Lauren Thompson

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Lauren Thompson practices yoga to prevent injury  have better body awareness feel focused and have fun in the funky yoga poses         In at the YMCA in Lawton Oklahoma Lauren began attending yoga classes regularly  Her back was hurting due to carrying an infant and toddler most of the day Not having enough energy to do much else she turned to yoga  It was hard at first because her boys and her were suffering  from separation anxiety and it was hard to even lift her foot in tree pose      A year went by and she wanted to learn more about yoga With the support of her dear friend Jane she went to a YogaFit Mind and Body conference in Palm Springs CA  Although she still had much to learn Lauren was able to teach yoga at the YMCA till   her family moved to Okinawa Japan like most Marine families do  She missed her yoga community and most of all being able to have her kids be in the same building so she could practice yoga and not worry so much about them  She found other moms who also struggled with finding childcare and wanted to practice yoga  The idea of Yoga for Parents came out of missing teaching and wanting other moms to be able to be with their kids and not have to pay for childcare  In her own home Laurens kids would climb on her and laugh but to be able to see that happening to other families really filled her heart      After months of teaching Yoga for Parents the leader of Stroller Warriors Okinawa Kelly Mueller allowed her to have yoga for their events weekly  It was perfect because SWO aimed to empower parents and be kind to children which was exactly what the yoga class was meant to do Thanks to SWO Lauren began running with her boys in a stroller and introduced her to the running world and triathlons  Many wonderful memories were made     Three and a half years of being in Okinawa and her kids in school Lauren attended Rebecca Cohens hr yoga teachers training  Although she had been teaching yoga there was so much she did not know and was excited to learn more  Her good friend Bethany Moran was able to do the training with her and began teaching Yoga for Parents for SWO too  They graduated in March and volunteered till June of Bethany left Okinawa and the yoga class was so large that the only place to go was the Teen Center and it was too hot to practice with pregnant women and children then it was under renovations       In the summer of Lauren began training for Izena triathlon  The race was a m swim k bike and a k run  She wanted to go to a beautiful island and swim bike run and see if she could be injury free using yoga it worked  November st was certainly a day to remember thank goodness for the SBRO group Swim Bike Run Okinawa my awesome husband and best of all finishing the race with my boys      In October she began volunteering for  The Yoga Club at AEIS Amelia Earhart Intermediate School  and enjoys being able to see the sense of accomplishment on the kids faces especially her sons       From January to May Lauren taught at Camp Shields Gym for beginners athletes and advance yogis as well asYoga for Parents at Risner Gym on Kadena Air Force Base      Before leaving Okinawa Japan she had the ability to extend her knowledge with Rebecca Cohen in the hour advance yoga program  In the program her teacher brought additional yoga instructors exposing us to Nada Yoga deeper physiology psychology anatomy Thai massage and Kriya yoga  Grateful for the education from all the instructor I am able to share my experience to the masses    May - May   Lived in Palms CA taught classes on MCCS gyms and pools From Yoga for Parents Physical Training Yoga for the military and Aqua yoga in the pool for everyone Also taught yoga at Instant Karma Yoga studio in Joshua Tree CA now named Untamed Yoga  Year moved to Stafford VA and currently teaches yoga for small groups and private sessions.