AM ALUMNI
Kristi Hiller | @wildginger_movement
AM V200- APR 2022
Fayetteville, TN, USA 🌎
Hi AM fam! I began my journey into yoga in 2013 as a search for connection with self. I have always enjoyed an active lifestyle but never cared for traditional workouts. Yoga was both welcoming and exciting to me from a physical asana standpoint, and it also called to me to help fill my spiritual void. I completed my 200 hour teacher training in April 2022 and hope to start teaching public classes by mid to late summer. Currently, I am teaching friends and family as I build confidence in my new role. I consider myself an outdoor enthusiast, avid hiker, and backpacker/camper. I also like to dabble in rock climbing, canoeing, slalom water skiing, and snowboarding. Basically, I love movement in the outdoors. Before my 200 hour, I was feeling lost in the world. I truly believe now that teaching yoga is my calling. I feel so inspired to share this practice with anyone who is interested. I hope to guide seekers on an exploration of self (physical, mental, & emotional) that leads them on a path of continual growth, fulfillment, and authenticity.
Reflecting on the AM YTT Experience
| Why did you choose Authentic Movements for your YTT? | |
| I had been following Stevi and Erin on IG for a few years and was immediately drawn to their creative movement practices. Their flows always looked so creative, fluid, strong, and fun, which was very appealing to me. I happened to be scrolling IG and saw one of their posts about the V200 hours after having yet another conversation with a friend about how I’ve wanted to attend a YTT for years. It was meant to be! I had never actually taken any of their classes. I never realized virtual classes were an option, nor did I know virtual trainings were an option until that post. | |
| How did the online training platform work for you? | |
| It was perfect for me, aside from the missing component of in-person connection. Throughout the program, I was a stay-at-home mom to a toddler while also working full time+ from home. It was a struggle to fit anything else in, but I worked every night after my daughter went to bed, and weekends when my husband was in town to keep her. I wouldn’t have been able to find that motivation had I not truly LOVED the course. I said above that I had wanted to attend a YTT for years. An immersive retreat sounded incredible. Unfortunately, I never seemed to find the time to take a month off work. And then after becoming a mom, I wasn’t yet ready to leave my family for a month. There also weren’t any local options in the years I was looking. So when I realized virtual was a thing, I jumped at the opportunity. | |
| How has your teaching changed since completing the AM YTT? | |
| I still have only taught friends and family, but my teaching has changed leaps and bounds. One of the biggest things for me is probably finding ways to cue modifications or offer options for different bodies. Before, it was very difficult for me to understand how anyone could experience something different than the way I do (sounds silly to say now). | |
| How have you engaged with the AM community of alums and students during and after the training? | |
| Not as much as I would have liked honestly. I’m not a big Facebook user. I used the FB group some, but not often. I was able to find one friend through the group. We helped each other with our practicums and have stayed in touch. I have discovered a couple other alums on IG, but we haven’t really connected much. | |
| What was your favorite part of the course content? | |
| Hard to decide…. I loved being able to practice all the creative vinyasa + restorative classes. I also really loved the lectures on class creation. I have found so much joy in writing my own flows – something that I thought would be a huge struggle for me. I also really enjoyed the anatomy lectures & the different philosophy lectures. So much more to dive into in both of those realms. | |
OTHER AM ALUMNI
Breanna Burke
St. Louis, MO | USA 🌎 My name is Breanna, I also go by Bre! I am a full time Certified OT Assistant at a Long Term Care Facility where I have been able to put my yoga knowledge to use and bring Chair and Modified Yoga to the Elderly and People with Disabilities...
Elizabeth (Libby) Syla
Sun Prairie, WI | USA 🌎 Authentic Movements 200YTTYoga With Carson Academy 200YTT [email protected] @12thhouse_secretsReflecting on the AM YTT Experience Why did you choose Authentic Movements for your YTT? I’ve been following you guys since, it feels like...
Ebony Roy-Jackson
North Carolina | USA 🌎 Private yoga teacher.I have my 200hr in Hatha yoga300 hr in creative vinyasaSelf care ambassadorAutism Tech [email protected] @_pariahguruReflecting on the AM YTT Experience Why did you choose Authentic Movements for your YTT? I choose...
Travis Griggs
Winston-Salem, NC | USA 🌎 In 2019 I decided to make a change and ended up losing 80 pounds over the course of the year. Since then I’ve become a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach and now I’m a certified yoga instructor as well! I love teaching people...
Emily Probst
Kernville, CA| USA 🌎 I just finished my first 200 HR YTT! I started practicing yoga in 2018 during a challenging time in my life. Movement and breathwork in my personal practice brought me a sense of peace amidst the chaos. As a full-time public school music teacher,...
Simona Petre
Online, Bari| Italy 🌎 AM V300 - February 2023 200HR Hatha Yoga with Associazione Yogananda 18CE Mastering the Art of Sequencing with Jason Crandell 10CE SMART YOGA BODY:HIPS with Hiro Landazuri 300HR with Authentic Movements 20CE Wristoring your practice with...
Sandra Medeiros
Cranston, RI | USA 🌎 My name is Sandra Medeiros. I am a registered nurse and have a degree in kinesiology as well. I love movement and what it does for my brain and body. This is my first training/certificate of any kind besides BLS and ACLS needed to be a nurse and I...
Julie Mays
Louisville, KY | USA 🌎 A mama of 3 who started yoga at a local YMCA in upstate New York after becoming a mother. Yoga helped me re-discover myself and find a sense of peace on the mat. After moving home to Kentucky and trying out vinyasa studios I fell in love and...
Kelly Coyle
Prince William Sound, AK | USA 🌎 Growing up I was very active, completing in gymnastics, cross country and track and field. After completing my bachelor's in biology at the University of South Carolina I jump around between many states and jobs before landing where I...
Libby Manning
Bristol, England | UK 🌎 My journey with yoga began over 10 years ago when I was re-diagnosed with Arthritis in my knee and encouraged to practice Yoga as a way of supporting my condition. I fell in love with the practice, and a few years later, in 2016 at the age of...