Today we’d like to introduce you to Sakina Williams

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?

Working in the publishing industry was mentally, physically and emotionally challenging. Coupled with balancing family life and pursuing my dream to start a wellness business, I looked for activities to help align my mental health. I always seemed to come back to yoga. Living in NY, there was no shortage of yoga studios, but I never really found the right space for me. BK Buddha was born in 2015 as a result. BK Buddha is a traveling wellness hub for all things mind, body and spirit. The vision of BK Buddha is to provide yoga and wellness to marginalized populations and to anyone who does not have access to yoga studios. I have a Master of Science degree in Yoga Therapy and have been teaching and practicing many forms of yoga for 25+ years. For the past 8 years I’ve been an adjunct professor at Seton Hall University teaching a course I designed, Yoga Theory and Application. This course gives undergraduates yoga and as well as real world fundamentals for living on and off the mat. I am also the leading meditation instructor on the Core by Hyperice, an app when paired with a device that tracks the body’s physical response to guided meditations and breath work. I am also certified in Mental Health First Aid, pre and post natal yoga, Reiki II and a Sound Therapist. Mental Health advocacy and injury prevention are the top priorities in my work. I have a good number of athletes as clients and the mental health crisis is rising among this population at a rapid rate.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?

It has not been a smooth road. Dealing with micro-aggressions in corporate America and in everyday life can sometimes be discouraging, especially when trying to build a wellness business where much of what is taught, advertised and supported does not include BIPOC. There is also a pervasive ignorance of Yoga Therapy. I am doing the work everyday to diminish some of the struggles for future wellness practioners.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?

I am an integrative wellness professional. This is an umbrella term that includes being an exercise scientist and yoga therapist, sound therapist and a reiki II energy healer. I am a meditation and breathwork facilitator and a mentor to new yogis and I am known for my healing presence and encouraging Clients to be in control of their own mind, body and spirits. Currently I am working with solo sport athletes– swimmers, runners and cyclists. I facilitate mindfulness practices like breathwork and meditation, injury prevention and recovery coaching. I recently started working for a Treatment Center as a Wellness Coordinator supporting Clients through recovery and on their sobriety journey. I coordinate wellness, whether it be through yoga, energy healing, Qi Gong, or meditation as well as teach an psychoeducation component in outpatient groups.
I am most proud of my Clients using the tools I provide them with and witnessing their reactions to the measurable outcomes, mental, physical and emotional to the challenges they’re facing. I guess what sets me apart from others is I am personable. I am transparent . I don’t pretend to have all the answers. If I don’t have an answer or solution immediately, I will help to find one. It is my life’s purpose to do the work and alleviate as much suffering as I can.

In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?

As yoga continues to grow as a wildly popular practice, the most prominent trend I see is an increasing differentiation between yoga and yoga therapy, a practice that shares yoga’s overall purpose while focusing on its clinical and therapeutic applications. As Yoga Therapy moves towards licensure I do see the expansion of training programs and accredited degree programs. I earned my Master of Science Degree from MUIH (Maryland University of Integrative Health) at the time when it was the only Master of Science for Yoga Therapy in the country. I also see an increase of integration of Yoga Therapy into healthcare as a compliment to Western medicine. Unlike Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy, Yoga Therapy integrates the mind, body and spirit.

Contact Info:

• Website: www,bkbuddha.com
• Instagram: @bkbuddha

Image Credits

Photo Credit: (kaftan) Barnabas Crosby (backyard2) Madison Williams