The HDYO (Huntington's Disease Youth Organization) and I have teamed up to provide
our Chair Yoga & Mobility classes to the Huntington's Disease community!

These classes are designed for people affected by Huntington's disease in the early to mid stages, and can also be useful for people with other neurological disorders such as Ataxia and MS.

It’s my utmost honour and passion to share my knowledge and expertise of Yoga Therapeutics with the Huntington's Disease community.

My goal is to empower individuals to improve the quality of their lives.  I’ve spent many years trying to figure out the best way to cope with living in an HD family. I've dealt with caregiver burnout, depression and years of chronic pain.
Plus, the many stresses that come with being at-risk and genetic testing.

Classes are designed for the HD community and are vary in level of accessibility.  Although the disease process can’t be altered, a routine exercise program can help address the various areas of decline.

These group  and per-recorded classes can be very beneficial to help people maintain health and mobility, however are not a substitute for one on one yoga therapy which may be more appropriate and accessible for the individual's needs.

The focus of these classes is to maintain current health, mobility and prevent against the physiological decline. 

These classes can and should be used in conjunction with other treatments and exercise programs.

I'm so grateful to the HDYO for supporting these programs and making them accessible to people all over the world! 

Thanks to the Huntington Society of Canada for facilitating this and asking me to present for their virtual Community Education Forum! Living in an HD family is tough.
It's been a long journey to get here, I'm so pleased that my experiences caring for my mom
can help others reverse or avoid burning out!

If you missed our virtual CEF, Self-Care for the Caregiver on May 30, don't worry!
The recording is now available on the Huntington Society of Canada's YouTube channel at
https://youtu.be/H88Wcl8gRqM.
Give it a watch!

"Sincere thanks again to Natalie for such a thorough and thought-provoking presentation."

Good sleep is a necessity for good health and well-being throughout your life. Getting enough quality sleep at the right times can help protect your mental health, physical health, quality of life, and safety.
... 
Some benefits of quality sleep include: 
✨ hormone balancing 
✨weight control 
✨ improved memory 
✨ lower stress 
✨ improve mood 
...
A few ways I’ve learned to improve the quality of sleep is to turn off all the lights and mobile devices 30 min before bed , journal , take magnesium supplements & melatonin , invest in a good mattress, practice gentle yoga and follow a regular sleep schedule. 
...
Got a good sleep tip? Post below 👇🏼
#sleepquality #benefitsofsleep

We all have a habit of opening our social media accounts multiple times per day. What seems like a useful tool to connect and share information can have negative effects on our mental health and well being. 
...
The American Academy of Pediatrics has warned about the potential negative effects in young kids and teens, including cyber bullying and “Facebook depression”. 
Even in adults , the apps become addictive and people begin to socialize more through the apps and have less interactions with the people around them. 
...
Using FB and IG has also been shown to cause anxiety and low self worth as more and more we are comparing ourselves to what we see from other people; success (likes, follows & monetization) , beauty and wealth. 
...
It’s important to realize people only show what they want you to see. Filters are used more frequently than not, and things are not always as they seem. So what do we do about it? For some of us we need to be on these platforms for our business. 
... 
what are your thoughts ? Do you ever feel burdened by your accounts? Attached and worried about likes and follows? I definitely can relate to that 🤚🏼. 
...
What I find most helpful is to not scroll. I post, check a few times on activity, respond to messages and log out. It’s also helpful to unfollow accounts that make you depressed when you come across them. Detox daily from the device and socialize more with friends, family and colleagues around you. 
...
As adults, we need to parent ourselves and stop the overuse of our own phones and devices on a regular basis. That may mean using your apps at scheduled times, avoiding scrolling too much and be ok with feeling uncomfortable. 
... 
good luck 🙏 
..,
#socialmedia #yogatherapy #yogatherapist
...

​“Pursue what catches your heart, not what catches your eyes.”
Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart 
........................................... 
As 2017 wraps up , I feel so grateful to all the people I’ve got to meet , collaborate with and learn from . I’m so grateful to the HD communities for giving me opportunities to travel , teach and connect with people affected by Huntington’s Disease. 
...........................................
Thanks to the studios , students , studio owners for allowing me to teach Functional Yoga & Mobility method and supporting the Movement for Mental Health Workshops! 
...........................................
Thanks to all the businesses that continue to incorporate our Corporate Wellness Programs into their model of employee Healthcare. 
And to all of the seniors homes and hospitals that have been foundational in me developing Chair Yoga programs across the city and inspiring me to create my first Chair Yoga teacher training - coming in spring of 2018 ❤️
...........................................
This year has been great and I couldn’t have done it without my team - 
Rea in Focus​ 
@dennis Perrin 
Summer Huntington​

We’ve got lots in store for 2018 ! 
Thank you for believing in the mission to reduce suffering wherever possible : ) 
..........................................
Huntington Society of Canada Toronto Chapter​ 
Young People Affected by Huntington's Disease​ HDYO (Huntington's Disease Youth Organisation)​ EarthFresh​ CORE Strength & Conditioning Studios​ Yoga Light Studio​
Yoga Loft​ Integrative Health Institute​ Runnymede Healthcare Centre​
Applied Yoga Integration​
...........................................
#yogatherapy #happynewyear #gratefulheart #yogatherapist

​"Whenever you want to achieve something, keep your eyes open, concentrate and make sure you know exactly what it is you want. No one can hit their target with their eyes closed."
Paulo Coelho
... 
I have my focus on expanding and growing Sacred Mountain Yoga to reach more people around the globe while building a sustainable future for myself. 
Everyday I wake up grateful to be able to help people feel better in their bodies and improve their lives . It's taken a long time to get here , and the work is not nearly done , but I'm excited to keep moving forward...one day at a time ❤️ 
... 
thank you to all of my students , studio owners colleagues, and followers for your help & support in the process! 🙏🏼 
... 
Namaste
#yogatherapy #yogatherapist

​Feeling grateful to all of the people that came out yesterday for my first Movement for Mental Health workshop at the @yogalightstudio ! 
...
Teaching people simple and practical ways of applying yoga is my passion , especially for mental health issues . All the techniques we explored have been personally tried and tested on myself and my clients over the past several years. This will be the first of many workshops to come ! Building resilience, inner strength and self awareness is essential for living well ❤️ 
. . . 
Contact me to book a workshop for your community : ) 
....
Namaste 🙏🏼 
...
#yogatherapy #yogatherapist #yogaforhealth

Hello everyone! 

Here is a link to the video podcast I did with Kelsey from the  She Will Rise​ podcast this summer! 

This is one of the most raw and revealing interviews I've done to date about my personal journey with mental health , chronic pain and HD. Hopefully it will inspire people who are suffering to begin their own healing journey. 

Hope this helps : ) #mentalhealthsupport