Laurie Hall OTR/L, E-RYT 200, RYT500, YACEP
Laurie was born in New York City, and lived in Woodstock, NY and Maine. After high school she spent 6 months in Finland and traveled to Russia and England. These early life experiences taught her how to embrace different cultures, and honor our similarities and differences. “Flexibility in yoga often implies physical flexibility,” she says, “but it is also important to be flexible in one’s approach to life and life’s circumstances.”
After graduating from college at McGill University in Montreal, she returned to Brooklyn, NY to complete her secondary degree in Occupational Therapy, specializing in pediatrics. She worked in a variety of settings with different populations before opening her own practice. “Occupational therapy is about meeting the needs of the individual where they are, at that time, without judgment, and facilitating their movement in the direction they want to go… just like yoga.”
In 2007, Laurie and her family moved from Wilmington, NC to Sparta, TN. She retired from being an occupational therapist to become a full-time clay artist. Because being an artist can be an isolating profession, she missed the community involvement, and began practicing yoga and meditation at Synergy in Cookeville.
In 2017, Laurie completed the 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training at Sanctuary Yoga studio in Nashville with Tom and Daphne Larkin, where her training was focused on hatha and vinyasa flow yoga. She says it was a very powerful and challenging personal journey. “Developing a yoga practice and adopting a yogic lifestyle requires physical, emotional and spiritual commitment.” Further training has included: Restorative Yoga Training with Colleen Dwyer of BlossOMing, Anjali Restorative Chakra Balancing course with Shannon Paige, 50-hour Yin Yoga training with Bernie Clark, Great Yoga Wall training Level 1 with Bryan Leger, Level 2 with Mary Anne Metzger and additional training with Terry Brown. Laurie completed her 500-hour training with Cortni Saunders Mindful Motion Studio which included Trauma Informed Yoga. In addition, Laurie seeks out trainings through Yoga International, Yoga Alliance and wherever else her passion takes her. Laurie is currently registered with the Yoga Alliance as E-RYT 200, RYT 500, YACEP.
Laurie had taught numerous workshops as an Occupational Therapist and loves sharing her knowledge with other professionals. In the yoga world she teaches Yin and Restorative modules for Hot Yoga of East Nashville’s 300-hour program. She offers workshops in yoga philosophy, healing through the chakras, and other topics.
“I believe that anyone can develop a yoga practice, regardless of age and current physical abilities”. Using her background in working with individuals experiencing physical and emotional challenges, Laurie strives to make yoga accessible to anyone regardless of where they are in their wellness journey. She teaches private and duet including sessions on the Great Yoga wall, as well weekly Vinyasa, Hatha and Yin classes.