Yoga Teacher Training & Healing the Healer
Donation protected
Hello! My name is Kaamila, and I appreciate your visit to my page!
I have experienced firsthand the power of yoga as a healing and empowering practice. Yoga has supported me in being present in my body through mindful movement. Trauma is held in the body, and yoga allows me to access and release. The physical strength and flexibility developed on the mat shows up for me off of the mat in my daily life. Yoga reminds me when to stretch into discomfort and when to lean back and let go. In a society that is shaming and violent towards Black bodies and women’s bodies, tending to my body and spirit through yoga is a radical act.
I am a biracial Black, (gender)queer, Muslim, woman, a child of a refugee, and someone who lives with chronic mental illness. I am a survivor of interpersonal and systemic marginalization and harm. My own experiences have called me to the path of working with and for my communities, as we strive together for a more caring, inclusive, just, and joyful world. Previously, I have founded a group for queer Muslims; founded and directed a performance ensemble for queer, Black artists; and educated, facilitated, and spoken on a wide range of topics related to identity and inclusion. This May I am graduating from a Masters of Social Work program. I have been serving as a psychotherapist this past year and will continue to do so full-time in the fall.
My short term goal through this training is to expand my knowledge and deepen my practice. In the long term, my goal is to integrate yoga into my work with my clients and my communities. I envision myself holding yoga sessions at the annual retreat for LGBTQ Muslims I have been a part of. I see myself holding yoga classes with conversations on healing for Black femmes. Offering classes with sliding scales for those with fat and/or trans bodies. Holding playful classes for Black and brown children and their families. Using asanas in therapy sessions as powerful metaphorical practice of challenging one’s self, stopping when you need to, finding balance, letting be. Helping to spread the practice of trauma-informed yoga. Using yoga as part of trainings for clinicians and healers about centering our own self care. My mind is overflowing with dreams and possibilities! I am so excited to be a part of the movement of yoga practitioners and teachers increasing the visibility of and accessibility for diversity and inclusion within yoga.
I was recently offered a $900 scholarship for Studio 34 ’s 200hr Yoga Teacher Training beginning this July. This leaves $1,800 needed for tuition, including a $300 down payment I need to provide as soon as possible. I am asking for your support in being able to make this happen. Even a small amount helps and would be immensely appreciated!
In addition, this summer I will be ending my current graduate school + practicum + part-time job and in the fall I will be beginning a new position. My hope is to raise enough to support a summer focused on healing. It is incredibly important that therapists engage in their own therapy, and I hope not to have to interrupt my work with my amazing Black woman therapist this summer. In addition, I have been experiencing chronic physical pain and hope to access bodywork before beginning the yoga teacher training.
I am deeply grateful for your support!
I have experienced firsthand the power of yoga as a healing and empowering practice. Yoga has supported me in being present in my body through mindful movement. Trauma is held in the body, and yoga allows me to access and release. The physical strength and flexibility developed on the mat shows up for me off of the mat in my daily life. Yoga reminds me when to stretch into discomfort and when to lean back and let go. In a society that is shaming and violent towards Black bodies and women’s bodies, tending to my body and spirit through yoga is a radical act.
I am a biracial Black, (gender)queer, Muslim, woman, a child of a refugee, and someone who lives with chronic mental illness. I am a survivor of interpersonal and systemic marginalization and harm. My own experiences have called me to the path of working with and for my communities, as we strive together for a more caring, inclusive, just, and joyful world. Previously, I have founded a group for queer Muslims; founded and directed a performance ensemble for queer, Black artists; and educated, facilitated, and spoken on a wide range of topics related to identity and inclusion. This May I am graduating from a Masters of Social Work program. I have been serving as a psychotherapist this past year and will continue to do so full-time in the fall.
My short term goal through this training is to expand my knowledge and deepen my practice. In the long term, my goal is to integrate yoga into my work with my clients and my communities. I envision myself holding yoga sessions at the annual retreat for LGBTQ Muslims I have been a part of. I see myself holding yoga classes with conversations on healing for Black femmes. Offering classes with sliding scales for those with fat and/or trans bodies. Holding playful classes for Black and brown children and their families. Using asanas in therapy sessions as powerful metaphorical practice of challenging one’s self, stopping when you need to, finding balance, letting be. Helping to spread the practice of trauma-informed yoga. Using yoga as part of trainings for clinicians and healers about centering our own self care. My mind is overflowing with dreams and possibilities! I am so excited to be a part of the movement of yoga practitioners and teachers increasing the visibility of and accessibility for diversity and inclusion within yoga.
I was recently offered a $900 scholarship for Studio 34 ’s 200hr Yoga Teacher Training beginning this July. This leaves $1,800 needed for tuition, including a $300 down payment I need to provide as soon as possible. I am asking for your support in being able to make this happen. Even a small amount helps and would be immensely appreciated!
In addition, this summer I will be ending my current graduate school + practicum + part-time job and in the fall I will be beginning a new position. My hope is to raise enough to support a summer focused on healing. It is incredibly important that therapists engage in their own therapy, and I hope not to have to interrupt my work with my amazing Black woman therapist this summer. In addition, I have been experiencing chronic physical pain and hope to access bodywork before beginning the yoga teacher training.
I am deeply grateful for your support!
Organizer
Kaamila Mohamed
Organizer
Philadelphia, PA