My name is Erin. I am originally from Maryland. I moved to the Buffalo area for school in 2008. I have my bachelor’s in Psychology with minors in Clinical Adult Counseling and Gender Studies and my master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling; both from Canisius University (formerly Canisius College). I am a certified yoga teacher and registered through Yoga Alliance as an RYT-200.

Back in 2004, I was looking for a way to exercise without it feeling like work. I had a gym membership and took my first in person yoga class. It was liberating. I found gentle movement that also helped my breath and mindfulness.

Now being in my late teens/early 20s, I couldn’t always afford to take in person classes. I bought yoga class DVDs…remember those? And I still have a lot of them. I found my own practice through a few different yoga class DVDs.

During my bachelors and masters’ programs, I fell away from yoga due to time constraints and needing to work. I would occasionally do my yoga DVDs or attend an in-person class. About two months after completing my master’s program, I was in a traumatic accident that changed my life forever. I am now a left above knee amputee. Going from able-bodied to disabled was quite a shock. After PT, OT, healing, more surgeries, and after a wild couple of years, I found a studio by my home and was able to attend the gentle yoga class. It was exactly what I needed. It helped me start meditation again at home. I felt more connected to my body than ever since the accident.

Then COVID came, so studio practice wasn’t happening for me, and I had just had my baby, so I was anxious about being in public. In 2021, a friend of mine suggested I try Yoga with Adriene 30-day yoga journey, Breath, and it was great. It helped me create my own at home practice again. An at home practice helped me center myself, connect with my body, and be more mindful. Once I felt comfortable going out in public again, I found another local studio and began attending. 

I felt called to take my 200 HR Yoga Teacher Training. I did my YTT through Yoga Farm Ithaca and it was a wonderful experience. Doing my YTT, I wanted to improve my own practice. I didn’t go in with the express intention to teach yoga. I wanted to honor the practice and its roots. I love learning and it was exactly what I needed. It helped me strengthen my home practice and learn how to teach yoga. I was also offered a teaching position as I was finishing up my program and it has been an amazing experience. Yoga has changed my life for the better and teaching others has become important to me.

My ultimate goal is to make yoga accessible and that could mean different things for everyone. I need modifications at times for poses and there are some poses that I cannot currently do and may never be able to do. I have found that honoring where I am currently at works best for me and every day that may look different.

Thank you for joining me!

Erin Heald, MHC-LP, RYT-200

Yoga training certificates:

200 HR Certified Yoga Teacher Training

20 HR Yin Yoga Certification

Trauma-Informed Yoga Certification

Currently attending Accessible Yoga School course

If you were looking for me due to my mental health counseling, please follow the link here to connect with me.