Our Specialist

Nishita Shah

CAP, C-IAYT, E-RYT500

Nishita’s first foray into Ayurveda and Yoga began at a young age. Being raised in a traditional Indian household in the middle of the deep South, she was always trying to find a balance and connection between Eastern and Western cultures. After college, her curiosity deepened for these traditional Vedic sciences. She was blessed with the opportunity to study under Vasant Lad, MASc at The Ayurvedic Institute where she completed her formal studies in Ayurveda and Yoga. Nishita is passionate about sharing these sciences, and is excited to continue this at SoHum, both as an instructor with our various programming and supporting clients with their Panchakarma. She also currently teaches at The Ayurvedic Institute as the lead yoga instructor, supports the yoga training programs at Asheville Yoga Center, and sees Ayurvedic clients with AyurPrana. If you don’t find Nishita with clients or teaching, you’ll find her outside hiking or in her kitchen–cooking and baking for those she loves.

Eliot Steer

PhD

Eliot is a psychologist and Ayurvedic practitioner with a focus in integrative mental health. He is a graduate of Palo Alto University’s Ph.D. clinical psychology program, The Ayurvedic Institute’s Level 1 and 2 programs, and he has completed clinical training in integrative medicine at University of California San Francisco’s Osher Center. Eliot is well versed in a variety of psychotherapy modalities, including mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, Jungian therapy, dream analysis, and internal family systems. In addition, drawing from his extensive knowledge of Ayurveda and yoga, Eliot employs a holistic and client-centered approach to address the complex interplay between mind, body, and spirit.

 

At SoHum, Eliot provides Vedic counseling sessions to help individuals navigate psychological challenges during the panchakarma process and beyond. Vedic counseling is a talk-based therapy that provides supportive guidance for health concerns, one’s soul purpose, goals, values, relationships, and spirituality. Single sessions are offered for support during your SoHum stay, as well as an optional package of 3 online follow-up sessions after panchakarma. 

Julia Apodaca

LMT, NTS

Julia started working at the Ayurvedic Institute in 2015. She discovered a passion for bodywork and studied massage at the New Mexico School of Natural Therapeutics. She then worked as a therapist and operations manager for the Panchakarma department. Julia also worked as the program director and instructor at New Mexico School of Massage. In this position, Julia developed and taught a 40 hour ayurvedic bodywork course for massage therapy students. Julia has brought her passion for teaching to SoHum as the wellness director, where she trains massage therapists in traditional ayurvedic and panchakarma therapies. When Julia is not training new therapists, you will find her working on clients or hiking on the trails on the SoHum property.