The Power of Representation in Healing Spaces

Representation isn’t cosmetic—it’s regulation. When you walk into a wellness space, for example a yoga studio, and see someone who looks like you, shares your pronouns, understands your cultural background, or carries lived experience with trauma, your nervous system immediately softens. There’s a palpable feeling of “phew.”

Belonging is not an abstract spiritual concept; it is a bodily experience.
Representation sends the message: “You’re not alone. You’re allowed to be here.”

When you don’t have to work overtime to manage safety, your capacity for presence, breath, and healing expands. This is why diverse teachers, inclusive language, and culturally rooted practices are essential—not optional.

I strive, whether I’m working individually or with a group, to be trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and inclusive. I viscerally remember being in wellness spaces where I didn’t feel belonging or where “healers” overstepped in ways that made me put defenses up instead of encouraging me to open.

I may not have the same identity as you and we may not have the same lived experience. However, I have actively done a lot of work to be able to hold space for people who feel a lack of belonging, and for people who don’t fit the dominant culture. And, if it turns out that I’m not the person for you, chances are I know someone who is. Let’s find what makes you feel the most seen.