About
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Carolyn Black-Bagdoyan, C-IAYT, LMT, LPTA

Hello!  My name is Carolyn Black-Bagdoyan.  I'm so glad you are here.  I'd love to share a bit of my background with you.  My tale meanders and the road culminates here with a blending of knowledge and experience as a certified yoga therapist (C-IAYT), licensed physical therapist assistant (LPTA), and most recently as licensed massage therapist (LMT) choosing to focus on myofascial release (MFR). 

My journey into the exploration of the body and its amazing workings began as a captivation with yoga.  Yoga can provide an incredible doorway to self-discovery and growth.  After obtaining my 200-hour yoga teacher certification in 2014, I felt a deep calling to delve deeper into how yoga could be used as a tool for unification and healing of the body, mind and spirit.  During this time, I pursued numerous trainings, including yoga for traumatic brain injuries, yoga to address anxiety and depression, yoga for addiction and recovery, restorative yoga and Yoga Nidra.  A passion emerged from these explorations because I also discovered yoga to improve functional movement--and I was hooked! I was learning more about how the body moves and how ingrained movement patterns impact inner ease and wellbeing.   In 2018, I completed a 1000-hour yoga therapy certification that focused on reducing compensatory movement through yoga-based movement education.  I spent several years treating clients privately, offering group yoga classes locally and through private request, and delivering workshops on a range of wellness topics. 

But, there's always more, isn't there?  So naturally, I decided to go a little deeper and, long story short, in 2022 graduated as a licensed PTA.  I have worked in an outpatient clinic since that time, largely focusing on orthopedic conditions and balance dysfunction.  

In 2023, I attended a continuing education course that caused another seismic shift in my journey.  It was a 3-day John Barnes Method Myofascial Release seminar.  During the course I felt and witnessed the power of myofascial release as a tool to release long-standing tension holding and bracing patterns in the body.  I left that training knowing that I needed to do this work.  So it was back to school again to obtain my massage license, coupled with numerous additional John Barnes MFR seminars.  

Why this combined approach of myofascial release and functional yoga therapeutics?  

I believe deeply and have seen that MFR can help enable the body to "let go".  Yoga improves awareness and the mind-body connection.  Movement reeducation helps re-patterning so that old tension producing habits can be quieted down and better, more easeful movement habits can be nurtured.  I believe this combined and integrated approach helps effect more lasting change.  And that's what I love about this work. 

*International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT), the certifying body of yoga therapists.
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Licenses, Certifications, Trainings
C-IAYT 1000-hour yoga therapist- Functional Synergy 2018
LPTA – Northern Virginia Community College 2022
LMT – Northern Virginia School of Therapeutic Massage 2025

Myofascial Release:
John Barnes Myofascial Release Method:
MFR 1, MFR 2, Fascial Pelvis, Fascial Cranium, Cervical Thoracic, Unwinding, Advanced Unwinding, Rebounding, Skills Enhancement Seminar. 
 
Yoga Therapy:
Brain and sensory foundations (neurodevelopmental movement for physical, emotional, social, and learning skills); laterality and side dominance principles; trauma informed yoga; restorative yoga; yoga for anxiety and depression, yoga for traumatic brain injury LOVEYourBrain certification; Pelvic Floor Yoga™ certification with Leslie  Howard; Yoga Nidra and Self-Healing certification with Dr. Marc Halpern, and Y12SR Leadership training with Nikki Myers in yoga for addiction and recovery.



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