J Vecchia

J has been a student of yoga & meditation since 1999. She has taught yoga, pranayama (breath practices) and meditation since 2004, completing over 2,000 hours of training. J is also a 500-hour Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (“E-RYT500”-highest level of credentials) with the national Yoga Alliance. She offers classes, private sessions, workshops and retreats to individuals, educational institutions, non-profit organizations and corporations. J has had a daily meditation practice for fifteen years. She has trained extensively with senior meditation teachers Sally Kempton, Tara Brach, Pema Chodron & Jack Kornfield, all world-renowned meditation teachers and with Dr. William K. Mahony, international yoga philosophy expert and scholar. In 2015-16, J also completed trainings in trauma aware yoga practices at the Trauma Center and at YogaHOPE, ("www.yhtimbo.org"), both in Boston, MA. She has taught trauma aware yoga practices to women in yoga studios, at recovery programs, in prison and to veterans. Trauma aware yoga practices teach people to become aware of physical sensations associated with trauma & stress and to release these sensations. This process helps them to break the cycle of unhealthy, harmful behavioral patterns; and to create healthier responses to stress and trauma. J also offers trauma aware practices to women in individual sessions & in groups; and both in person and online. J has abundant appreciation for the spiritual practices of meditation, breath and yoga, which keep her humble and grateful. Her passion is to help people live in their bodies with more awareness, authenticity, ease & freedom. J holds a JD (Law) degree and a BA Sociology/Social Work. She enjoyed careers in law, social action and advocacy that spanned over twenty-five years where she worked in a variety of settings. J specialized in civil litigation in employment discrimination and malpractice cases and advocated on behalf of children with disabilities. Prior to working as an attorney, J created and directed a program for survivors of domestic violence and their children.