Andrea Barton
E-RYT200, RYT500, RPYT, RCYT, YACEP
Hi, I'm so glad you're here! I'm a trauma-responsive yoga teacher, childbirth educator, perinatal support volunteer, and mama to three amazing kiddos.
I live in awe of babies- their innocence, honesty, faith, presence. My hope is that by supporting women, children receive the nurturance and respect they need to begin their life. My personal experiences with homebirth, early pregnancy loss, perinatal mental health challenges and sudden loss of a parent while postpartum were impactful in guiding me towards this work.
Spaciousness is a virtue
Parenthood is a constant state of transition affecting us on all levels of our being. It’s normal to feel conflicting emotions, thoughts and concerns as you are conceiving, moving through pregnancy, caring for your child, and shifting towards menopause. Grief arises for legitimate reasons, appearing in obvious and subtle ways. Even when we have supportive circumstances at home we can experience strong feelings of sadness, dissatisfaction, anxiety, anger, intrusive thoughts, post-traumatic stress and beyond.
The tension that we carry in our mind, body and heart binds us in old patterns, separating us from the spaciousness and presence that is available, sometimes even separating us from the most important people in our life.
If you find yourself pausing and wondering if it will always be this hard, know that what you're feeling is totally valid, and you can make choices that support your wellness. Working together, we will acknowledge what you've been through, embrace your personal wellness goals, and reclaim your right to live with greater peace, grace, self-compassion and appreciation for the journey.
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Experienced yoga teacher (E-RYT200®)
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Registered prenatal yoga teacher (RPYT®)
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Registered children's yoga teacher (RCYT®)
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International Association of Yoga Therapy trainee, YogaLife Institute
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Childbirth educator, Doula Trainings International
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Advanced Perinatal Mental Health, Postpartum Support International
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Helpline responder, support group leader and yoga teacher for Postpartum Support International
How yoga found me
I began taking studio yoga classes many years ago, as a way to discharge stress from managing software development. But it was during pregnancy when I realized that the effects of strength, flexibility and relaxation practices greatly impacted the mind and emotions, not just the physical body.
For many years prenatal and postnatal yoga classes became my new 'happy hour' and held space for all of it- strength and softness, confusion and certainty, excitement and fear. For me, asking for help didn't come easy. Slowly I began reconsidering my closely-held "superwoman" identity, realizing how little I truly knew and would learn only by experience. I felt more willing to be a student of life, while humbled, grateful and connected to the endless chain of women before me.
Through deeper practice and study of philosophy subtle messages within my body became noticeable, and my breath felt magically medicinal. Thoughts, emotions and feelings could feel less sticky, less personal, belonging to the public domain of being human. I'm ever-grateful to the generations of teachers who have preserved, expanded and shared this wisdom for those interested in listening, as well as modern pioneers in biology, neuroscience and psychology who continue to explore the mystery of life, consciousness and humanity. All one needs is the curiosity and courage to look within... your wholeness is right there, waiting for you.