Maya Semans (she/her)

I’m Maya Semans—a Certified Yoga Therapist and Ayurvedic Health Counselor with a deep commitment to supporting nervous system healing, emotional resilience, and connection to the rhythms of nature. My work integrates classical Ayurveda, the Krishnamacharya yoga therapy lineage, and trauma-informed somatic care.

I support people who are navigating burnout, stress, grief, transitions, and the invisible weight of caregiving, justice work, or just holding it all together. Whether you're feeling stuck in survival mode or simply longing for more connection and ease, this is a place to slow down and return to yourself.

Through Ayurvedic bodywork, personalized 1:1 sessions, seasonal group programs, and immersive retreats, I offer spaces for deep listening—where the body leads, the breath softens, and healing unfolds at your own pace.

I believe that sustainable transformation is relational — not mechanical.
The mind, body, and breath are deeply interconnected, and when one part is disrupted, the whole system feels it.

I work with clients navigating anxiety, depression, digestive challenges, hormonal shifts, chronic stress, burnout, and trauma.
Together, we rebuild steadiness, strengthen resilience, and nurture the body’s innate intelligence.

My work weaves together:

  • Yoga Therapy in the Krishnamacharya lineage — adapting breath, movement, and meditation to each person's needs

  • Ayurvedic Assessment — using dosha (constitution) and guna (mind-body qualities) evaluations to guide supportive care

  • Holistic Nutrition and Lifestyle Practices — daily rhythms, dietary adjustments, and sustainable self-care to support digestion, emotional balance, and sleep

  • Herbal Support — suggesting simple, accessible Ayurvedic formulations when appropriate

  • Ayurvedic Bodywork — warm oil treatments and hands-on practices to regulate the nervous system and support emotional processing

  • Somatic and Breath Practices — accessible techniques for nervous system regulation, body awareness, and resilience-building

When needed, I consult with senior Yoga Therapists and Ayurvedic doctors to ensure thoughtful, comprehensive care aligned with traditional wisdom and modern realities.

My Background

Before becoming a Yoga Therapist, I spent years teaching in Oakland Public Schools as a classroom teacher and restorative justice facilitator.
Holding space for grief, systemic trauma, and resilience in my students and community shaped my commitment to work that is relational, body-centered, and rooted in collective care.

My own experiences with burnout, loss, and emotional exhaustion led me to seek practices that honored the full complexity of living — not just physical health or emotional wellbeing in isolation, but the interconnectedness of all systems.

Today, alongside my private practice, I work with over 150 clients each week in an intensive outpatient mental health setting.
I facilitate trauma-informed Yoga Therapy groups supporting individuals navigating anxiety, depression, trauma recovery, neurodivergence, substance use recovery, and perinatal transitions.

This direct clinical experience — combined with traditional teachings — shapes a grounded, relational approach that meets each person with compassion, steadiness, and respect for their lived experience.

Community Care

Many of the injuries we carry happen in relationship — and many forms of restoration unfold in relationship too.

This is why I offer group spaces alongside individual sessions:
to foster collective belonging, co-regulation, and shared resilience.

Through Yoga Therapy groups, Ayurvedic seasonal self-care circles, and community retreats, I invite people to reconnect not just to themselves, but to the living web of community and care.

My Commitment

  • Trauma-Informed

  • LGBTQIA+ Affirming

  • Socially Conscious and Equity-Oriented

  • Rooted in Traditional Wisdom, Adapted for Modern Life

Whether in one-on-one sessions, small groups, or retreats, my work is designed to meet you where you are — and support your steady return to balance, belonging, and your own natural rhythms.

You are welcome here.

Certifications and Trainings 

FORMAL WESTERN EDUCATION:

  • California English Teaching Credential. Mills College. Oakland, CA. September 2011-June 2012

  • Bachelors of Arts, Simmons College. Boston, MA. September 2006-May 2010 

  • Major: African American Studies  Minor: Social Justice

YOGA & AYURVEDA:

  • 600-hour Integrative Ayurvedic Wellness Counselor Program. Madhya Way, 2022-2023

  • Dr. Claudia Welsch Hormone Course

  • 865 Hour Certified Yoga Therapy Program. Optimal State. 2021-2023

  • Yoga Nidra Teacher Training. Tracee Stanley. 2021-2022

  • 100 HR Yogaworks Teacher Training, YogaWorks. August 2020

  • 200 HR Yoga Teacher Training. Warrior 1 Yoga. Montezuma, Costa Rica. May 2017 

  • 100 HR Yin and Restorative Teacher Training. Yandara Yoga Institute.  Baja California, Mexico. April 2019.

  • 100 HR Meditation Immersion Teacher Training: Yandara Yoga Institute. Baja California, Mexico. June 2019.

  • Y12SR (Yoga for 12 Step Recovery)Training. Baltimore, MD. April 2018.

  • Y12SR Breaking Barriers Training. Asheville, NC. March 2019

COACHING:

Holistic Health Coaching Certification. Institute of Integrated Nutrition. March 2017- March 2018