"If you have ever rooted for me, ever,
Thank you.
If you have not, and I truly mean this,
I love you.
I am rooting for you."
I have been on the path of "me" search (research) for over two decades. When I was a teenager you could find me in the library stacks binging on Nietzsche, Jung, Kant, Marx, Descartes and Alan Watts. I had a desire to find a way out, not through. I was searching for answers among thinkers and finding only more questions. I turned to yoga in my early twenties as a means to burn more physical energy. My tool of escape/ as well as association with the higher self was through my body. I had the polarity paradox of using my body to dissociate, but also to bring me home again. I could switch between the two simultaneously. Dance, art, extreme sports, writing, and other right brain dominant activities brought me into a deep relationship with my physical form. But the relationship would become much deeper as I learned to ground myself, stay present, and feel the fullness of my experience. The dark and the light.
It took most of my twenties and half my thirties to truly understand the essence of yoga, which is quite simply, presence. Nothing more, and nothing less. I delved into studies around psychology, neuroscience, behavioral studies, Somatics, sexological work, mindfulness and Buddhism, trauma therapy, Internal Family Systems, and medicine work. I continue to commit myself fully to self inquiry through a holistic approach of mind body connection. I believe deep healing and integration occur when an individual dives into the fullness of their life experience. That is to feel pleasure, pain, ecstacy, joy, depression, grief, elation, triumph and defeat.
As a human being with years of unhealthy relating to myself and others, I have been able to experience myself, my decisions and my reactions retroactively with a new found self awareness that has allowed me to purify my interpersonal relationships, and intrapersonal for that matter, with continuing education and resourcing I give myself more depth and space to thrive in more healthy and whole ways of relating. This has given me a new found drive to bring tools, resources and awareness to others suffering in unhealthy attachment patterns, limiting belief systems, disregulated nervous systems, unconscious living and trauma bonding.
I feel a push to wholeness, not happiness, but fullness. A push for us all to achieve what it means to be truly human. And that is presence, resilience, and acceptance of what life puts forth for us. What I have to offer as a facilitator is my undivided attention to my students, and to my Sangha, as we journey together towards integrative healing of the self.
We are in a time of deep need of collective connection, empathetic communication, and loving awareness. My desire is to create a network of Trauma Informed yoga teachers, facilitators, healers and speakers that can aid in the healing of unnecessary suffering for others.
QUALIFICATIONS & CERTIFICATIONS
Black Swan 200 Hour Hatha Vinyasa YTT
Denise Payne and One Song 300 Hour Advanced YTT
Sri Gaia Institute 200 Hour YTT
Trauma Informed Yin Yoga Training with Angela Jervis 5o Hour YTT
The Practice: Tantra Training with Octavio Salado 50 Hour YTT
Gabriel Sol Kula Tantra 6 week Training
Abandonment & Rejection Training with Gabor Mate
Anatomy of Emotions 4 week program with Janet Stone
From Trauma to Dharma with Hakomi Institute
Introduction to Hakomi Therapy
Yoga For Trauma Y4T 8 week training with Lisa Danylchuk
Trauma Informed Plant & Animal Medicine Facilitator 8 week Training with Atira Tan
Theta Healing Therapist Training with Hen Rotem
NARM INSTITUTE - Nueroaffective Relational Model Informed Therapist 6 month Training
Somatic Sex Educator Level 1 Training 5 week training
IN PROGRESS
Internal Family Systems Level 1 self study, one of one mentorship
TESTIMONIALS
Kia ora Echo,
Thanks so much for this!! It feel so good to have completed it. It really has been a great journey and I feel I have I have finally set my spiritual and holistic foundation for myself. I feel more grounded in who I am as a being. Not just Amber, flesh and blood, but the whole me. Boundless energy flowing in and around me. Connection. I've come home to myself. The most exciting thing is that this has come about through subtle shifts and I know that this is just the beginning. I know that I will continue to evolve and grow. I have learnt through this course that subtleties are just as exiting as big bangs. That it takes time, stillness and patience to feel and see what is needed and what is growing within and round us.
I am also so happy with the foundation of knowledge and tools I have gained from this course. I found it rather stressful and hard but I feel incredible knowing that I did it and it was worth all the late nights and practice and study. The information is essential and I now have a deeper insight and understanding of my practice and the beauty of all the yoga is.
-Amber (New Zealand)
What this training brought to me is a deeper understanding of what yoga really means and is able to bring into experience, besides doing asanas. I gained a better body feeling while doing the asanas and a more aligned connection to breathing. Learning about breathing techniques was a revelation to me. Breathing helps me in many situations now to stay focused and see the benefit in all that is happening. I once more realized I do not need any external Gods to worship. I am not looking for a religion. I understand the Gods we learned about as our own trades of character we can acknowledge and deal with to be in better harmony and equilibrium with ourselves. Yin Yoga helped me especially with my back pain. I also can use it with the people I
work with and help them with relief. I am grateful for reminding me of Nonviolent Communication. I consider it as an
important tool in daily work and meeting people. I experience relationships to become
more valuable, understanding and people more lovable.
- Camilla (Germany)
Echo's 200 Hr Teacher training truly changed my life and has allowed me to pursue my dream of being able to teach yoga to others and has inspired me to continue to delve deeper into this incredible practice. Yoga is so much more than our asana practice, there is so much wisdom to be learnt in the ancient teachings of yoga. Echo as a teacher is truly inspirational, you can see the knowledge and passion for yoga that passes through her. She is kind and loving, and equally strong and wise; I am truly grateful for the time she spent curating this training. The course is set out in such an easy-to-follow day-to-day schedule, with classes, lectures and homework, which made it so much easier to time manage and keep up with the course material. I highly recommend anyone who is wanting to teach yoga or even just learn more about yoga or themselves to sign up and embark on this journey.
-Anna Lisa ( Australia)
Echo has been such a beautiful source of joy and inspiration in my life. Enrolling in her Tantra workshops and later her Full Circle Yoga Teacher Training has been one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life. Her teachings are truly transformative, be it in a yoga class, a meditation circle or even a YTT lecture, she has a way around words and poetry that makes you connect deeper to yourself and take in the experience fully. I came into this Yoga Teacher Training to learn how to teach yoga and I came out of it learning how to live my yoga and how to be a better communicator, yogi and person in general. The depth of the program astounded me. I can’t imagine a more complete program, I would recommend it to everyone. Forever in my heart.
Big hug,
Imane (Morocco)
‘Meeting Echo for the first time was like meeting an old familiar friend. She is someone that sees the true potential in others, and brings that joyful feeling back into the individual through movement experiences, friendship, play, guidance, trust, and creativity. She has the quality of planting seeds of Yes, I am, and I will into others and no doubt delights in seeing the fruit of people with newfound, fresh belief in themselves. She is a leader of change.
Josh Fergus (New South Wales)
My very first experience with a Yoga class of any kind was because of this beautiful spirit. Echo took me in and showed me a world that I have come to love beyond measure. From the moment that first class ended, I knew I was hooked, forever. Echo has been my guide and mentor in Yoga and travel for the last 3 years and she has become like a little sister to me. Echo is a Wildling at heart. One of the most free spirits I have ever met, and I have met a few! The guidance and attention she provides in each class is beautiful and serene. From a peaceful Yin flow to a balancing act of Jivamukti and the hot flowing Yang energy of Vinyasa, Echo has created her own dynamic, and beautiful movements based upon hours of study and self-love. I am honored to say that I will be taking my 200 hour course with her in 2019 in the beautiful country of Guatemala. Being a teacher of my own is something that she has long seen within me and that it has taken a long time to see fully within myself. Her guidance and love have always been there for me and I can never thank her enough for everything! Much Love Little Sister! Namaste!
John Stebbins (Texas)
Echo is an uplifting and inspiring teacher. Her good spirits are infectious and her big smile too. Her teachings are very deep and playful at the same time, which make for a lovely combination when practicing with her. She is as devoted to the practice of yoga, as one can be. Don't miss out on her.
Frederikke Elisabeth-Kragh Thøsing (Denmark)
I had the pleasure of taking Echo’s classes at a kitesurfing camp in Sri Lanka. She was absolutely awesome, designing each class specifically for the needs of Kite surfers and mixing it up every day so it was never repetitive. She’d always clearly explain each posture so you rarely had to look up to check if you were doing something right. She gave the more advanced guys (not me!) harder variations and would kindly correct you if you were doing it wrong. I would love to take classes with her again. She also has a Spotify playlist to die for!
Sarah Hughes (Mannar, Sri Lanka)
"I was never really interested in yoga but because of Echo's enthusiasm i gave it a try. Really enjoyed her lessons. With patience and respect she lets you find your own limits. After leaving Sri Lanka I started watching her instruction videos on YouTube. I really recommend them as well.
Hope to meet Echo again soon. An inspirational, enthusiastic, funny and good person."
6 stars out of 5.
Matteo (The Netherlands)