We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Emily Kathryn. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Emily below.
Emily, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
I was introduced to yoga in college – I took a class for actual credit! At the time I was studying dietetics, and I remember saying “it seems like I should know about yoga”. After my first class in the basement of the student rec center, I was in love. Fast forward 15 years and I was signing up to become a yoga teacher. It wasn’t long after my yoga teacher’s training that I was introduced to the unique way in which yoga supports trauma healing. I was hooked and took every workshop and read every article I could about the complex topic of trauma. In 2020, like so many others at the time, I began to reimagine my career. I started my business, and transitioned from group teaching to private sessions. My approach includes a unique blend of evidence-based practices, including yoga and somatic experiencing, and intuitive nurturing. I provide the tenderness and clarity that many clients are looking for but may not be able to put the words to in their healing journeys.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I offer private sessions to support individuals on their healing journey. Clients often find me when something in their life, whether rising stress or a significant change, prompts them to really, truly want to feel better – in their day-to-day, in their relationships, and in their own skin. We work together to support the nervous system using yoga practices, like gentle movement and mindfulness, and somatic experiencing (an evidence-based trauma healing modality). Clients often return saying they learned tools (that actually work) that they’d never learned before. Through our work together, they learn to relate to their anxiety and stress in a new, more compassionate way. When stress and anxiety are more manageable, everything is more manageable!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Definitely my love of learning. Owning your own business means always learning something new. I also value humor. A sense of humor will serve you well when tech goes haywire or scheduling gets wacky. And finally a dedication to my field. I believe deeply in the work I do, and I know it makes a difference for others because it has made a huge difference for me. This keeps me going on days when I’m really tired, confused, or just overwhelmed.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
Feeling overwhelmed is such a common feeling when running a business, especially in the beginning. When I feel overwhelmed it’s a sign that I’m operating in fight/flight mode for a little too long. I tune out the noise by limiting social media, I get organized with my work – lists, color-coded calendar, you name it, and I’m extra mindful with caring for my body. Some of my favorite practices are breathwork, walking, journaling, and working with oracle cards. All of these help slow down my mind so I can start prioritizing what actually needs to get done rather than getting lost in the weeds.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.emilykathrynyoga.com
- Instagram: @emilykyoga
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilykyoga
Image Credits
Nicole Bissey Photo
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