Casey Bernstein, dancing the JOY

Casey's Story:   

Casey Bernstein is a dynamic professional with expertise in Nia somatic teaching and Nia teacher training. With over 35 years of Nia experience, Casey has built a reputation for training teachers, working with Special Applications, creative choreography and blending her background as a nurse with Nia Moving to Heal to educate the health-wellness spectrum. Currently Casey leads Nia White Belt, Moving to Heal and Floorplay trainings. She also leads her workshop The Art of Stepping in: Creative Class Crafting for special populations and choreography development workshops where she focuses on her philosophy that aligns with Nia that, Movement is Medicine and Through Movement we find Health for everyBODY.

Casey is a graduate from D’Youville college with a BSRN, where she was senior class president and received the highest nursing award. She has 13 years experience of various clinical nursing settings with a specialty in Critical Care. She has volunteered her services, offering the Joy of Movement for the American Cancer Society, The Interfaith partnership for the Homeless and The Next Step; Recovery program for women. Since 1993, Casey has been the creator, owner and director of The Center for Nia & Yoga, in Albany, NY. 

Casey is a previous marathon runner. Currently an active hiker and swimmer. She has been married to her cardiology husband for 45 years. They have 3 grown children, 3 delightful grandchildren and 1 Aussiedoogle walking buddy dog. 

Please visit: www.caseybernstein.com 

Contact: caseybernstein1@gmail.com

Casey Resume:

Current Ongoing Classes:

Yoga, 2000 to current

NORCC Community Senior Chair Yoga 9/24 - current

Nia Classes:

The Center for Nia & Yoga 1993 - current

Casey’s Movement Special Application Experience, Program development:

• St Anne’s Institute for Girls 
• HopeClub/American Cancer Society - women surviving cancer
• Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless 
• Women in drug rehabilitation

An in-house, long term treatment (9 months) mandated from prison

At The Center for Nia & Yoga - required attendance. 1993 - 2107.

• Clients living with Traumatic Brain Injury  

Men and women, 20 - 60 yrs. those now living with consequences of their brain injury event. Offered by agency as part of their day program, voluntary attendance. 

• Alzheimer Clients 

Presented at an Alzheimer Facility. 20 - 25 clients - elderly women and a few men. 

• Women with HIV/Aids 

The Center for Nia & Yoga, offered by a supporting agency, voluntary attendance

• Women of Domestic Violence (current)

The Center for Nia & Yoga offered by a supporting agency, voluntary attendance

• Women with Breast Cancer

Workshop, classes and special events at agencies and The Center for Nia & Yoga

• Prenatal Nia & Yoga and Mom’s and Babies Nia

Women’s Health Care Plus Center and The Center for Nia & Yoga

• Pre-school movement program

Montessori School, Delmar NY

Special Application Nia/movement classes and conferences

• ANA - NYS American Nursing Association conference - present Nia
• Intelligently Challenged Adults - Day conference, Albany, NY
• NY Women in Government conference - Albany, NY
• Young Adults with Emotional Instability at The Center for Nia & Yoga
• Hospice Providers retreat - Albany, NY
• Parkinson’s Meeting at Independent Living facility, Albany, NY
• NY State workers, CSEA retreats - Albany, NY 

Conference Presentation

Nia Presenter at Yoga 5 day conference - Silver Bay, NYNia Presenter at Yoga 5 day Conference - Evergreen College, WA

• Kripalu Yoga Center - Lenox, MA:

Weekend workshop presenter : “Dancing Through Life

Workshop Development

• Create a Nia Inspired routine workshop 
• Create a Moving to Heal Routine workshop
• The Art of Aging Gracefully: a Body-Mind focused approach
• The Art of Stepping In: Creative Strategies for Nia Movement 

with Special Application ( 2.25 day workshop)

• The Accidental Click - creative choreography (2.5 day workshop)
• Nia Movement as Meditation: Nia ~ restorative yoga & expressive arts. 2.5
• Bowls of Zen, mindfulness eating and relaxation

International Nia trainings and Guest Nia Classes

• Israel, Europe: Rimini and Florence, Italy, Paris France. Mexico, Costa Rica

Nia Teacher Training Career

Nia Floorplay Teacher Trainer 2023 - current

Nia Moving to Heal Teacher Trainer 2018 - current

Nia Blue Belt Teacher Trainer 2013 - 2015

Nia Green Belt Teacher Trainer 2012 - 2015

Nia White Belt Teacher Trainer 1997 - current

Nia Teacher 1991 - current

Studio Creator and Director of (1993 - current) 

The Center for Body/Mind Awareness/The Center for Nia & Yoga studio

Awards:

Senior Class President and Class Valedictorian/ “Spirit of Nia” Award

“Outstanding Achievement in Nursing” Award

Healing a Woman’s Soul: For survivors of domestic violence.

Other:

Y12SR Yoga+12 Step meeting facilitator 2017

Yoga CYT 2000 

Certified in Expressive Arts Therapy 1999

Nursing Career:

ICU Community General Hospital, Syracuse, NY (1987 - ’89)

1 year of Nursing Master program, Syracuse University 

Special Unit ICU Maine Medical, Portland, ME (1984 - ’87)

Certificated in Critical Care, CCRN

CCU Cardiac Care Ichilov Hospital, Tel Aviv, Israel (1980 - ’84)

Head Start Community Nurse, Conway, NH (1979 - ’80)

Maternity Nursing, North Conway, NH (1979 - ’80) 

Roswell Park Cancer Hospital, Buffalo, NY (1977 - ’79)

Rotary Children and Teen Handicap Camp Nurse (Summer 1977)

Internship Medical Unit, Duke University, Durham, NC (Summer 1976)

Nursing Home Nurse’s Aid, Syracuse, NY (Summer 1975) 

Education: BSRN D’Youville College, Buffalo, NY (1977)