Mental Health Writer, Counselor & Yoga Teacher

Mental Health Counselor

Olivia Lynn Schnur is an expert mental health writer. She writes as a trusted mental health authority credentialed in mental health counseling and yoga.

Olivia holds a Master of Arts degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Additionally, she is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Licensed Professional Counselor, and an EMDRIA-Certified EMDR Therapist.

Olivia is also a 200-Hour Certified Yoga Teacher and a Reiki Master. She has additional training in trauma-sensitive yoga and yin yoga.

Mental Health Writer

Currently, Olivia is the Mental Health Writer for Inspired Magazine. She is also a Writer and Program Developer with the National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine (NICABM).

Olivia’s mental health writing appears in well-known publications. She published an article on the integration of yoga and mental health with Counseling Today, an American Counseling Association publication. She’s also featured in a 2024 print edition of Counseling Today on the topic of letting go as a self-care practice for counselors.

Additionally, Olivia authored an article on integrating trauma-sensitive yoga and EMDR therapy for Go with That Magazine, a publication by the EMDR International Association.

Olivia is also in Yogi Times, writing on yoga for mental health.

For more yoga and mental health writing samples, please review Olivia’s portfolio.

Integrating Yoga and Mental Health

One of Olivia’s areas of expertise is yoga for mental health. After years of working with mental health clients while teaching yoga, Olivia naturally began to marry the two.

As a result, she developed a system for mind-body healing integrating yoga practices within the mental health space. This includes Olivia’s expertise as a Reiki Master, which is an ancient system for energy healing and chakra balancing.

In 2023, Olivia shared yoga practices for mental health at the Barefoot and Free Yoga Festival and the River Valley Yoga Festival.

Visit the yoga page to learn more. You may also schedule a yoga or reiki session with Olivia.

Mental Health Subject Matter Expert

Olivia presented on the integration of yoga and mental health at the American Counseling Association of Iowa’s annual symposium.

Additionally, she presented on yoga-informed counseling strategies to faculty and students in the graduate counseling program at the University of Northern Iowa. She also presented on yoga strategies for self-care to faculty and students at Upper Iowa University.

Olivia’s presentation experience also includes the American Psychological Association and the Great Plain’s Psychology Convention, where Olivia and her team won first place for a literature review on autism from a multicultural perspective.

Olivia was also a featured poet at the Left Bank Shop and Gallery. Her poetry appears in several anthologies. Visit Olivia’s portfolio to learn more about her poetry.

Learn more about Olivia and her professional story by listening to the Rhymes with Decorah podcast.

You can also hear Olivia speak in a news interview with WJFJ on five simple daily habits for improved mental health.