Hi there! I’m Meghan Bass-Petti, a licensed mental health therapist (LMSW), life coach, and yoga instructor. I’m a wife, mom to a teenage son and daughter, and an avid nature lover. My husband and I relocated from Illinois to New Mexico in 2004 and now reside in the beautiful Sandia Mountains outside of Albuquerque, New Mexico, about an hour south of Sante Fe.
From the time I was very young, I’ve had an interest in human behavior and why we do the things that we do. In college, I started out as a psychology major and ended up completing a Bachelor of Arts in sociology at the University of Illinois. I then began my career as a caseworker, primarily for children who were in foster care and in need of an adoptive home, later moving to the licensing and resources department. During my time at this agency, I completed a Master of Social Work Degree (also through the University of Illinois).
After moving to New Mexico and working as a trauma therapist for children and families, I became pregnant with my son and took a long hiatus from the therapy world to be a stay-at-home mom. During this time, I continued to study human behavior, psychology, social work, and trauma.
It took many years for me to begin going to yoga classes, although I had practiced on and off at home along with videos for a few years. I was SO INTIMIDATED to be in classes with others who were far more flexible, confident, and relaxed. I had suffered from depression and anxiety for many years following my mother’s sudden death when I was 18 and was very rigid- not only in my mind as I wanted to control everything about my life- but also in my body, which was holding on tightly to years and years of stress and trauma.
After attending studio classes for a few years and forming supportive relationships with a few encouraging teachers, I began what has become the cannonball stage of my life. I completed yoga teacher training, then went on to become certified in several specialty areas- LoveYourBrain Yoga (for traumatic brain injury), Yoga for All (accessible yoga for all bodies), SilverSneakers (yoga for seniors), MiniYogis (yoga for kids), Trauma Informed Yoga (TIYT), Pain Care Aware, and Functional Yoga Therapy.
In addition to this, I completed Strategic Intervention Life Coach training in 2018 and am currently in the process of completing an 800-hr training for yoga therapy with Inner Peace Yoga Therapy, bridging my curiosity and study of emotional and mental health with the physical and spiritual aspects of our being. In 2021, I completed training as a Certified Posture Expert with the American Posture Institute, and in 2022, I completed training with Jennifer Kolari as a Connected Parenting Therapist and Coach.
I have become increasingly interested in somatics and trauma, which is how we hold traumatic experiences in the body and therefore need to find ways to allow this to unwind. If you have ever suffered from anxiety or depression, I’m sure you can relate. These things do not just reside in our emotions or in our minds, but are expressed through our breath, our posture, our digestive system, our sleep, how much pain we’re feeling at any given time, etc.
I’m a certified facilitator for Overcome, a program for chronic anxiety, stress, and overwhelm developed by Sundara Yoga Therapy. In addition, I’m a provider for integrated Listening system’s Safe and Sound Protocol and Focus system (see more at www.integratedlistening.com/science-of-feeling-safe/). All of these programs are available virtually via Zoom.
It would be an honor and a privilege to come alongside you on your path to wellness- body, mind, and spirit!
