breath awareness as the primary focus. I have lived and studied yoga in Southern California, India, and San Francisco. I now live in Santa Cruz with my husband Nick, and daughters Poppy and Amma, where I co-founded Luma Yoga and Family Center. My idea for the center sprang from a desire to integrate family life with personal health and wellbeing. The center serves individuals of all ages and honors that the peace and wellbeing we seek through yoga can be accessed through quiet and solitude, but also through a vibrant and diverse community. Prior to opening Luma where I currently teach, I taught in Santa Monica, San Francisco, Berkeley, and at Nourish in Santa Cruz.
Certifications
Valerie's most influential teachers include Pulak Ranjan Shukla, Max Strom, Colette Crawford, and Paul Grilley. Valerie holds a Yin Yoga Teacher Training Certificate (2011), and a Prenatal Yoga Certification from Colette Crawford (2007). She is a graduate of the Satvic Lifestyle Management Program, with Pulak Ranjan Shukla, in Gurgaon, Haryana, IN (2007), and completed the Yoga Works Teacher Training in Santa Monica, CA with Chuck Miller and Maty Ezraty in (2003). Valerie holds an Advanced Certification from the Interdisciplinary Yoga Institute in Costa Rica (2001) and was also certified with 100 hours of Iyengar Teacher Training with Lisa Walford in San Francisco (2001). She has apprenticed under the guidance of Max Strom, including assistant teaching from 2003 to current.
Rating
Do yoga with me
Featured Events
-
Portugal Yoga, Pranayama, Meditation & Hiking RetreatOct 13 to Oct 20
-
-
Yoga Teacher Training (Traditional Hatha)Jul 18 to Aug 15
Teachers Nearby
- Robin Penney 5.4 Mi
- Lisa Garratt, E-RYT500 < 1 Mi
- Kenny Graham < 1 Mi
- Skye Jenkins 4.2 Mi