Welcome Home !
Hi ! I'm Emilie
I was born and grew up in France, in a small town in the Northeast, then moved to “the city” at 18 to go to university, the first one in my family to do so.
I grew up in religious extremism until my early 20s, a place where beliefs weren’t challenged, loyalty paramount and where strict rules were to be followed. Freedom was nonexistent, and practicality was key. My home was loving yet toxic, and my sense of safety was frequently challenged. I also witnessed first hand how unattended physical and mental health challenges can impact one’s ability to live a joyful life.
My emotions were expressed as physical symptomatology as far back as I can remember. My whole life, I’ve dealt with digestive issues, the pain sometimes so severe I would be on the verge of passing out. I have and continue to navigate various levels of anxiety on a regular basis. I have tried all the healing modalities available to me, yet nothing made a lasting impact like Ayurveda has.
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This is the background of the personal journey I’ve been on for the past 20 years, and the stage from which I found support and relief in the wisdom of this system of medicine.
I feel home in the fact that I can ask questions and understand why.
I feel home in the fact that I have an array of tools in my wellness box.
I feel home in the fact that Ayurveda is an integrated system, reminding me that who I interact with or what activities I participate in are as impactful to my physical and mental health as the food I eat or what I put on my skin.
I met Yoga first in late 2009, then Ayurveda through an introductory module in my Yoga teacher training in 2017. All of a sudden, all the pieces of the puzzle started to fall in place: I had an explanation for how my symptoms were manifesting, and could understand without judgement some of my mental tendencies. More importantly, I now had a way to move forward, practices to start feeling better, improve my digestive pain and lessen my anxious feelings and worry.
From a place of better insight, I could try and experiment with various foods and actions to find what worked best for me, as a unique individual with a unique history.
I whole heartedly fell in the rabbit hole and started learning everything I could, training with the best teachers, so I could finally experience less suffering and more peace. My deep dive was selfish, and it worked: in so many ways, Ayurveda saved my life. It provided me with shelter before I could find it within myself.
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Although the journey started on a physical level, and my health has radically improved, it goes so far beyond my body.
While my relationship with a higher power is complicated, I’ve learnt to craft a practice and spiritual life that meets my needs and my longing for a deep connection to something greater than me. Ayurveda has gifted me a sense of belonging I can’t put into words, reminding me every day of my worth, or as the exquisite Mary Oliver would say, “over and over announcing (my) place in the family of things.”
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I know not everyone will dive as deep as I did and am, and become completely smitten with the genius of Ayurveda. In some ways I understand that, and in others it saddens me to know how much healing is available to folks, right at their fingertips, yet unused. It truly works.
Ayurveda at its core is steeped in abundance and generosity: it is based on the understanding that every person has access to vibrant health, that our bodies and minds have extraordinary capacities for healing when we get to know them better.
Ayurveda may not be interesting to everyone, but Ayurveda serves and benefits everyone.
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That’s why I’m absolutely, utterly, completely passionate about sharing this system of medicine, but also find myself constantly navigating ways to do so in a clear and accessible way without betraying the complexity and nuances of it. Staying true to the roots of a 6,000 year old system while acknowledging the challenges and demands of a 21st century life is a major undertaking, one that is exhilarating and fascinating.
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My emotional sensitivity is a super power. My intuitive knowledge is a special gift I’ve learnt to lean on and continue to cultivate, one that gives me insight into myself and others that blows my mind, yet which origin I can’t explain in words.
Conversely, my need for practicality, data and factual science informs the decisions I make for myself and the suggestions I bring clients.
Head and Heart
Body, Mind, Soul and Spirit
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While my personal experience informs my approach, a paramount aspect of my work as an Ayurvedic professional is seeing folks in their individuality, on their own unique journey of transformation and healing, with their own unique genetic makeup, and their own unique current state of balance.
I'm so glad you're here.
Let's make our way home together.
​Background and Expertise:
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Ayurvedic Practitioner - with the Yoga Veda faculty (current)
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Ayurvedic Health Counselor - with Kathryn Templeton, Sarah Guglielmi and Kara Aubin, and the Himalayan Institute
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Ayurvedic Yoga Specialist - with Kathryn Templeton and the Himalayan Institute
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Marma Therapy - with Dr Vasant Lad, and the AyurPrana faculty
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Women's Wellness - with Kara Aubin and the Ayurvedic Wellness Center
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Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training - Laughing Lotus, NY
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The Art of Yoga Sequencing - with Jason Crandell
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Yoga Biomechanics - with Jules Mitchell
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Yin Yoga Flow and Essential Oils, level 1 + 2 - with Brandi Ryans and Susan Derwin
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Alignment and Therapeutics - with Ali Cramer, Sheri Celentano and Deborah Langley
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Yoga Anatomy - with Tiffany Cruikshank
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Master's degree and thesis - Feminist Literature in Colonial and Post Colonial India - Université de Lorraine, France/ University of Wolverhampton, England