Avery Westlund

I am a perpetual student, crazy animal lady, and lover of travel, food, and my closest people. Unlike many yoga teachers, I did not fall in love with yoga right away–it was a slow process and a bit of a struggle for me. I did not immediately feel at home on my mat or in my body and struggled with feeling physically inflexible and mentally outside of my comfort zone. I was impatient with learning fundamentals and resistent to the parts of the practice that weren’t physical.

It didn’t take long though for me to start reaping the benefits of a physical yoga practice and ultimately, it guided me toward a happier and healthier lifestyle overall. In addition to the obvious physical benefits, many of the philosophical ideals resonated strongly with me, particularly an emphasis on contentment and compassion for all beings (including the self and animals!). As my practice expanded into breath work, philosophy, and meditation, I found myself better able to find balance and calm in my daily life.

Because of my own struggle with the practice, I don’t believe in a one size fits all approach to teaching or learning, which is why I continue to study and practice with a variety of teachers, and to use my graduate degree in forensic pscyhology to help inform my work. I believe that anyone can benefit from yoga and I work with many different populations including children, veterans, anxiety and despression sufferers, athletes, CEOs, medical professionals, and studio clients. I approach every day and every yoga class with warmth, empathy, and a willingness to laugh at myself, maintaining a gently sarcastic sense of humor and a passion for my work.

I have been fortunate to live overseas for most of the last decade and completed my first 200 hour certification with the Tribe Yoga School while living on an organic farm in Spain. I also completed my Power Yoga for Sports certification with Gwen Lawrence and continue to study intensive Anatomy with Leslie Kaminoff and all things yoga, philosophy, and life with Alanna Kaivalya’s TKYM 500 hour training. I have taught students of all ages and athletes of all levels throughout Europe, Asia, and the U.S.