I like to say that I bring the gift of yoga to those in their middle years and beyond, and to people living with a challenging condition such as cancer or an injury. This is a yoga niche that is sorely neglected in the yoga community. I teach privately, in studios and have taught at senior centers and YMCAs. The joy on the faces of my students, many of whom are ill or frail or just plain out of shape, keeps me passionate and keeps me reaching out to them.

EDUCATION | BA in design. Registered yoga teacher, professional yoga therapist.

HOW TO GET STARTED | The first thing to do would be to become a yoga student. Then take the training to be a yoga teacher, and finally, a yoga therapist. Join professional associations such as the National Registry of Yoga Teachers and the Yoga Alliance.

MUST HAVE TRAITS | Compassion. Perseverence. Passion. Patience. A willingness to listen. A willingness to continue to grow internally.

how I got started | I took my very first yoga class when I was in my 20s. After a long hiatus, I took it up again in my 40s- I was the oldest student in the class. That first class, I fell in love with yoga and knew this was my calling. I went through yoga teachers' training, and then I got very ill. I was homebound for a year. On a good day, I could do the dishes, and on a bad day, I had to crawl to the bathroom. Yoga helped me to heal. I thought if it helped me, it could help others. I googled "yoga therapy" and found there were just two training programs. That was in the early 1990s- now there are about 30 programs.

why this job?| My own experience, really. Why I became a yoga teacher is because I was very passionate about what yoga did for my body and mind- it gives me a sense of well-being. Why I became a yoga therapist- most people think of yoga simply as a form of exercise. I see it as much more than that. It reaches deeper than the physical body.

why I love this job!| I love the light in people's eyes when we're finished with a session. I love that I have a close relationship with my clients. I love busting the myths about yoga, the myths being that you have to be skinny, you have to be 20 and you have to be flexible.

my typical day| A typical day would be a mix of activities. I have a studio where I teach "gentle yoga" classes. I teach one-on-one to clients who are too ill for class, or just prefer to study one-on-one. I'm kind of like the old-fashioned doctor in that I make housecalls!

what they are | Sometimes people have mistaken ideas about yoga, and I have to educate them. Sometimes older people or people living with illness or disability think they can't do it, or are afraid to do it. They may not be able to do an enormous backbend, but they can do an adapted movement.

all about growth | There is an enormous opportunity for growth in this field because the population is aging. The baby boomer generation are prone to injuries because they often work sitting at a desk all week and then try to run five miles on the weekend. Yoga helps them recover from those "weekend warrior" injuries.

my website| www.transformativeyoga.com