Hi, my name is Julia Hamilton, C-IAYT/TIYT. I am a Certified Yoga Therapist and Trauma Informed Yoga Therapist.
I believe that yoga is a deeply personal journey that gives us practical tools to aid us in the human journey. These tools teach us how to live – even in the midst of suffering, to a place without suffering – Peace! Yoga practices help us to remember who we are, to connect to ourselves, and to engage more fully in life. Yoga has brought profound healing to me and to the people I work with in my classes.
My yoga journey began in the 1970’s when I was introduced to yoga and meditation. I instinctively knew at that time, that yoga would play a very important role in my life Even though I veered away from the yogic path for two decades in search of healing and truth, I returned to my yoga practice in 1995.
Yoga has lovingly accompanied me toward transformation and healing from post-traumatic stress, addiction, major depression, and my daily personal practice is allowing me to age with wellness and grace. I’m so grateful to the teachers on my path who have shared their wisdom and this ancient healing practice with me. As a Yoga Therapist, I will continue to carry the message of experience, strength, hope, and healing to all who suffer in body, mind, and spirit!
I completed the 200 hour yoga teacher training with Dariel Woltz, E-RYT500 at The Studio at Panterra, studiopanterra.com in 2003. In August 2016, I completed the rigorous professional requirements for certification as a Yoga Therapist with The International Association of Yoga Therapists – I was honored to be in the first round of Yoga Therapists to receive certification from IAYT.
My passion for teaching yoga prompted me to study with Senior Teachers in the Iyengar, Viniyoga, and Kripalu traditions. Including: Judith Hansen-Lasatar, Nischala Joy Devi, Amy Weintraub, Gary Kraftsow, Erich Schiffman and Barbara Boris.
I worked as a Stress Management Specialist at UPMC/Hamot – Dr. Dean Ornish Program for Reversing Heart Disease (now the Ornish Lifestyle Program) for 14 years, until the program ended in 2016. The Ornish program is a team-style, medical outcomes-based delivery model and our Erie location was a leader in positive results as well as an Ornish legacy site. As a Stress Management Specialist, I delivered the stress management component of the program, which included asana, breath, visualization, meditation and deep relaxation to participants. Many participants had cardiac risk factors as well as diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, cancer, arthritis, obesity, depression and many other serious health issues. During my work with the Ornish program, I met and exceeded IAYT’s requirement of 700 direct individual client contact hours for YT certification. Since 2007, I completed 4,132 direct client/patient contact hours toward my YT credentials.
I am the owner of Dharma Yoga in Erie – From 2005-2012, Dharma Yoga had a physical studio and during that time, I taught yoga to a diverse population and developed/delivered specialized classes in Restorative Yoga, Yoga for Arthritis, Warriors at Peace (for veterans with PTSD), Yoga for Depression & Anxiety, as well a very popular introduction to meditation, “How to Meditate.” I now offer Yoga Therapy as Dharma Yoga at different sites throughout the community, both in groups and individual sessions.
I continue to teach quarterly workshops for patients at the Erie Regional Cancer Center – “Relax the Body – Relax the Mind” using the movement, breathing and relaxation techniques of yoga. Since April 2016, I’ve been teaching Mindfulness Yoga classes twice a week to recovering alcoholics and addicts at Gaudenzia Crossroads Erie. Additionally, I continue to offer YOGA for WELLNESS classes throughout the community, and will begin offering individual Yoga Therapy sessions in the Spring of 2017. I will also continue teaching the “How to Meditate” workshop throughout the Erie community.