— Barbie is a nurse with a BSc. in Nursing, Masters of Health Studies, and many years of clinical and leadership experience. Her career began at the Family Newborn and Birth Unit at the Grace Maternity Hospital and then the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit at the IWK Health Centre. The privilege to assist babies, children and their families during critical moments in their lives was most satisfying for her. Always having the desire to develop and grow, Barbie moved on to work as a neonatal/paediatric flight nurse, travelling all over the Maritimes to transfer critically-ill babies, children, or high risk mothers-to-be to the IWK. She held this position for ten years, and in 2004 she became the Manager of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the IWK. Barbie moved on from the NICU in 2009, and since that time has managed various projects and activities within the IWK and the Department of Health.
Barbie fell in love with yoga after her first class in January 2006. After ending a long term relationship, buying a house, and having a demanding job, she decided she needed to learn how to breathe and calm her mind. She was already a very active person, and enjoyed running with her dog, skiing, snowshoeing, biking, and kayaking—but she thought she would try an intro Hatha yoga class to learn to focus on her breath. After a few months she really began to notice the changes in her body and the calmness of her mind. In the spring of that same year, Barbie decided to attend her first Ashtanga class. “It was a bit intimidating to sit in a room full of experienced Ashtanga yoga practitioners, as I wasn’t sure I would be able to keep up—but as the class began, I forgot about everything else, and just enjoyed the flow of movement and breath. I remember driving home after class thinking all was ‘right’ with the world.” Barbie later attended a week-long intensive Ashtanga program, and was hooked. Yoga began to strengthen her body and transform her perspective on life. She was thankful that she had found this amazing practice.
With a thirst for knowledge, and wanting to understand more about this ancient practice, Barbie decided to become a yoga teacher. In the spring of 2007 she attended a month-long, 200-hour Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training in the Bahamas. It was an intensive, life-altering experience. That fall, Barbie had the opportunity to present at an International Neonatal Nursing conference in Delhi, India, and also to teach in Chandigarh at the Post-Graduate Institute in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. She was struck by the energy she felt when visiting a Hindu temple, and also the realization of where yoga began when she saw the yoga sutras on the wall.
When Barbie returned from India, she began the teacher training at Breathing Space Yoga Studio, and then began teaching at both the Halifax and Bedford studios. Barbie has attended workshops with many great yoga teachers, including Tim Miller, Shiva Rea, Sean Corne, Rod Stryker, Mark and Joanne Darby, Cindy Lee, and most recently David Williams. She has studied extensively with David and his philosophy and style resonate with her. He has said many times that if yoga hurts you are doing it wrong. Barbie’s personal teaching style reflects this philosophy and really focuses on the breath and energy of the practice. She believes that you should feel amazing after class, energy should be flowing freely, and that yoga should be the best part of your day.
