Celebrating Shari Gent: YogaX's First 300-Hour Graduate!
Meet Shari, an exceptional student who embodies dedication and passion in both her profession and studies. Her resilience and commitment to YogaX's 300hr Yoga Teacher Training has left an indelible mark on our program. Discover Shari's journey, experience, and invaluable advice for future students considering our program.
🌟 About Shari Gent:
"My masters degree is in special education and my previous career was as an Education Specialist with the Diagnostic Centers, California Department of Education. While there, I served on a multi-disciplinary team providing consultations and assessments throughout Northern California with a focus on educating children and adolescents with emotional and behavioral difficulties.
My hobbies include outdoor activities such as hiking, kayaking and swimming. I also do intuitive painting and enjoy travel, reading and studying Thai language. I love spending time with my Bernadoodle, Bodhi and with my grown son who has experienced mental health challenges. In addition, I have practiced Buddhist meditation for over 20 years and am active at my local Thai Buddhist temple."
🏅 Notable Achievements:
In 2014 received International Educator of the Year from Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder (CHADD)
Currently serves on the editorial advisory board of Attention Magazine
Designed and provided teacher trainings throughout Northern California and presented at numerous conferences
Teaches yoga at a local psychiatric hospital for adults and older adolescents with eating disorder
Teaches yoga to seniors at a local community hospital
🌟 What Made You Decide to Join YogaX’s 300Hr Program?
"The practice of yoga came to me late in life. I found that yoga not only helped me stay fit but was also beneficial for dealing with stress and releasing emotions. I was familiar with the research regarding the efficacy of yoga and meditation as adjunct therapies for mental health conditions and shared strategies from these approaches in my trainings.
When I left my work at the Diagnostic Center, I wanted to continue to be involved in supporting individuals with mental health needs. Because of my experience, I was able to find a position teaching yoga in this area. However, my 200-hour yoga teacher training did not prepare me for crafting yoga classes for this population. I tried taking several workshops in trauma sensitive yoga, but felt I needed more. YogaX offered a comprehensive program that not only addressed asana and trauma sensitive teaching, but incorporated science, yoga philosophy and meditation principles into an integrated approach to support individuals with physical and mental health needs."
🌟 Favorite 30Hr Module in Program:
"My favorite 30 hour modules were the in-person retreats, Adaptive Holistic Yoga and Advanced Teaching Methods. Since most of the program is in a fully accessible online format, it was just delightful to see all the "Hollywood Squares" zoom boxes come alive. For me, yoga is not truly realized unless it is embodied so being able to observe and discuss teaching strategies and poses in person at some point was essential. I also thoroughly enjoyed "Contemporary Topics" which helped me to update my rather dated social and political perspectives. It was particularly fun to take several of the classes in this series from a remote cabin in the Eastern Sierras. Thank goodness for online, too!"
🌟 Key Lesson/Strategy from YogaX's Program:
"The program is so rich, and has transformed my teaching so much that it's difficult to choose one. The folding of yoga philosophy and the Buddhist Noble Eightfold Path into a yoga lesson was an epiphany. However, one technique that has been particularly inspiring…has been the methods for accessible inversions. I've always loved doing headstands, but a neck injury two years ago has prohibited me from doing these. Making use of blocks to support my shoulders in order to prevent placing weight on my head has allowed me to return to one of my fave poses. The adolescents and young adults are particularly enthusiastic and, as a teacher I feel more confident, knowing they will be safe."
🌟 Overall Experience:
"My experience with YogaX was beyond my wildest expectations! Dr. Brems' approach and the support from the whole YogaX team has been an incredible source of inspiration. The approach helped me integrate my personal practice with my work as a yoga teacher and provided strategies to connect with my students to be fully present when teaching."
🌟 Any Advice You Would Give Students Who are Thinking About Joining the Program?
“If at all possible, I would recommend trying to get some actual experience working with a population that has health/ mental health needs before or while participating in the program. Direct, hands-on experience in an area of interest will lend authenticity to the theoretical aspects of the training and help with planning teaching strategies. There are many places that offer volunteer experiences if actual employment is not readily available. Personally, one of my first experiences as a yoga teacher was as a volunteer at a local senior center. With a friend, I also volunteered to teach yoga in an afterschool program. Other possible venues include substance abuse treatment centers and youth recreation centers. All of these and more can offer experiences with diverse populations outside of the studio setting and provide grounding in real life practices.”