about noell

I started my teaching career working with survivors of  human trafficking and domestic violence in the New York  metropolitan area. I recognized that yoga had played an  integral role in helping me heal from my own trauma and the addiction that stemmed from it. Despite no trauma informed yoga training available at the time, I offered simple movement and breath exercises to women in shelters and saw them transform – they had less anxiety, they slept  better, they gained the ability to remain calm despite lives of uncertainty. My personal involvement with addiction recovery and my professional work in shelters demonstrated how prevalent pain and suffering are in the world. It is the human condition.  

I have been teaching to the human condition ever since. 

Over my 20-year career, I've shared yoga in public spaces, private settings, and with corporate clients. My journey includes numerous yoga teacher trainings, collaborations with elite athletes from the NHL and NFL, and the delivery of yoga programs to marginalized communities. 

Like many long-term teachers, my way of presenting yoga has shifted immensely over the years. These shifts have been deeply rooted in the evolution of my personal  practice.  

My teaching philosophy is enriched by my multidisciplinary exploration. It blends elements of Iyengar and Ashtanga yoga, mindfulness practices rooted in the Vipassana tradition, and somatic approaches influenced by the work of Peter Levine and Somatic Experiencing™.

For a time, I became increasingly interested in developing  yoga that was physiologically and therapeutically-informed.I dived into understanding the human body from within, engaging in cadaver dissection to gain profound insights. Seeking knowledge beyond conventional yoga training, I earned certifications in Pilates, Functional Range Conditioning (FRC), and ELDOA Levels 1 & 2.

Having studied yoga and the body intensively for many  years, I turned to the practice of Theravada Buddhism as a map for embracing the complexities of mind and training the heart. Interested in the integration of mindfulness practice, embodied movement and the teachings of the Buddha, I undertook extensive training and eventually received ordination as a lay Buddhist minister in 2022.

Driven by curiosity about trauma's impact on the body's physiology and the role of yoga as a somatic practice, I embarked on the study of Somatic Experiencing. I am now a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner.

These days, my personal practice is less about mastery of form, and more about moving with a sense of curiosity and  openness. Stepping onto my mat is an opportunity to truly embrace the present and nurture inner expansiveness and resiliency.