Bio

About Leslie Howard Yoga

As a yoga practitioner and teacher, I specialize in the use of yoga for many issues but specifically for pelvic floor problems. After suffering from hypertonic pelvic syndrome, I found relief from my symptoms by a careful application of Iyengar-style/influenced yoga and breath work and since then I have continued to refine and develop the application of yoga for the pelvic floor for myself and others. To this end, for the past eighteen years, I have taught women of all ages to practice yoga to alleviate pelvic floor conditions, including urinary incontinence and pelvic pain, through a combination of small group teaching, public workshops, and national and international conferences.  I call my approach Pelvic Floor YogaTM

Twice a year I teach a twenty hour Pelvic Floor Yoga teacher training for therapeutic application of yoga and pranayama to help alleviate symptoms for pelvic floor issues. There is an optional certification process available after the training.  I am currently the co-director of the Nest Yoga 200 Hour Teacher Training program.  My courses are approved as continuing education with Yoga Alliance and the International Association of Yoga Therapists.  I am a certified Yoga Therapist and educator through the International Association of Yoga Therapists.

Experience

I have over 3800 hours of yoga study and 25 years of yoga teaching. Unlike the western medical academy, there does not exist an analogous institution of higher learning in yoga. Instead there exist various schools of yoga and students who learn through close apprenticeship with a teacher. The school that I am most closely affiliated with, Iyengar, is known for its focus on anatomy including proper alignment of the body, precision of asanas, sensitivity to injury, and keen attention to asana sequencing. I have studied intensively with top-tier teachers in the Iyengar school:  Ramanand Patel, Tony Briggs, Patricia Walden, Manouso Manos, Peter Thompson and others. I hold a 320-hour Advanced Studies Certificate from Piedmont Yoga Studio, a 300-hour Tony Briggs teacher training certificate, and a 500 hour Yoga Alliance and IAYT certification.

Studies and Certifications

IAYT Certified Yoga Therapist

  • Certified End of Life Specialist with Teaching Transitions: Doing Death Differently, 2023 (20 hours)
  • International End of Life Doula Training with INELDA, 2023 (40 hours)
  • Certified Trauma Informed Women’s Teacher Training, 2022 (50 hours)
  • Chakras Illuminated, Embodied Philosophy with Christopher Wallis, Ph.D,  2021 (10 hours)
  • Certified Yoga Therapist with the International Association of Yoga Therapists, 2017 – present
  • Therapeutic Wisdom Teacher Training with Doug Keller, 2016 (20 hours)
  • Upledger Institute, Cranial Sacral Therapy 2, 2015 (24 hours)
  • Arvigo Maya Abdominal Therapy, 2015 – (61 hours)
  • Designed yoga study for pelvic pain at University of California, San Francisco (42% success rate)
  • Designed yoga study for incontinence at University of California, San Francisco (70% success rate)
  • Yoga Alliance Certified 500 hour E-RYT
  • California State Certified Massage Practitioner, 2014 (250 hours)
  • McKinnon Massage Cranial Sacral Program, 2014 (150 hours)
  • Introduction to Cranial Sacral Therapy (24 hours)
  • Member of the International Pelvic Pain Society
  • Yoga for Scoliosis training with Elise Miller – 2012 (20 hours)
  • Somanautics – Human Dissection Lab – 2012 (42 hours)
  • Upledger Institute, Cranial Sacral Therapy 1, 2012 (24 hours)
  • Somanautics – Human Dissection Lab – 2011 (42 hours)
  • Certified Relax and Renew Trainer by Judith Lasater – 2009 (40 hours)
  • The Abode of Iyengar Yoga, San Francisco, CA€“ Iyengar studies with Manouso Manos from€“ 2000 to 2008 (1,000+ hours)
  • The Abode of Iyengar Yoga, San Francisco -€“ Iyengar apprenticeship and class assistance with Manouso Manos from€“ 2001 to 2005 (240 hours)
  • Ramanand Patel, San Francisco, CA€“ Iyengar studies from€“ 1998 to present (2000+ hours)
  • Turtle Island Yoga Studio, San Rafael, CA, €“Iyengar Teacher Training Program with Tony Briggs in€“ 1999 (300 hours)
  • Piedmont Yoga Center, Oakland, CA,€“ Advanced Studies Program with Rodney Yee in“ 1998 (320 hours)
  • Om Yoga Training in NYC, NY with Cyndi Lee in€“ 1997 (3 month program)
  • Integral Yoga Institute in New York City with Swami Ramananda in 1995 (6 month program)