Held Mentor Program has now beautifully converged with Devoted to Rest. Head over to Devoted to Rest page to learn more.

The Held Mentorship is that meaningful piece that was missing from all my yoga teacher trainings, courses, workshops and classes: a real relationship with an experienced and compassionate teacher who is willing to share from and listen with her open heart. The type of safe and nourishing space that Octavia Raheem creates and cultivates for the individual and intimate group is beyond anything that I could imagine existed. I thought I would never overcome my fears, doubts and insecurities surrounding my ability to find my true purpose as a yoga teacher and wellness guide. I thought it was too late in my career to need and ask for such guidance, and too late in my life to find self-love and true sisterhood. The support I gained here let me dig deep in black soil, touch and expose my most tender roots, water my dreams to grow into a healthy, strong tree; a woman who is seen, heard and loved. I am fearless now and shining in my purpose to enhance the life and livelihood of myself and others through offering private sessions, presenting and branching out my gifts across the city and nation through classes, workshops and at retreats, and I have begun writing my first book. My unique path is clearer, my highest goals are clarified and my creativity is back and ablaze. I am reborn, and I am held. -Ona Hawk

Joining the mentorship program with Octavia taught me/is teaching me what if feels like to truly support. Most importantly, it taught me/is teaching me to allow myself to be supported.  It has been an embodied experience of learning how to show up, speak my deepest desires around my personal and professional life, and allow all the rough edges that I typically like to hide – to be seen. I’m grateful that the person seeing was Octavia – she held my dreams in her arms as if they were her own. She saw the parts of me that hid from doing *and* the parts of me that did too much. She nurtured me and my dreams – sometimes with soft nudges, other times with a push. One of her gifts is truly seeing and feeling – and knowing when each method of holding is appropriate. Thanks to her mentorship program – her nudges, her pushes, her holding – I am building programming that bridges the research I love to do (work, stigma, and worthiness) with the practices that have helped heal my own toxic relationship to work (stillness based yoga practices). I am on my way. I am grateful. I am held. -Tiffany Johnson

I had an idea of what I wanted from a mentor program, but what I actually got out of it was more than I could have imagined. I realized that my expectations on how a mentorship with Octavia Raheem would operate was on the surface side of things, but she had other plans. She dove, without hesitation, and with a nurturing approach into the deeper levels on having me question and answer, who I am and what I REALLY want. She worked me from the inside out. Which offered me a deeper insight and perspective not only on mySelf, but also my work as a yoga teacher. Octavia has a special ability to see a person’s true nature, energy, and gifts (even if you can’t see for yourself at the time); then creates a space for You to cultivate and harness those characteristics. I appreciate her particular ability to make you feel safe, supported, and heard, while at the same time not letting you cheat yourself and calling you out on any mess.– Channing Hixon

The name of this program means SO much! I literally came to understand what it means to hold space for another. You don’t do the work for someone but you create a safe space for them to explore, express, and empower themselves. Octavia did just that for us making this the much needed catalyst in my year and this next phase in my life. The support from the group as a whole has been amazing … this was (and still is) a safe space to share my thoughts without fear of judgment. There was the spiritual, mental and emotional work but also the practical (and very necessary) work to actually put ACTION behind those ideas in my head. Right now, as I work towards building my vision of Well Indeed, a wellness lifestyle brand, I am preparing for my first yoga workshop series that starts in just under a month. There’s so much more to come but I’m so glad the journey has started and I had this awesome opportunity to help move things into action. – Venece Smith