ASHLEY DIXON
Ashley was first introduced to yoga in 2003 through community college classes. As a previous dancer and acrobat, she found in yoga a place to move and connect in a different way. After developing a meditation practice for several years, Ashley was led back to yoga in 2016, and soon after she completed her 200-hr teacher training at True Freedom Recovery Yoga in southern Ohio. Yoga has given her the freedom to be present on and off the mat. Yoga has offered a deep healing; giving way to self-love and self-acceptance. Ashley is very passionate about creating an environment of safety for each participant and providing a space to be authentically themselves. Yoga is far more than an asana (posture) and the possibilities are endless!! Ashley remains a student at heart. She enjoys workshops and trainings to further her self-practice and those of the participants she is engaged with. She is also deeply grateful to share yoga and learn from her fellow teachers. The deepest gratitude goes to the participants in her classes. Ashley offers a variety of yoga disciplines from trauma-sensitive, recovery yoga, hatha, gentle, yin, and vinyasa. She is very passionate about cultivating a co-created space of safety, choice-making, authentic experiences, interoception, and empowerment with each and every individual she interacts with. In addition to her 200-hr, Ashley has completed a 300-hr training at True Freedom Recovery Yoga, a 300-hr Kundalini training, and most recently, a 300-hr Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga Facilitator course (TCTSY-F). She has taught in various studios and substance abuse centers in and around Dayton, and has offered private yoga sessions since 2017.
teacher feature
ashley Dixon
Q-Do you specialize in any particular form or approach?
A-I trained 500 hours with True Freedom Yoga in Cincinnati under Jeff Emerson. 300 hour Trauma Sensitive Trauma Centered Yoga (TCTSY) with Justice Resource Institute (JRI) under Jen Turner and David Emerson. I have additional training in the Yoga of 12-Step Recovery (Y12SR). under Nikki Meyer.
Q-How do you envision the future of your teaching and practice?
A-The future I envision is one where I am able to meld Clinical Counseling, mindfulness, and body-based practices to help facilitate healing in survivors of trauma and substance abuse.
Q-What personal experiences have shaped your approach to teaching yoga?
A-My personal experience has influenced my teaching greatly, I found yoga in a time when I was very lost and craved a deeper connection with myself. Due to this experience, I encourage students to be curious, investigate sensations, and have an experience that is unique to themselves. I enjoy laughter and a light-hearted approach. I am human and so are the students I teach, so let's enjoy our humanity together without all the seriousness!!
Q-What advice would you give to someone just starting their yoga journey?
A-Often, I work with beginners who have never felt they could do yoga due to not being flexible. I suggest to people to show up however they are in the moment. Yoga is much more about finding a connection with your body than it is about the shapes you can make with your body. Make a start, be gentle with yourself physically and mentally, may your yoga practice bring peace, growth, and connectedness not to be a pretzel!! Comparison is the thief of JOY!
Q-How do you continue to deepen your own practice and knowledge?
A-I am a life-long learner whether it be in academia or yogic teachings. I am looking forward to starting a Meditation Teacher Training in January 2025 with Tara Brach and Jack Kornfeild. I am usually looking for trainings cultivating accessibility and inclusiveness.
Q-What Inspired you to be a yoga teacher?
A-I was inspired to become a yoga instructor after a spontaneous yoga class was offered at a recovery conference while I was in the middle of looking for a deeper meaning in my life. I found home that day on my yoga mat.
“The wound is the place where the Light enters you.” ~Rumi