Cultivating awareness
from within
-
movement (classes)
Gentle Movement classes blend Hatha yoga, Hanna Somatics, balance work, and breath awareness in a live, in-person format. Savour Slow Somatics, offered both live and online, are grounded in the principles of Hanna Somatics. All classes support nervous system regulation and foster brain-body connection through a slower, more intentional pace.
-
writing circles (awa)
The Amherst Writers & Artists (AWA) Method is grounded with supportive commentary that offers a safe container for writers to explore their voice and written craft. Write from memory or imagination and open up to possibility of words on your page.
-
mentoring for movement
Just certified or feeling stuck? You don’t have to figure it out alone. Let’s talk—26+ years of teaching informs my mentoring. Mentoring with Grace
-
clinical somatic education
Clinical Somatics Education lessons (1-1) are the most effective way to begin to restore muscle function, improve movement and eliminate pain. Work together with gentle guidance either live or in a virtual appointment.
meet sharon smith-carter, clinical somatic educator & yoga teacher, AWA group circle facilitator
Sharon has been teaching yoga and movement since 1999 in her community of Kawartha Lakes and beyond. Her first studio, Path to Stillness Yoga, focused on practices that support positive shifts in health, well-being, and awareness. As a result of COVID, she closed the studio and returned in 2020 to teaching independently in a smaller, more intimate space—coming full circle in her work. Her teaching has always been rooted in the therapeutic aspects of movement as a way to regulate the nervous system.
Her most influential teacher was her beloved mentor, Lila Ostermann, who encouraged Sharon to explore yoga beyond weekly classes—as a practical tool for life. Through simple practices of breath and movement, Sharon eased anxiety and agoraphobia. That lived experience continues to shape the heart of her teaching today.
Over the years, Sharon has studied with respected yoga educators including Donna Farhi, Judith Lasater, Paul Grilley, Biff Mithoefer, and Tracey Soghrati, whose work has informed her teaching approach over time.
In 2013, Sharon began studying the work of Thomas Hanna and clinical somatic education with Martha Peterson of Essential Somatics. She trained as a Hanna Somatic Exercise Coach (HSEC) and later completed a three-year Clinical Somatic Educator program. This gentle, brain-based work offers an accessible way to reduce habitual tension, retrain movement patterns, and move with greater ease. Sharon has also assisted with and hosted workshops and mentored new trainees in the Essential Somatics Movement Teacher Training.
In 2017, Sharon turned to writing as a way to process the emotional experience of caring for aging parents. This led her to Amherst Writers & Artists, where she completed AWA Group Facilitator training in 2019. She now offers weekly online writing circles as a supportive space for curious writers to explore voice and story.
With over 26 years of experience, Sharon brings knowledge, humour, and compassion to her teaching. She is especially passionate about supporting people in seasoned bodies to stay mobile and connected to what they love as they age. She now develops and offers mentorship programs, trainings, and professional development for somatic and yoga teachers—including Guide with Grace—supporting growth and sustainability within the movement teaching community. Her hope is simple: that we keep moving, deepen awareness, and continue doing what brings us joy—for as long as we’re here on planet earth.
When she’s not teaching, Sharon can usually be found walking with her pup Finn, knitting something cozy, building a family tree, or paddling on the water at the cottage.
meet
sharon smith-carter, clinical somatic educator & yoga teacher
Sharon Smith-Carter is a somatic movement educator and yoga teacher based in the Kawartha Lakes region of Ontario. She has an ongoing commitment to professional development and practices that support conscious change and nervous-system-informed learning.
She is a Clinical Somatic Educator and Movement Teacher through International Somatic Movement Education and Therapy Association (ISMETA), an experienced yoga teacher (E-RYT 500), and a Group Facilitator in the Amherst Writers & Artists (AWA) method. A lifelong learner, Sharon is drawn to practices that support people experiencing physical or emotional discomfort through movement, writing, and human connection.
testimonials