Education, Training & Publications

Julie Lusk

What a pleasure to specialize in balancing and strengthening the body-mind-spirit connection through yoga, meditation, positive relaxation, and guided imagery.  I feel so fortunate to have discovered yoga and meditation as a young woman in the 1970’s and to continue to study and practice till now. What a joy it has been to teach all these years and to be the author of the many books and recordings listed below on yoga nidra, meditation, guided imagery and similar practices.

My professional counseling training, certification, and work has been invaluable, providing me with an enriching perspective on mind-body interventions.  Professionally, I have been a regional director for a large hospital-based holistic health and wellness program, director of health management and wellness at a well-known medical clinic, an assistant dean of students for career planning and placement at a college, director of special services at a community college, and an educational awareness counselor.  Thousands have been touched through my volunteer work.

Most of all, I love sharing all this with others.  This has given me a practical sensibility of what works and what doesn’t as well as all the benefits that happen.  It’s a real joy for me to teach others as a teacher and trainer.

Graciously,
Julie Lusk, M.Ed., E-RYT-500

PUBLISHED BOOKS

• Yoga Nidra Meditations: 24 Scripts for True Relaxation, Llewellyn, Woodbury, MN. 2021
• Yoga Nidra for Complete Relaxation & Stress Relief, New Harbinger, Oakland, CA, 2015
• Yoga Meditations: Timeless Mind-Body Practices for Awakening, Whole Person Associates, Duluth, MN. 2005
• Desktop Yoga, Penguin Group/Perigee Books, New York, NY.  1998.  Translated into Spanish, Dutch and German
• 30 Scripts for Relaxation, Imagery and Inner Healing, Vol. 2, Whole Person Associates, Duluth, MN—First edition 1993, second edition 2015
• 30 Scripts for Relaxation, Imagery and Inner Healing, Vol. 1, Whole Person Associates, Duluth, MN—First edition 1992, second edition 2015. Translated into Spanish and Italian

AUDIO RECORDINGS

• Guided Mindfulness Meditations: Practicing Presence & Finding Peace (Health Journeys, Cleveland, OH)
• Yoga Nidra: Guided Meditations for Relaxation & Renewal  (Health Journeys, Cleveland, OH)
• Yoga Nidra:  Inner Strength and Balance (Kunaki Publishers / WR)
• Yoga Nidra: Unshakeable Peace and Joy (Kunaki Publishers / WR)
• Yoga Nidra:  High-Level Living (Kunaki Publishers / WR)
• Real Relaxation: Yoga Nidra (Kunaki Publishers / WR)
• Refreshing Journeys (Whole Person Associates, Duluth, MN)
• Sa Ta Na Ma Meditation (Kunaki Publishers / WR)
• Power of Presence  (Kunaki Publishers / WR) Wholesome Relaxation  (Kunaki Publishers / WR)
• Wholesome Energizers  (Kunaki Publishers / WR)
• Blue Moon Rising (Kunaki Publishers / WR)
• And many other

EDUCATION

• Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia
  • Master of Arts in Education – Counseling and Family Development
• Marshall University, Huntington, West Virginia
  • Bachelor of Arts in Education. Cum Laude. Course work in rehabilitation counseling and education

YOGA ALLIANCE

• Registered Yoga Teacher E-500 since 2001
• Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider or YACEP

YOGA CERTIFICATIONS

• White Lotus Foundation – Certified Yoga Teacher, 1994
• White Lotus Foundation – Advanced Teacher Training, 1996
• Yoga of the Heart Certification – Nischala Devi at Satchidananda Ashram, Yogaville, VA 1998
• Atma Yoga – Certified Yoga Teacher & Yoga Teacher Trainer, 2001
• iRest Yoga Nidra Teacher Training with Richard Miller, Level 1, 2011
• Master classes with Lilias Folan, Christopher Baxter, Nischala Joy Devi, Sarah Powers, Michael Reed-Gach, Sam Dworkis, Richard Miller, Donna Farhi, Sally Kempton, Belleruth Naparstek, Joe Panoor and many others

SPECIALIZED TRAINING

• Intensive Training Institute:  Alternative Approaches to Mind/Body Medicine with Christine Page, MD, and C. Normal Shealy, PhD, NICABM.  1996
• Institute Certificate:  Clinical Training Hypnosis Course with Helen Erickson, RN, PhD, and Sandra Sylvester, PhD, NICABM.  1995; Bill O’Hanlon,
• Reiki II Therapist. 1998, 2001, 2005.
• Healing Touch I:  2000
• SoulCollage ® Facilitator: 2015

COUNSELING CREDENTIALS & CERTIFICATIONS

• National Board for Certified Counselors – National Certified Counselor, 1985 – present 
• Commonwealth of Virginia – Licensed Professional Counselor, 1981 – 2001

TEACHING EXPERIENCE:
     Yoga ~ Meditation ~ Guided Imagery ~ Yoga Nidra

• National and International
  • Satchidananda Ashram / Integral Yoga / Yogaville, VA (7 years)
  • Kripalu Yoga Teachers Association Conference (5 years)
  • Kripalu Center Program (14 years);
  • Sivanada Yoga Ashram in the Bahamas (10 years)
  • Discovery Yoga (4 years)
  • Yoga Educator at the National Wellness Conference for 15 years
  • Yoga Educator at the Health Immunity & Disease NICABM Conference (7 years)
• Regional Yoga Educator (teaching classes consecutively since 1977)    
  • Yoga Slumber Party & Women’s Retreat, Milford, OH: 2001 – present
  • Honey Sweetie Acres Goat Yoga, Goshen, OH: 2017 – present
  • Jesuit Spiritual Center, Milford, OH:  2004 – present
  • Anderson Senior Center & Heritage Church, OH: 2005 to present
  • Miami Township OH; 2000 – present
  • Cincinnati Yoga School, HealthPlex at Anderson, Fairfield: 2000-2005
  • YMCA, Salem, VA:  1996 – 1999
  • Lewis-Gale Medical Foundation, Salem, VA: 1989 – 1996
  • Roanoke College, Salem, VA: 1982 – 1989
  • Roanoke Memorial Hospital; 1983 – 1984
  • Roanoke Athletic Club: 1980 – 1982
  • Virginia Western Community College: 1978 – 1980
  • YWCA: 1977 – 1978

PROGRAM DEVELOPER

• Desktop Yoga ®.  Modified over 100 yoga postures and created sequences to be practiced by “office workers, internet addicts, and stressed out students.”  Author of Desktop Yoga (Penguin/Putnam Group). Blessed with numerous media, medical and work-site demonstrations as well as publications and interviews.
• DARE to Relax.  Developed a stress management-training program that has been used in business, collegiate, medical and community settings.  DARE stands for Diet; Attitude and Awareness; Rest and Relaxation; and Exercise.
• SPICES for Life   Initiated, developed, promoted and implemented wellness programs for collegiate, corporate and community groups.  SPICES stands for Social, Physical, Intellectual, Career, Emotional and Spiritual wellness.  Programs included health fairs, wellness assessments and various activities.
• Wellaware    Designed, implemented, promoted and evaluated employee wellness program for Lewis-Gale Clinic.  Components included ongoing incentive program to encourage and reinforce wellness behaviors.  On-going events were planned and implemented.
• Alive and Well Coalition   Chaired the 1000 member volunteer coalition which developed, promoted and implemented the country’s first community based wellness week (1986).  Quit and Win, a community-based smoking cessation contest (38% quit rate); Project Lean, a community-wide project to promote good nutrition and exercise.  Certificates of Recognition from the Governor of Virginia, the US Secretary of Health, the Virginia Commissioner of Health, the Mayor of Roanoke, and Wellness Councils of America.