What have you learned or how have you grown since becoming a YCC instructor?

Never the athletic type, I found great steadiness and support doing yoga. Being anxious by nature, the combination of movement accompanied by breath awareness helped me feel more at ease. Also, being hyper-flexible, I learned that being able to easily fold deeply into a pose without much preparation could cause me to injure myself. I understood the need for both healthy alignment and active muscular engagement when I ended up with piriformis syndrome, my first “yoga injury.” That and other painful experiences and minor injuries taught me that knowledge, skill, awareness, and a focus is crucial; it’s about how it feels to be at ease in the pose. This awareness has transformed my practice and informed my teaching.

What are your current areas of interest related to your practice?

My interest is in learning more about how to adapt yoga poses for every single person who might come into the yoga room. I’ve been a Certified Yoga Therapist since 2017, and regularly work with people with injuries, illnesses (chronic and acute), and special conditions. I also have a particular interest in supporting our military community. When a returning vet with a new below the knee amputation came into my class at the YCC years ago, I wanted to understand more about amputations and how to adapt yoga for those living with limb loss, limb limitation, and limb difference. In 2017 I trained with Marsha T. Danzig, a below the knee amputee yoga teacher/yoga therapist who mentored me. After her passing in January 2022, I became co-director of Y4A Yoga for Amputees along with Heather Thamer.

What to expect in class: Lucy’s teaching is based on anatomy, posture, movement, and integrative body/mind principles. She focuses on trauma-sensitive yoga and meditation, and accessible and adaptive yoga for injuries, illnesses, special conditions, and recovery. Her teaching style is light-hearted and practical — she believes that yoga should be modified to meet you where you are on life's journey.

Lucy began meditating and practicing yoga in the 1970's and teaching yoga in 1999. Since 2011 Lucy has specialized training in yoga for seniors, the military, and those dealing with back pain, cancer, amputation, stress, trauma, and PTS (post-traumatic stress). Lucy is also a yoga teacher trainer, Certified Warriors at Ease teacher, and is co-director and master teacher trainer for Y4A Yoga for Amputees.