“My life has been blessed many, many times because I dodged a lot of bullets literally and figuratively,” she said, without going into details.
Upon being honorably discharged, Bayard recuperated from injuries sustained as a solider by starting a pet sitting and dog walking business. She says, “The time I spent caring for animals, hiking in the mountains and learning about the mind-body relationship was instrumental both in my healing process and would inform the work I do today.”
“I have a philosophy of helping people play to their strengths, and how it can be done through humor and games,” Bayard said. “I help people abandon attachments to how they are ‘supposed to’ do things, in order to discover their true and best ways to function.”
Being true to herself took Bayard on a journey that started with what she thought was a laughter yoga class offered in Chicago. It turned out to be an actual training to become a certified laughter yoga leader. Laughter yoga, founded by Dr. Madan Kataria is a practice that combines yoga breathing and laughter to promote wellness.
She not only enjoyed the training, she went on to the second level, becoming a certified instructor and began teaching classes in Utah. In fact, Bayard taught the first semester course for credit at Salt Lake Community College – also the first nationwide.
MORE THAN FUN & GAMES
24 THEBEAUTYBATTALION.COM
Photo Credit: Karen Erekson,
Ashtyn Jade Photography