Antonia Fokken LMFT, RYT 500
Antonia's Bio
Antonia is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Anusara-Inspired Yoga Teacher, and a Certified Yoga Therapist RYT 500, who first discovered yoga and meditation in 1995, working on her BA in Psychology (with an emphasis in Eastern Perspectives on Holistic Health) at SFSU. She went on to earn an MA in Art Therapy and Marriage and Family Therapy from the College of Notre Dame and became a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in 2001. Antonia has a private psychotherapy practice in Oakland and teaches yoga throughout the Bay Area.
As a psychotherapist, Antonia has worked with thousands of diverse clients in a variety of settings, including; a drug and alcohol rehabilitation program, in juvenile hall, group homes, with families at risk of losing children in a counseling clinic, and in families homes, in classrooms for emotionally and behaviorally challenged children and teens, in a psychiatric crisis clinic, and on a psychiatric mobile crisis team. She brings all of this experience into her work with individual adults, teens, and families in her private practice. In addition to her experience, her work with clients is informed by cognitive behavioral therapy, art therapy, sensorimotor psychotherapy, bioenergetics, Reiki, non-violent communication (NVC), Yoga Nidra (I-Rest), the teachings of yoga, and Vipassana Meditation.
After using yoga and meditation in her own healing journey with tremendous benefit and wanting to share this knowledge with others, Antonia completed a 200 hour Anusara Immersion and Teacher Training Program at Yogakula in Berkeley CA, with Noah Maze and Carlos Pomeda in 2004-2005. She continued her formal studies in a mentorship program with Certified Anusara Teacher, Abby Tucker. In 2008 Antonia completed a Yoga teacher training program with an emphasis in Yoga Therapy at Ananda Seva, which led to a 500 hour certification with Yoga Alliance. She has also completed the Level 1 Yoga Nidra training (I-Rest) with Richard Miller PhD and the Level 1 Restorative Yoga training with Judith Lasater. She is now on the faculty of Niroga's Teacher Training Program as well as the Yoga Therapy training. for the last 3 years, Antonia has been a teacher and Program Manager for Niroga Institute, a non-profit organization that brings yoga to at-risk populations.
When teaching yoga, Antonia enjoys teaching from the heart, with an emphasis on inner and outer alignment, and concentrates on using the breath to cultivate mindfulness and connection. She helps to guide, support, and empower her students and clients to build strength, balance, and flexibility from the inside out, through creative and playful exploration and curiosity. She feels blessed to do work the she loves and believes in.
