Tara Maria Ford, MFA, E-RYT500, CHWC

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 Hi! My name is Tara Maria Ford.

Let me tell you about myself....

For as long as I can remember, I have been passionate about health and wellness.  I believe that we all have a compass that points toward wellness.  We sometimes just lose our way.  Having a guide and support from our community can boost us back into balance and lead us into sustainable, life-long change.  

Throughout my whole life, I have struggled with depression, anxiety, and weight gain off and on.  In my early 20's, I was determined to not let these challenges pull me under.  So, I went to different kinds of therapy for 

many years, learning new strategies 

and practicing mindfulness.  

I learned so much; I was able to come up with my own strategies that helped bring me toward balance.  I found that I loved this process as I began to heal and enjoy my life.  It felt like a slow process, but I learned so much and was able to apply my learning every single day.  Now, I like to keep my tools simple, breathing into each moment as a gift.

Previously, I taught Yoga, Coaching, and Expressive Arts at 1440 Multiversity in Scotts Valley, CA as well as in yoga studios.

(see my expressive arts and coaching classes under the tab 'classes')

When coaching, I listen intently for the thread that weaves through each session and reflect that back to the client.  It brings me great joy to guide clients in getting to know themselves better, finding clarity in what they want and how to get there.  Through this process, we inspire life-long change....

(see more about the coaching process under 'About' in the menu bar)

I have been coaching since 2017 in an educational setting and in 2020 decided to focus on health and wellness coaching. I'm so glad I did! It's the best thing in the world to meet my clients where they are at and guide them through the coaching process, witnessing them begin to thrive.  I am a Certified Health and Wellness Coach from Wellcoaches School of Coaching.

I have an MFA in Transformative Arts, trained with Ellen Fishburn of Giving Spirit Form on how to release attachment to truly be in the moment, and have extensively studied motivation, philosophy, psychology, and mindfulness.

I am a Health and Wellness Coach for 

Toadal Fitness in the Santa Cruz area.

 I am also a Yoga and Meditation teacher, working one-on-one and with groups in Santa Cruz, California as well as virtually.  I am a 500 hour Registered Yoga Teacher and have been practicing yoga as a way of life since 1998.

I have taken additional trainings on working with practitioners with previous trauma and those recovering from addiction.  I believe in using a functional approach, learning how each body is unique and guiding practitioners toward finding variations that work best for them. 

 As I teach, I pull from exercises and mobility work I've learned through physical therapy, Pilates, Tai Chi, and chiropractic care.  I tend to focus more on opening up and strengthening the joints throughout practice for an expansive, empowering experience.  I've been practicing yoga asana since 2011 and teaching yoga since 2016.  

Learn more about my yoga teaching philosophy, testimonials, and my weekly class offerings under 'Yoga'  in the menu bar.

 I am deeply touched that you've taken the time to get to know me :) 

I look forward to connecting and getting to know you!