Livia Budrys, AM, C-IAYT, SEP, LCSW, is a psychotherapist, social worker, yoga therapist, and Somatic Experiencing practitioner. She designed and implemented one of the first yoga therapy programs for mental health and trauma treatment in a nationally renowned residential treatment center. There she developed a clinical residency program to train the next generation of psychotherapists to weave yoga into their treatment of complex mental health, addictions, and trauma, implementing a model that emphasized best practice in the integration of neurobiology, somatics, yoga, and psychotherapy.

Livia completed a two-year residency at the Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy, where in 1999 she was initiated into the tradition of the Himalayan Masters. She has completed over a decade of advanced and therapeutic yoga certifications, along with becoming a Reiki Master in 1998. She has been deeply influenced by the mindfulness training that she received from Vietnamese Zen monk Thich Nhat Hanh.

Livia currently educates healthcare organizations, conducts research, and presents nationally on the benefits of yoga for mental health and trauma awareness to reduce systemic burnout. She has enjoyed several clinical leadership roles in in-patient settings, most recently as Director of Trauma-Informed Care at a national treatment center. Recently she has engaged in a doctorate program in Community Psychology, with a focus on decolonized and indigenous psychologies.