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Discover Our Ayurveda School Graduates Part 2

Grad Blog Post Pt 2

Our graduates are up to some really amazing things post-Ayurveda School, and we want to share them with you! Whether you're interested in becoming an Ayurvedic Wellness Coach, or just want to learn the masters of Ayurvedic wisdom, there are endless ways to use your certification. Read below to gain some inspiration and see what some of our fellow grads are up to. You can even reach out to them directly for more information on their unique offerings!

 

Tara Stoutenborough

"I didn’t dream when a sudden inspiration two weeks after my 80th birthday led me to enroll in Shakti Ayurveda School how much it would enliven and enrich my life. A long-time meditator and Yoga practitioner, I’d been feeling like I’d lost my source of inspiration and enrichment but hadn’t found a place to turn. The words “Divine Feminine” Ayurveda studies lit me up and that light has just increased month after month. Studying with Katie Silcox and the teachers she’s so carefully selected has been challenging in all the best ways. I feel like I’m expanding in every direction and I’m excited to move into my second year of study.

I’ve always been a person who loves to start new enterprises, launching a technology marketing business at 49 and becoming a romance writer at 68. I still work happily in those businesses, but my love of yoga, self-care and integrative health has always been a driving force in my life. Having the inrush of new thoughts and practices from Shakti School has prompted me to launch a new enterprise – a website/blog I call How to Become Young based on a favorite quote of mine from Pablo Picasso – “It takes a long time to become young”. I feel like I have some experience in that realm to share, and with the inspiration of Katie and all the teachers and fellow students at Shakti Ayurveda School, I’ve launched the website/blog packed with tips and techniques from all the teachers and mentors who have blessed my life over all these years.  I hope How to Become Young will just grow and serve others throughout the coming years. Check it out at www.howtobecomeyoung.com"

 

Jennifer Bullen

"Jen is the founder and creator of Rising Strong Wellness.  

When the body can be given a voice to express the stories that it holds, healing comes rushing in!  Jen knows and believes that by creating intentional opportunities to invite the body into healing, you will witness powerful results of walking into your most natural rhythms. Jen approaches working with the body through a trauma-informed lens and finds deep joy as others reclaim their power! 

Jen is a Somatic Healing and Ayurvedic Wellness Coach that works with those who are surviving and overcoming trauma to move into deeper healing. Her deepest commitment is to empower, inspire and allow you a brave space for healing. 

As a recent graduate of The Shakti School Jen has been able to add support to the experience of our bodies through health coaching. This training has provided me with resources beyond belief to bring back to my clients and to help them create a life that is not only more aware but more connected."

 

Brandy Gilbreth

"Ayurveda School inspired me to become an author. While attending Shakti School I wrote and published a guided journal. ‘Rooted - A Guided Journal to Self Discovery’ can be found on Amazon. Through my Ayurveda Health Coaching business, I have come across many women in desperate need of the root cause. They’re gliding through life sick and overwhelmed. They’re missing precious moments because they’re too busy doing, to just be. Enter, ‘Rooted’. I wrote this journal to help women find the root causes holding them back from living their most peaceful, purposeful, and present life.

At Shakti School, I learned how to listen to my intuition. For the first time, I started to understand the modalities it was using to speak to me. And then I learned how to take action on the things that inspire me."

 

Amber Richards

"Over the past decade, I have devoted myself to self-development in the areas of health and wellness. It has changed who I am at the cellular level. I have intentionally listened and learned. It is through this ongoing journey of learning that I receive the tools to create the teachings which I am called to share with you today. 

Shakti School has been a big part of my journey. I found Katie’s community at the perfect time in my life. Western medicine was not serving me and I was seeking a way to just feel good in my body and soul. The wisdom and knowledge that I acquired along with the tools and the magic of this very beautiful community, have saved my life. I discovered the path to my truest nature and deepest truth. From this place, I began to find healing and a new beginning. My experience has been so profound that I wanted to share this wisdom with others. I've always known this to be my calling but was not quite equipped to share it with the world….until Shakti School!

My company, Tillie Rose, community is a place for you to explore the ancient teachings of Ayurveda and Tantra, helping you gain greater access to pleasure, healing, clarity, and purpose. What's unique about my offerings here at Tillie Rose is the incorporation of my Akashic Guidance to dig into ancestral and past life blocks, and inner child turbulence to complement my Ayurvedic teachings. It's true alchemy. My intention is to guide you with love and grow alongside you as we create a safe haven for our collective evolution. 

As I journey with my community this will be a place to generate ritual, become present and light the way for love. I offer holistic-inspired offerings, cleanses, programs, and 1:1 sessions.

I am so grateful for the wisdom and teachings passed down. The threads of this wisdom are woven into my entire being. My work comes from a place of remembering and coming home to myself. From this place, I offer you guidance, from this place I hold the torch and light the way for love."

 

Katarzyna Bialek

"My name is Katarzyna (Kasia) Bialek. Ayurveda and the teachings of Shakti School had a profound influence on my life.  I was attracted to these teachings because Katie's message was authentic and I was already looking for some modality that would help me to understand myself better as I quit my academic career and didn't really know who I was anymore....

I started Shakti School on 13.01.2021, the day my daughter Laura was born. This is my second kid, I already have an older son. Little did I know, however, how hard the postpartum will be for me and how long it will take me to regain back my strength and vitality. My Agni was weak, I was weak and I didn't have a community around me as we had just moved to a new place within Switzerland. Our weekly classes were so inspiring for me and I was so much looking forward to them to feel connected to other women. I slowly started incorporating Ayurvedic wisdom into my life. Like baby steps, I changed my diet and started to use Ayurvedic self-care tools. 

My Agni very slowly started improving but 10 months postpartum, while still breastfeeding I had sciatica. I thought that I was reversing everything that I had learned. I stopped breastfeeding, my daughter started to sleep better, and slowly I started to recover using all my Ayurvedic knowledge and self-care practices. It took me two years postpartum to regain my health and feel good in my body and mind. What a journey that was, but I'm feeling stronger and more peaceful than I've ever had. My relationship with my husband is also going through a huge transformation as we're evolving into a new, more connected, trusting, and giving ourselves more space in the partnership than we ever had before. We've been together 23 years and it feels like I'm just getting to really know my husband through my new Ayurvedic lenses! 🙂 

The picture that I included shows me holding my husband's hand as we're walking inside a medieval castle. We went on a journey to the medieval Château de Chillon where we spent a wonderful afternoon together. We got lost many times, wandering through the narrow and winding passages in the castle. We did it, however, always staying together and trying different ways until we had finally visited everything that we wanted. For me, this picture represents my life (especially my relationship with my husband and my professional life) as I got lost so many times not knowing who I am and where I am. From this perspective, I see now that the Universe was guiding me all the time through narrow passages so I could see the full spectrum of possibilities.

I'm working now on starting an Ayurvedic business that will be aligned with my essence qualities. I would like to help other mothers find who they truly are and support their families to thrive."

 

Brittany Nelson

"Brittany is an Ayurvedic Health Counselor, yoga teacher and holistic educator. For the past decade, she's dove head-first into the natural world of healing, from working with master plant medicine teachers to embodying gentle movement and yoga to mixing tinctures in her kitchen. Brittany dedicates her life to learning about and devoting herself to nature, as well as bridging the gap between our stressed-out modern culture and nature's secret wisdom. 

Currently, she's offering 1-1 Ayurveda Health Counseling sessions and will be launching group programs soon."

You can read her recent article, Why I Became an Ayurveda Health Counselor: an Ever-Evolving Journey to Live My Purpose & Heal My Symptoms, on Medium!

 

Uliana Blackwell

"I am an Ayurvedic Health Counselor. I support those, who like myself might be experiencing burn-out and overwhelm from juggling the multitude of hats we wear in the modern world. I weave the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda, embodied nervous system regulation and aromatherapy to support my clients' wellbeing journey of understanding their individual constitution and how to best support it through every season and time of life. My approach is very personal and focused on you and your rhythms. 

My transformation through Shakti school was SO profound, yet gradual. She just kept evolving, sometimes subtly, and some days heart cracked open. Yet, looking back at the woman I was in January 2021, I feel like my whole mindset and, hopefully, heart have expanded and opened up that much more. For me, this journey has been about reconnecting with the power of sisterhood, remembering the innate healer that's present in each of us, and growing stronger through our vulnerability. All of these were championed so beautifully by Katie, all the teachers and the Shakti Team. 

A life's journey that will luckily never be done. 

If you are wondering if Shakti School is for you. Take the leap! Trust me, your future self will thank you. "

 

Rio and Sonya Bates

"Hi! We are Rio and Sonya, a mother/daughter team! 

Rio started studying at Shakti School and her love of learning Ayurveda with Katie inspired her to bring her mother Sonya along.  As we studied and practiced together,  we became aware of how our current world has contributed to a disconnect for us, our bodies, and who we are as mother, daughter, and women on this earth. Working with Katie and Shakti School has been not only transformative in our individual lives, but it has launched us on a lifelong journey of healing and understanding for each other and our mother/daughter relationship together.  After finishing our studies at Shakti School, we were inspired to create our company, Generation Peace.  

Our goal is to share the beautiful connection and wisdom that Ayurveda brings to us, as mothers and daughters.

The practice of Abhyanga has been one of the most powerful and needed rituals for us both. Based on this, we have designed a beautiful line of products that bring this nurturing, loving, and compassionate self-care practice, into your Dinacharya. We created our 'Everything Abhyanga Box’ based on our need to have a more simplified Abhyanga practice. Included in this box is a: Tri-doshic Body Oil, Oil Warming Jar, Sugar Shower Scrub, an all cotton Body Wrap/Sarong with a matching Scrunchie, and an instructional card. We have found that having all of this accessible to us has made it easier to reap the benefits of oil and love into our bodies."

 

Kayla Johnson

"My name is Kayla Johnson and The Shakti School has been a best friend, a nursing mother, a paved pathway towards the elements I have been desiring to bring to life for a long time. It alivened the pieces inside of me that needed to share and didn't know how. The pieces that always heard the call towards entrepreneurship. The Shakti School opened me wide to the consciousness and the wholeness that could exist in entrepreneurship, a new face, a feminine face. 

Now I have the tools to run my business from a feminine perspective. To honor myself first, to keep my cup full, and to always always leave space for fluctuation and flow as I realize business doesn't have to mean hard or strict or boring. Since beginning Ayurveda School my business has transformed from a part-time Panchakarma Therapist, honestly hiding my magic behind the silence of a massage table to a multi-dimensional Online Coach, International Retreat Holder, Yoga Teacher, and Ayurvedic Consultant. I market myself, I put my passions into offerings, I share my heart through my writing and The Shakti School has held me and guided me and kept me full the whole time. 

My business Sweet Honey Wellness is still and likely always will be growing and expanding."

 

Paulina Świerczek

"Hi there! I'm Paulina, an Ayurvedic Wellness Coach dedicated to helping women achieve radiance, confidence, and optimal health through the power of Ayurveda. My personal transformative journey began a few years ago, but it was only when I discovered The Shakti School that the real changes started to happen. The Shakti School provided me with inspiration and the opportunity to attend truly incredible teachings. Now, I'm further expanding my knowledge and expertise through Ayurvedic Health Counsellor training.

My approach revolves around personalized Ayurvedic consultations and coaching programs designed to nurture and support my clients on their unique paths. Together, we embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery during the Ayurvedic Consultation. By assessing their individual constitution and current imbalances, I craft a personalized treatment plan infused with the wisdom of Ayurveda. Alongside this, I offer tailored education on Ayurvedic practices that align with their specific needs. For those seeking deeper support, my coaching programs provide ongoing guidance, education, and accountability over one, three, or six months. These programs focus on areas such as general health, stress relief, or hormone balancing, empowering my clients to unlock their full health potential.

If you're ready to embrace true balance and your inner radiance, let's connect!"

 

Paula Pister

"Hi, I’m Paula. As a yoga teacher since 1999, it wasn’t until 2017 that I discovered Ayurveda. At that point, I had moved to LA from NYC and had two small kids. When my amazing father passed suddenly in 2014, I was devastated. That was the transformational point in my life. I’d been working (and often not working) as an actress for years, had 20+ years of costume styling under my belt, and was teaching yoga and feeling overwhelmed. I knew there was more. That’s when I became certified as a Yoga Health Coach with Yoga Healer. Desiring to tap more into my intuition and femininity and go deeper with Ayurveda is when I found Katie and Shakti School- it felt right. 

Over the years, I’ve led group coaching programs, created digital courses, and worked privately with clients. Doors to my online/group coaching program, “Glow with Soul - Inner Wisdom & Outer Radiance,” opens again this fall. My goal is to create a space for busy, ambitious modern moms and women to find accountability, community, and support while learning HOW to prioritize themselves through implementing simple daily and seasonal routines and habits that align them with nature’s rhythms. 

I feel deeply grateful to share this beautiful science of feminine form Ayurveda as a simplified, practical, healthy lifestyle with women that are struggling to prioritize their health, are too busy (but think that “one day”…they’ll have more time, $, energy) and are moving into a time in their life where they may be experiencing the cumulative effects of not prioritizing themselves, i.e., a diagnosis, menopausal symptoms, divorce, empty nest or just feeling overwhelmed, burned out or uninspired. My goal is to ignite their passion for this ancient wisdom and natural path to health and wellness so that they can live their dynamic lives. 

Thank you, Katie Silcox and your entire team, for being in my life. I wish I had known you sooner."

 

Michele Knox

"Shakti School really helped me get clear on my career and life goals. I always felt like a ‘black sheep’ as a nurse and lived with major incongruence in my life for DECADES! Unreal what the body and mind can tolerate when we think we are doing the ‘right thing’.  

I have launched my health empowerment and wellness education company, dusty rose lifestyle since graduation.  I focus on empowering and educating people on how the body actually works, and how to watch for symptom patterns the way a nurse or doctor would.  Combining anatomy and physiology with an Ayurveda lens, fostering body intuition, and honoring the unique nature of each person are at the core of my 1:1 coaching sessions and the on-demand courses I have created/am creating.  

I truly believe with every cell in my body that education and health services should be a universal human right, unfortunately from my 20ish years as a nurse, I know that this is not always the case.  This is why I offer sliding scale payment options and also a “prana exchange” for people struggling financially.  In this situation I request prana as payment;  postcards, homemade pickles/sourdough bread, pictures a clients child drew for me and mailed to me (showing their mom smiling and happy “for the first time”)  and promotion to their family and friends are a few examples of the Prana payments I have received.  And man does that feel great, instead of the western medical model I had grown so accustomed to!

dusty rose lifestyle is a company that honors the unique needs of individuals from all backgrounds.  Services are aimed at providing the 'health class you wish you had in high school.'  Practical courses and 1:1 sessions are designed to educate individuals on how the body actually works, and how to get unstuck from symptom management cycles through observation and fostering body intuition.  Health empowerment is at the heart of all offerings, when we take radical control of our health amazing outcomes are possible.  Understanding and honoring our uniqueness is the key to balanced health and happiness, at dusty rose lifestyle living an authentic life is the ultimate goal."

 

Lauren Shihadeh

"Working in the field of healthcare for over 14 years, Lauren witnessed the impact stress and disconnection from self can have on overall health.  Through her own story of personal growth, going through a divorce and becoming a single mother of two, Lauren embarked on a journey of self-discovery. Her longing to live a more joyous and fulfilled life led her to Ayurveda.  

“I always had a strong desire to learn, apply and share ways of natural living to bring in more peace and balance,” says Lauren.  Following her heart, Lauren enrolled in The Shakti School.  The Shakti School teachings provided a wealth of knowledge, tools and practices that led her to achieve a deeper level of self-awareness, self-love and health.   This time of personal transformation revealed Ayurveda is part of her higher calling. 

Upon graduating from Shakti School in 2022, Lauren created Monarch Ayurveda, an Ayurvedic Wellness Coaching business.  Lauren is leading workshops and wellness retreats all over Northeast Ohio focusing on "Seasonal Living:  Recipes, Remedies and Rituals", "Discovering Your Dosha:  Your Personalized Roadmap" and providing one on one Ayurvedic Wellness Coaching."

 

Kristy Gungler

"When someone asks me what I do or inquires about the vision and mission I hold for my business, Earth Bird Wholebeing; I first respond with, "I am in the business of guiding and supporting women who are seeking to deepen their connection with the Earth and in doing so, deepen their connection and understanding with the spirit of their true nature. Earth Bird Wholebeing incorporates nature at the core of my multifaceted offerings. These offerings include Ayurvedic health & lifestyle counseling, guided forest therapy walks and plant medicines; I distill hydrosols and hand make incense. The vision and mission for Earth Bird Wholebeing is to be a guide and space-holder. Guiding women as they find their back to their innate, instinctive and intuitive self; reconnecting with their unique inner guru. I gather and guide others amongst the trees for forest bathing walks, circle weekly in a program I created, called 'the NEST', and am cultivating a community of women to simply come together and connect over our love and awe of nature. 

Shortly after graduating level 2 of Shakti School in April 2022, I felt called to add forest therapy to my offerings and become a certified forest therapy guide. This practice of "bathing in the forest atmosphere" is simple yet potent, just like Ayurveda. It also helps my clients see themselves as nature beings, as a microcosm in the macrocosm.

Learning, practicing, embodying and sharing Ayurveda, especially feminine form Ayurveda as we learned in Shakti School, ignited something in me that had been dormant for some time. I have always held a deep reverence to mama Earth and all of her nature beings. It was through my journey in Shakti School that all of the pieces came together. My passion for nature and ways in which I could share holistic wellbeing modalities with others became more clear and so did my confidence in honoring my dharma. It is a true honor to share Ayurvedic wisdom and nature-connection practices in a slow, steady and supported way. I believe when we heal, the Earth heals and when the Earth heals, we heal. This knowledge is what calls me to do this work. "

 

Amanda Byrd

"My name is Amanda Byrd I am a level 1 Ayurveda School graduate, class of 2020. 

Where have I have been since graduating? I have been implementing the wisdom of feminine form medicine and the foundations of woman’s health in my own life. Ayurveda has been apart of my personal practice. The wisdom in this course has helped guide me through motherhood through a different lens as I transitioned to a mother of 3 in the fall of 2022. 

As I continue to shift and grow through the seasons of life while connecting with Mother Nature in Midwest Ohio, I am offering classes in my community. You can find me @yoga.amanda.byrd to find out more about me and the classes I teach."

 

Greer Ashley

"Greer synergises ayurvedic wisdom with her 12+ years as a holistic life coach & NLMM (somatic healing) practitioner to offer a deeply nourishing approach to healing & wholeness.

Mumma of 3 and married to her Divine Love, Greer draws on her own experience of how to live & self-care in a way that honours our external commitments as well as deeper needs and highest longing.

Heart consciousness permeates all of Greer's services which include 6-month 1:1 mentorship, 12-week group programs, 28-day 1:1 somatic journeys, monthly women's circles, seasonal cacao ceremonies & conscious couples retreats which she co-hosts with her husband in Tasmania (Australia)."

 

Courtney Lasker

"I am a former corporate communications maven (worked for Disney, Tech startups and institutions) turned healer. I specialize in rewilding women: reconnecting us to our spirit, passion, power, and laughter! I host women’s circles and retreats that put us in touch with the sensations of life through our five senses. My specific passion is working with moms who are looking for a sense of identity, support, sleep, space, and fun! My clients return to who they are with newfound wisdom and fortitude in wild womanhood, most of all employing simple practices and perspective shifts that are a relief to their schedule. This is integrative work, so I always give homework and progress tracking!

I am a certified Shamanic Reiki Master Teacher and a fun-loving, wild, modern mama. I’m all about practical advice and blend modern science with ancient wisdom leveraging shamanic and reiki healing, Ayurveda, movement, my love of tea, and of course, laughter."

 

Stephanie Peers

"I'm an Ayurvedic Wellness Coach, Kundalini Yoga Teacher, and Divine Feminine Christ Leader, offering Coaching Services, Yoga Classes, and Sophia Circle Journeys to mothers wishing to step fully into their sovereignty and divine purpose. After having three children and losing myself almost completely in the chaos, I can comfortably say that Ayurveda and Yoga saved my life. 

Kundalini Yoga allowed me to connect back with my heart and actually feel it - and my body, again. Ayurveda brings it deeper and taught me how to fully control my mind, body, and soul. With the right tools and information to transform my health from the inside out - my entire life and relationships - especially with my children - changed for the better.

One thing was missing, though - my tribe. I walked this path of self-discovery alone but noticed I was missing community. Women used to support each other in sacred communities and celebrations, and the elder soul within me was deeply missing this part of my ancient roots.

My business is Divine Mother Yoga & Ayurveda. Here, I help you embody your divine feminine qualities through ancient healings you already know, but might not remember...yet. 

Divine Mother Yoga & Ayurveda offers a holistic approach to healing and wellness through the practice of Kundalini Yoga, Tantra, Spiritual Development, and Ayurvedic Principles. Services encompass a wide range of offerings, including personalized Postpartum Care and Pregnancy preparation for mothers and mothers-to-be. With a deep focus on nurturing the mind, body, and spirit, I provide a transformative experience that promotes balance, vitality, and self-discovery. Whether you are seeking to enhance your spiritual journey, deepen your yoga practice, find relief from physical ailments, or prepare for the arrival of your little one and recover feeling whole, I will guide you on your path to optimum well-being. "

 

Jessika Ellis

"I’m Jessika Ellis, creator of Ayurveda Playbook.  

The Ayurveda Playbook, affiliated retreats, and day events focus on the TLC of our Dhatus (7 body tissue layers) to expand as women in vitality + joy!  

Ayurveda Playbook will be facilitating stylish spaces and vibrant seasonal experiences for movement, breath, and rhythm. Featuring Ayurveda in a modern, fashionable and approachable way. Creating containers for boundless expression, joyful healing and playful community have always been paramount cornerstones in my life. Shakti School has empowered me with the tools to fully ignite into deeper passion and purpose!

As a fashion design major, makeup artist, yoga teacher- and now ( Ayurvedic Counselor!!)- fostering confidence in women, is definitely my “red thread”, as Katie spoke about in the video I watched on Instagram back in 2019 🙂

Previously, I relied on my creative and artistic modalities to “reach women”, to "connect", to “heal.” I’d treasure vulnerable moments when women would wipe off all their makeup, spill out their hearts and guts to me in that MAC director chair, and allow me to mirror the beauty I saw in them- with a few swipes of color surrounding their bright eyes and the perfect hue of lipstick to showcase their beaming smiles. Witnessing the face they made when they picked up their hand mirror- when they realized how beautiful they were (and are), well that’s what lead me here.  

See, as a makeup artist and fashion designer, I’ve touched and seen so many women. I mean really, SEEN them.  I began to identify as a healer- because I saw what being seen did for a woman. It healed them. 

But I felt I needed a toolkit, and since I was in high school, (reading Absolute Beauty), Ayurveda has always nudged at me. So when I found Katie’s video about Shakti School, I knew it was time! And damn what a beautiful time I have had diving into this pool of freedom and knowledge. 

So, my "red thread" continues as I dig deeper into the beauty. As I get to peel away the layers with women, while we nurture the physical layers that embrace our tender souls.

I’m eternally grateful for the confidence and boundless wisdom I have gleaned from Shakti School. I have softened, as I became more powerful. I have broken, as I became more healed. I have loved myself, more unapologetically than I was ever shown.  I feel completely full and infinitely inspired from my three years at Shakti School.  Thank you Katie,I keep your laugh, smile and stories in my heart, you have changed me. Thank you to all the immensely wise teachers, and thank you to my fellow classmates that were able to be live and share your stories and experiences. I love you all so very much!" 

 

Leah Lopez

"My name is Leah Lopez and I'm the woman behind Illuminate Healing, a local business dedicated to holistic health and well-being. My offerings empower and support connection back to self, by exploring your energetic states and freeing your natural flow. I help you to create everyday simple solutions specific to your needs that you can easily incorporate into your daily life to support you on your journey towards health and well-being.

I am in my second year of Shakti School, working towards my certification as an Ayurvedic Health Counselor. I am certified in energy work as an Usui Reiki Master and am also presently pursuing my Karuna Ki Reiki Master level. I am also a breathwork practitioner with both Clarity and Pranayama training. All these offerings enable me to support you on physical, mental, emotional and psychospiritual levels.

I love meeting you where you're at, empowering you to connect to self, determining your individual needs and collaborating to develop holistic habits and rituals specific to you. This journey of empowered health and well-being is one of my greatest joys in this lifetime. ⁣

Shakti School not only inspires me daily by instilling new teachings that broaden my knowledge of Ayurveda, but it has also deepened my own personal experience around my health and well-being. It's thanks to the teachings and the experience that I feel I have such a great gift to share with the world. Shakti School, combined with my other certifications in energy and breathwork, have blessed me with a fulsome set of offerings that I am so excited and grateful to be able to share with you!"

 

Maria Gabriela Guevara

"Shakti school taught me how to come into deeper relationship with my mind, body and spirit. I learned I am not separate from nature, and my true essence is divine. I'm a clinical pharmacist, and I went to pharmacy school because I was passionate about helping people with their health. I was burned out on what allopathic (“Western”) medicine alone could provide people.  Ayurveda school reignited my passion for helping people with their health, and as a result, I founded Intuitive Ayurveda. I provide holistic health coaching to women to help them prepare for, celebrate, and manage the transition into menopause. The feminine form approach taught to me in Shakti school is the backbone of what I do. 

Essentially, I’m of service to women who: are in their 30s suffering from hormonal imbalances, or simply want to learn to take care of themselves now so they can sail through menopause later; are 35 to 45ish— in peri-menopause and seeing changes happening in their bodies and want to treat themselves through lifestyle and diet so that as the hormone fluctuations progress, they know how to care for themselves and minimize or eliminate symptoms holistically; and are 45/50s and beyond- in active perimenopause and possibly in the menopause year, potentially with more severe symptoms and who want to learn to take care of the root cause."

 

Chandra Tracy

"First I want to say how grateful I am to have found Shakti school, Katie and you all. Last year was one of the most transformational years of my life in so many ways, and that says a lot! I have completed many trainings, Yoga teacher trainings, Psychology trainings, and Shakti school has been so much more than a training. It has been life changing. I have been working as a Somatic Psychotherapist for many years, and came to Ayurveda both out of a natural progression as a Yogi/Scholar/Tantrik, but also because of my affinity for working with women who have health issues. I wanted to be able to offer them mind-body medicine from multiple perspectives and while psychology is one huge part of it, diet, lifestyle and living in harmony with the natural world needed to be addressed in order for them to heal. I have been a student of Ayurveda for the last 2 decades but never formally, and finding this Feminine form group of heart-minded souls immediately turned me on. 

The other reason I came to the program, for my own healing, has had to do with years of hormone imbalance. I had been healing with every variety of medicine I have found- from the Western approach, to TCM, Yoga, Somatic work and Ayurveda. The teachings on hormones were both validating for what I had already been doing for myself and empowering for my work with others. What I did not know coming into the Shakti school program, is that there was a huge inspiration coming, literally during one of our meditations with Katie. In April of last year ,I was inspired to write my first book!!! Having crystalized the healing process for myself, I was thinking about how to share it with the world- a course, a retreat…? And what came from that query is my book! The processes we went through in the level one program got me out of my current paradigm and opened to a whole new version of how I wish to interact with the world. You never know what Shakti will bring, as long as you are ready to follow the natural flow and see where it leads. 

Currently, I am taking more time away from my one on one therapy clients ( I also run a group Somatic psychotherapy practice teaching interns who need supervision to work Somatically with their clients), to bringing my book baby into existence! It is titled “Yoga for your Hormones” and I am very excited with its progress. I am in the (hopefully) final stages, and about to start the publishing process. I am wondering if Katie would (I know she is extremely busy but I am asking anyway)- would like to read it (it is a fairly quick and short book to read)- and either endorse it with a short quote on it, or (and I totally get it if she is not into it)- to write a short foreword.  I have to at least ask:)  

And when I am ready to bring in more clients, it will be to do the holistic healing work blending Somatic Psychotherapy, with Yoga , Ayurveda and Tantra and there will be a new incarnation of the Innerlight."

 

Maja Michalewska

"Maja is a Visionary Leader, Transformational Leadership Coach, and Wellness Expert on a mission to support changemakers and sustainability leaders in building a strong foundation of wellness and growth so they can bring about positive change in the world without sacrificing their own well-being. 

Maja’s unique blend of expertise in sustainability, leadership, and deep passion for time-tested wisdom, Ayurveda and yogic sciences, has made her a sought-after speaker and educator in the emerging field of inner sustainability. Maja is committed to transforming the approach to sustainability by empowering leaders to step into their full potential through self-leadership.

Her current offerings include powerful 1:1 Programs in Transformational Wellness and Leadership Coaching for awakening women. Maja partnered up with an amazing soul sister to write and launch her first book on Elevated Leadership, where she presents an innovative leadership framework to elevate sustainability leadership and transform the way we change the world. In the spirit of Shakti School teachings, this book is going to be practical, transformational and authentic."

 

Destiny Robeson - RYT

"Destiny is a professional tarot reader, trauma informed Yoga Teacher and Ayurvedic Wellness Coach. She currently accepts 1:1 clients for spiritual mentorship and readings with plans for developing a monthly woman's moon circle and other offerings. In the future, she aspires to open up her own Wellness clinic. She focuses heavily on empowerment, self-love/self-compassion and somatic-based movement with her clients and works primarily with people of marginalized communities including BIPOC, LGBTQI+ and survivors of complex trauma. She has received extensive training through Shakti School, Transformation Academy, Yoga and Ayurveda Center and the Center for Healing. She published her first book of poetry in early 2023 and is working on additional projects. 

I originally found shakti school through Instagram and fell in love immediately! Everything about Shakti School felt like home. I am incredibly blessed to be part of such a loving, warm and compassionate community of women. The teachers are incredibly kind, caring and knowledgeable. I can't recommend shakti school enough and I look forward to level two of the program! Thank you, Katie (and everyone else!) for offering me a scholarship to attend. It has truly changed the trajectory of my life."

 

Samantha Boersma

"Samantha Boersma is a visionary, intuitive, and creatress moved by the magic available to us in every moment. She speaks the language of the flowers, acting as a bridge from spirit to physical to remind you how connected, supported, and nourished you really are. Her work intends to inspire a sense of belonging with all things and awaken you to the remembrance that all the wisdom you seek lives within you.

The work she does through The Spiral Path has been informed by the Divine Feminine teachings, embodying receptivity, deep listening, and the access we all have to the deep well of intuitive wisdom within. She works with the principles of Ayurveda, Yoga, and Tantra in collaboration with plant spirits to restore balance in the aura and encourage the mind, body, and spirit towards integrated healing."

 

Ginevra Are Cappiello

"Ginevra Are, M.A., is an Integrative Holistic Counselor, an Ayurveda Women's Wellness Lifestyle Coach, an Herbalist, a Yoga Teacher, and more. 

She is passionate about bridging modern mental health and wellness tools with traditional practices, including from her beloved home country, Italy. Ginevra fell in love with Ayurveda when she realized that it held many secrets to teaching women the self-love and self-care practices she yearned for herself after struggling with years of anxiety and mental health issues.

Upon graduating from Shakti School in 2022, Ginevra launched Urth Herbals, a herbal line handcrafted with love and care, in small batches, from her home apothecary. All herbs used in her products are either organically grown or locally and sustainably wildcrafted from beautiful nature spots in the Sierra Nevada foothills of Northern California where she lives.

Her signature products are 3 seasonal Abhyanga oils for whole body self-massage and to pacify the Doshas. Urth Herbal's Abhyanga oils are made with the traditional double-infused Ayurvedic method. Each small batch of herbs is first made into a strong decoction, and then transferred into the oil of choice. The mixture is left to slowly simmer on the stove on low heat for up to 48 hours, getting stronger and stronger in the process. We use both water and oil because each liquid extracts different properties from the plants so that you are sure to get the most benefits out of each herb (including minerals that your skin will love!). What is left is a potent, formulated and concentrated oil. 

Ginevra created Urth Herbals to make sure her clients had access to the highest quality herbal-infused massage oils, skincare products, and other herbal blends, and also as her personal labor of love to the planet."

 

Lily Russo

"I’m Lily Russo, a 500-hour ERYT Yoga Teacher and leader of Prana Vinyasa Teacher Trainings. I’ve been studying Ayurveda for the past 15 years. I became fascinated with Ayurveda when it was a part of my first yoga teacher training and love how it has transformed my relationships: with myself, with my loved ones, with food, with nature.

In 2020 I completed a 300-hour Ayurvedic Wellness Coaching training through Shakti School. I’m also in my 6th and final semester of a Master’s Degree in Maharishi Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine at Maharishi International University and set to graduate in December. My passion and purpose is sharing this healing knowledge with a world that desperately needs it. Ayurveda has helped me manage anxiety, digestive problems, and sleep struggles. It has allowed me to help many others with issues ranging from ulcers and constipation to depression, hair loss, metabolism issues, and acne.

Join me to learn more about Ayurveda in an 8-week live online course, the Ayurveda Deep Dive. The next one starts on September 5th. Find out more on my website."

 

Lisa Gunshore

"Lisa M. Gunshore is a tantric yogini, certified quantum coach, and functional Ayurveda wellness coach with initiations by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Her work is rooted in advocating for non-violence and compassion, with a focus on creating vitality in the body, understanding ancestry and personal genome, and purifying to raise frequency. Lisa is also a medium and shaman, supporting the healing of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual bodies through genetic transformation and ancestral healing.

Lisa's practice addresses issues such as MTHFR, Mold exposure, Candida Overgrowth, Parasites, and shifting supplementation to natural foods. She also specializes in ancestral healing, understanding codependency, and guiding individuals in moving from a victim to a sacred creator mindset. She produces conscious content on the Buddhist Biohacker YouTube channel, her greatest passion and mission vehicle, empowering others, and promoting healing.

Lisa is also a certified yoga instructor, utilizing a compassion-centered approach that focuses on self-care and loving kindness to oneself. She emphasizes the fundamentals and basics of alignment.   Additionally, Lisa is a Certified YogaSHRED instructor and Certified Block Therapy Instructor™, utilizing the Block Buddy to release adhesions and improve posture and alignment.

Lisa's dedication to empowering others and promoting healing aligns with her vows and commitment to non-violence and compassion. With her guidance, clients around the globe have found insight and transformation on their healing journeys. Her mission is to help others find balance, harmony, and freedom from suffering in their lives, embodying her teachings in her own life and empowering others on their transformational journeys."

Website: www.lisamgunshore.com

 

Emma Cust

"I’m Emma Cust. Since starting Ayurveda School last year I have:

- Run two successful Workshops
- Run two successful Group Cleanses
- Had over 15 clients
- Have started a podcast: Living Holistically, Realistically & Spiritually with Emma Cust
- Have started a six week online coaching program working intensively with clients to reconnect with their true self and find their dharma
- I’m about to trial a 4 week group coaching in a similar format

I currently blend my holistic experiences of: life, remedial massage, yoga, Ayurveda, general knowledge and motherhood!

I’m definitely a pitta! Haha. I’m also currently doing a social media and a sales/marketing course to help roll out my online business and set up the structure. I'm currently using Instagram as my base."