The Lineage
of my Work

• I've been super privileged to have financial, time, & family resources to make education possible. I feel the responsibility of that and don't take it for granted.

• While academic study has its place, experiential, traditional, intergenerational, and embodied knowledge is also just as valuable. You might see this page evolve over time as I play with different ways to convey these kinds of learnings as well. #decolonizeeducation

• I'm not in 100% alignment with all of these people anymore. As I've grown and learned, some of our paths have diverged. Take this as a disclaimer — I don't personally know or completely agree with everything the people listed here have to say. 

• If you're into similar work and want to use this list as a study guide, feel free to reach out for more details about which programs I would currently recommend.

• I love to learn! In the Gallup StrengthsFinder, my #1 top strength is Learner. 🤓🤓🤓

• Also, sometimes over-learning can be a trauma response and/or a result of living under systems of oppression. The more weighty our marginalized identities are, the more we might face real pressures to "know more" or have more credentials than others.

• Finally, much of these studies are because, as Kelly Diels says, I have been developing a body of work that tries to a solve complex problem that doesn't have an easy solution and has required the study of these different modalities.

with that being said, read on for the lineage of my work and the Mind & Mountain methodology!

Fitness & Movement.

My ethos: always listen to your body. All bodies are good bodies. Build functional strength & mobility through self-awareness & titrated challenge. 

• Tabata Bootcamp by Mindy Mylrea was the original form out of which Ski Babes & Summer Strong grew. 
• Elizabeth Dialto's Wild Soul Movement allowed me a new level of self-acceptance & taught me that listening to my body was magical. Elizabeth’s Podcast
• Pre- & Post-natal Pregnancy Certification through Girls Gone Strong has helped me provide appropriate modifications and guidance for all my clients on the pregnancy path.
• My personal training certification through AFAA opened doors to the many different ways of working with health & fitness.
• My experience teaching a variety of fitness modalities, including Spinning, Barre Above, TRX, Plyo, Yoga, & Insanity has shaped my appreciation for the human body's movement potential
• Leigh Lubin introduced me to a version of yoga that helped initiate my awareness of my own internal experience and recognize the importance of interoception. Leigh taught my Yoga Alliance Yoga Teacher Training, and the teachers at YogaDownload.com, including Christen Bakken, Jackie Marhou, & Elise Fabricant have helped my practice continue to evolve. 
• My Online Trainer Certification through the PTDC helped me transition my in-person workouts to an online program without losing quality or impact. 
• My high school track coach, Mr. Devenney taught me the foundations of fitness & modeled impactful leadership, commitment, & purpose.

Mental Health.

My ethos: everyone can benefit from attention to mental health. Self-compassion first. Healing comes in many forms. Increasing nervous system capacity improves everything -- workouts, mountain time, relationships, & daily life.  

• My Masters degree is in Social Work, and I am working toward my LCSW license. The bio-psycho-social-spiritual model that informs all of my work was originally introduced to me in my social work studies with mentors including Kathy Trawver, Matt Wadsworth, & Brandy Stratman.
• Somatic Experiencing forever changed my life & work. As an SE Practitioner, my teachers have included Peter Levine, Linda Stelte, Mahshid Hager, Lucia Roncolli, Kimberly Johnson, Joshua Silvae, Ariel Giarretto & Sabia Wade, all of whom have tremendously impacted my own healing and helped me deepen my nervous system skillset. 
• Holding space for group learning supports making mental health care as accessible as possible and creating space for healing relationally and in community. Carmen Spagnola has helped me grow my skills as a group facilitator. 
• Movement for Trauma Certification with Jane Clapp, as well as her ongoing webinars on breath, pelvic floor health, etc helped me integrate my fitness background with mental health & trauma healing work. Jane Clapp podcast interview
• My training in the modalities of Internal Family Systems, EMDR Level 1 & 2, Mindful Self-Compassion, and Trauma-Focused CBT is incorporated both in my workouts and my sessions with clients. 
• The Realization Process with Judith Blackstone and teachers Brooke Thomas and Michael Lydon is the embodied meditation methodology I practice and informs much of my work. Judith Blackstone & Brooke Thomas podcast interview
• Shirin Eskanandi was one of my first mindfulness coaches — her work changed my life! 

Social Justice.

My ethos: liberation is the goal. Black lives matter. Intersectionality matters. Healing & repair matter. Commit to a life-long effort of learning, healing, & unlearning. This work can be sustainable & joyful! 

• I've been a part of Resmaa Mennaken's Somatic Abolitionism Reparative Consultation Group for two years. Resmaa's powerful teachings integrate social justice from a somatic and trauma-focused perspective, toward creating an embodied anti-racist culture. Resmaa Mennaken podcast interview
• Dr. Tee Williams has been my primary social justice teacher, helping me expand my knowledge, skills, & self-awareness in practicing liberation work for all. Dr Tee podcast interview
• In 2021 I worked with Trudi Lebron, who helped me build a business that is value-centered and has equity and inclusivity at its core. Trudi Lebron's Business Remixed podcast.
• This lineage list (citation is a feminist practice) and the rest of my writing have been highly influenced by Kelly Diels' courses & support. Kelly's work has helped me shape the language of my business so that it uplifts instead of shaming and contributes to the building of culture aligned with my values.
• The work of Rachel Rodgers and her coaches in her membership have helped me learn how to grow this business in a way that's aligned with my values and supports wealth as power and using it to change the world. 
• The Health at Every Size movement has brought together body positivity and social justice in the fitness world.
• The Seeing White podcast is a great place to start to understand racial dynamics in the US. 

Nutrition.

My ethos: Curiosity, experimentation, & self-awareness are key. Listen to your body. Notice how your food, energy, mood, cycles, and performance interact. Build sustainable habits. Make it easy. 

• Shanique Allen's anti-diet nutrition coaching makes up the core of the Summer Strong & Ski Babes nutrition curriculum. Listen to Shanique's podcast here.
• Precision Nutrition taught my nutrition coaching course; I learned a lot from their approach to building holistic nutrition habits
• I appreciate the Intuitive Eating movement’s listen-to-your-body messaging, which integrates well with my fitness & mental health practices
• Stacy Sims' work with female athletes, including her book Roar, helped me evolve my practices to incorporate gender differences

Family & Culture.

My ethos: we are shaped by our families, our teachers, our communities, and by the land we live & recreate on. Recognize where you came from, take what works for you & leave the rest. Follow your passion and your joy.

• My Mennonite heritage instilled in me the values of service, simplicity, generosity, and humility.
• The Alaska Native people whose lands I grew up and still reside on have touched my life in countless ways. Alaska Native cultures have much to teach us about connection to land, community care, and resilience.
• Ani Difranco & Lauryn Hill taught me that passion, art, anger, & social change can all go together.
• Indigo Girls give me hope and helped me feel supported in the darkest times. 
• Lizzo taught me to twerk, to embody joy, and to shine so that others can shine too.