About

Shine with Lara is an affirmation that I have specifically designed for you. Throughout my life, I have learned that I have a passionate spark within me, regardless of tragedy or triumph, and to be alive means to live with either, both, and everything in between. The practice of Yoga has taught me that although we don’t always get to choose our life’s experiences, we can shift our reactions and perspectives in a way that allows us to thrive regardless of what lies ahead. Once I uncovered this humble understanding, I wanted to dedicate my life to helping others uncover it too.

I am certified to offer Yoga (RYT® 500), Yoga Therapy (C-IAYT) and Reiki to the community, and continue to grow my abilities through embodying an ‘always the student’ mentality. No matter how long I study, I will never claim to know it all. I might sit in front of a class of Yoga practitioners, but in essence, I’m sitting beside them too. Yoga is something we all have within us and I am a firm believer that I learn just as much from you as you learn from me. The magic of the practice comes from sharing and embodying that energy, which allows us to transform together.

I both practice and teach Vinyasa (gentle + moderate) and Restorative styles of asana (physical practice), with the intention of moving and balancing energy. I am certified to lead Yoga Nidra practices, and enjoy sharing this powerful meditation technique to promote healing within the more subtle layers of our existence. Other practices we might share together include contemplation, pranayama, mantras, mudras, and sound healing.

I strive to share the teachings in a way that is accessible to many bodies and minds, but at the same time, am very much still a student. My goal is to open my arms to every practitioner, allow us to learn and grow together, and encourage those who practice with me to tap into the equanimity they already have residing within.

I’m a partner, sister, daughter, and friend, but at the same time, simply a soul. My personal journey is a continuous one, where I have finally begun to remove the identities that come after ‘I am,’ so I may grow closer to my “I.”

– Mission, Vision, and Yoga for All Policy –

My mission is to share the practices of Yoga and energy work through offering experiences that are accessible, affordable, and welcoming to all beings.

My vision is to inspire people to energetically invest in themselves and their communities, find their purpose, and uncover their inner wisdom so that we may embrace life’s mysteries together, with compassion and ease.

Yoga for All Policy: Yoga is for everyone and should be accessible to everyone. If any of my fees are inaccessible to you, please reach out to me directly so we can create a way for you to experience the practice. You can drop me a note by selecting “Connect” from the navigation pane or email me at shinewithlara@gmail.com.

– Certifications + Trainings –

2017 – 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training, Journey OM Yoga
2018 – Usui Reiki I, The Healing Center Beverly
2019 – Usui Reiki II, The Healing Center Beverly
2019 – Trauma-sensitive Yoga Training, Hands to Heart Center
2019 – Yoga Anatomy Fundamentals, Yogaanatomy.net
2020 – 300 Hour Yoga Teacher Training, My Vinyasa Practice*
2023 – Clinical Yoga Therapy Program, My Vinyasa Practice

*My 300 Hour Training included certifications in Vinyasa, Restorative, Yin, Yoga Nidra, Adaptive, and Trauma-informed Yoga. I am also fully registered with the Yoga Alliance. Please view my registration here.

– A Little Bit More –

Truthfully, my yogic path started pretty superficially. I exercised quite a bit (hello, stiffness) and was going through a difficult period of my life, so I pressed “play” on a YouTube video one day in 2009 because I heard that Yoga was good for you. For the first few years, I only practiced online and thought Yoga was just mindful exercise, which made sense to me as a Psychology grad who understood the mental benefits of movement. My mind expanded immensely when I began attending group classes and was grateful to have a teacher who shared the philosophy with us. Many stereotypical tears were shed in savasana and I slowly became unraveled in a way that didn’t leave me in pieces, but rather uncovered the freedom I longed for in my life. 

Because of this, my practice became softer and more introspective. I stopped overexerting myself while trying to master postures, and instead began exploring what it would be like to simply allow my presence to guide each practice. Year after year, I continued (and still do!) to learn and grow, and enrolled in my first training in the beginning of 2017. I didn’t think I would teach much. Heck, I didn’t even know what to expect from the training. I studied diligently and experienced a profound transformation over that 7-8 months.

The first class I taught was an experience I cannot describe with words, and I wept tears of realization as I walked home. That was it for me. And the rest is history.

I taught Yoga alongside my full-time career in Human Resources up until May of 2020, when I took a leap to transition to two part-time roles. I have been balancing Yoga and HR since then, and am grateful to have the privilege of doing the two things that light me up. I recently graduated from my Yoga Therapy program and am looking forward to what I’ll be able to do next to for my community. My hope is to continue to serve others, to serve myself, to connect with as many humans as possible in this lifetime and to never stop growing.