Team Spotlight: Olivia Kesselhaut

Meet Olivia ‘Liv’ Kesselhaut (she/her), LoveYourBrain’s Program Coordinator! Liv joined the LoveYourBrain team in April of 2022, and coordinates the administration and operations of core LYB programs to support sustainability, quality, and growth.

We sat down to meet Liv, and find out the story behind one very iconic photo!

how did you get involved with LoveYourBrain?

I first learned about LoveYourBrain when I was completing my Yoga Teacher Training in 2019 - one of my teachers was involved with the organization. At the time, I was also finishing up my degree in Psychology and felt like my two beloved worlds collided - Psychology and Yoga! I soon signed up for a LYB Teacher Training, then they couldn’t really get rid of me…

What do you love most about the LYB community?

It’s challenging to choose one thing. There’s a genuine air of love, gratitude, and joy always circulating throughout the LYB community. This community leads with its heart and there’s nothing more special than that. Also, I belly laugh on a daily basis and that’s important.

What’s your favorite way to build connection with your own community?

Probably yoga *crowd gasps*. But in all seriousness, yoga can be a bridge between each other and even within ourselves. I’ve been able to connect with beings near and far through yoga, and given that it is such a vulnerable practice, it makes accessing each others hearts more easeful. Yoga is also a way to connect with community and social causes outside physical reach - I’ve been able to virtually support causes I care deeply about and offer practices for folks who can’t make it to a physical studio.

You’ve led donation-based meditation classes for LYB’s MindfulMarch campaign in the past - what do you love about yoga and meditation?

Yes! Huge shout out to Pure Toms River Yoga for being an LYB advocate over the years. I love that yoga and meditation always bring me “home” to myself. Whenever I practice, I am reminded, “oh, there I am”. There can be a lot of noise outside my head and between my ears - yoga and meditation grant me the tools to observe rather than react.

What would someone be most surprised to learn about you?

Probably that it’s my dog-mom dream to have a Great Dane. For context, I am 5’2 and what some people in my life would classify as “tiny in stature”. I’ve always had an affinity for huge dogs, maybe because they make me feel safe. One of my friends has a Great Pyrensse named Sonny (hi Lena or Sonny if you’re reading this) & Lena lets me curl up next to him (into him?) at my disposable with zero judgement.

And finally, Can you tell us the story behind this iconic photo?

You’re seeing Day 5 of a LoveYourBrain Retreat energy, height of the Talent Show. My good friend Thom and I got really deep into the camp costume supply. Why wear one tutu when you can wear two? If this isn’t reason enough to get you to come to a Retreat, I don’t know what is.

Liv supports all aspects of our work - check out our Programs to connect to her work!