Larry Payne, PhD
Writer, WebMD, Inc.
Larry Payne, PhD, is a former advertising executive turned yoga expert. More than 20 years ago, while working in advertising, the now internationally prominent teacher, author, and workshop leader on yoga and back care was plagued with chronic back pain and stress. His quest for relief led him to study yoga and health in 11 countries and inspired his career change upon certification in India.
In 1981, he founded the Samata Yoga Center in Los Angeles, and he is chairman of the International Association of Yoga Therapists. Payne holds a doctorate and a master's degrees in fitness education with emphasis in Hatha yoga from Pacific Western University. His background is in psychology, and he has completed graduate work in physical therapy at Cal-State University Long Beach. He was the U.S. representative to the first World Congress of Yoga in Montevideo, Uruguay, and he has received Outstanding Achievement Awards for Yoga in Europe and the U.S., as well as the Golden Lotus Award from South America. In addition, he founded the Healthy Back Program at the world-famous Rancho La Puerta Fitness Spa, and the Corporate Yoga Program at the J. Paul Getty Museum and the new Getty Center in Brentwood, Calif. Most recently, Payne co-founded the Yoga program at the UCLA Medical School, the first of its kind in the nation.
Payne has helped thousands of chronic back sufferers and high-stress professionals, including Carol Burnett, Dolly Parton, Cybill Shepherd, Ringo Starr, Warren Beatty, The Disney Company executives, and numerous professional and Olympic athletes. Payne has been a frequent guest on national television and syndicated radio programs, and his work has been featured in numerous national and international magazines, as well as in The New York Times and the Los Angeles Times. Payne is the co-author of Yoga for Dummies.
Payne resides in Los Angeles and has a thriving practice in Marina del Rey and Malibu. In addition to regular speaking engagements and workshops, he leads an annual Yoga and Health Vacation in Hanalei Bay, Kauai, and he is featured in the audio and video programs User Friendly Yoga and Healthy Back, Healthy Mind.