My name is Monica and I am best known for my years of work in the field of healing arts in the city of Detroit. In 1996 I started my contemplative arts practice through an introduction to yoga. Five years of serious practice led me to professional studies with a traditional mind-body yoga training, Since then I have studied with many leading mind-body instructors all over the country. In 2005 I decided to return to a formal school for another mindbody training alongside one of my primary influences, Sri Dharma Mittra. I was one of the few teachers in Michigan who completed Dharma's rigorous training, which included specific instruction on meditation and pranayama (breath control).

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I ran Savoyard Yoga from 2001-2012. Detroiters were welcome to the top of the historic Buhl Building to participate in authentic, healthy practices by donation. Then in 2012 I changed the name to BE NICE Yoga and moved to Midtown. BE NICE had classes 7 days a week, a host of amazing teachers, workshops, events, a teacher training school, and volunteer outreach programs.

I provide services to globally renowned universities, national pro-athletic teams, and countless companies and organizations in metro Detroit. Since closing the doors of BE NICE Yoga I’ve maintained a practice in the Detroit community through one-on-one yoga therapy, small group classes, and corporate wellness programs. My work has extended into traditional healthcare, where I worked for two years as a yoga therapist in professional, medical settings. I now lead seminars, trainings, and lectures on yoga, meditation, and yoga anatomy. I organize mind-body health-care strategies for nationally renowned organizations. I create customized wellness programs with both live and on-demand content. I also keep a regular weekly meditation podcast for corporate clients.

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I hold an MFA from Cranbrook Academy of Art which is a school that emphasizes critical theory. This foundation is a part of my approach to yoga and meditation as a discipline of self-inquiry, as well as a method for maintaining health and healing. My approach is informed by empathizing with those who have been navigating the world from spaces invalidated by the dominant culture. I encourage community-minded action. I am a certified Death Doula, someone who helps a person who is dying plan for their death and support families during the process. I live in a home that was once abandoned and burned, and transformed it into a healing space surrounded by fields of native plants, fruit and vegetable gardens, and an apiary. Click here to find out more about the Ferry Street Space. (Coming soon)

Certifications

  • Namaste Yoga Certification RYT200 - 2000

  • Dharma Yoga Certification RYT200 - 2005

  • Yoga Educator - E-RYT200 - 2013 - 2018 including specialized Anatomy Trainings

  • Reiki Energy Healing Level I- 2018

  • Going with Grace Death Doula Certification

  • Trauma-Informed Teacher