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About 15 years ago, I was a stay-at-home mom to “two under two”. As any parent who has been in this situation can tell you, the days are long with a baby and toddler, and by the time my husband arrived home from work I was ready for a break! Craving some movement, I found yoga at my local gym. What I stumbled upon was a class that offered everything I didn’t know that I needed…strengthening poses that challenged my stamina, long held postures that deepened my flexibility, and breathwork that made me, well, attentive to my breath—for the first time (!). I left each class with a sense of calm…a quieter mind and an inner peace that made me a better parent and a better person.
I completed my 200-hour yoga teacher training in 2018 through Hot Asana Yoga University. I have BS and MS degrees in Biology from Wake Forest University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, including training in anatomy and neurobiology from the UNC School of Medicine. I like to approach teaching yoga from a more “scientific” perspective, using my anatomy knowledge to ensure proper alignment and safety in postures, and sharing with my students the growing body of scientific evidence to support the positive effects of yoga on the nervous system and overall health.
Born and raised in Broadway, I now live in Sanford with my husband and three teenaged children. I enjoy growing all kinds of vegetables and flowers, hiking, and being outdoors anytime.
Yoga makes people feel better. And when people feel better, they ARE better. Teaching yoga is my seva, my way to make the world better.
I have been practicing yoga personally for about 13 years. Over the years I have found yoga to be much more than just a physical practice; it has taught me to slow down physically and mentally, and helped deal with emotions on a deeper level. I obtained my 200-hour teaching certification in 2018 and have been teaching ever since. I enjoy slower, mindful practices focusing on alignment and presence. I also enjoy a good vinyasa flow!
I love running, swimming, and anything outdoors. I am passionate about dogs and animal rescue and have been a volunteer with Carolina Animal Rescue and Adoption for many years. I am originally from Buffalo, NY and have lived in Sanford for 23 years with my husband Bobby and our 9-year-old Gordon Setter, Maddie.
While living in Los Angeles in 2007, I hiked past a free yoga class in the park every day for months. Finally, my curiosity led me to try it out, and after a few classes, I was hooked for life. During this time, I was going through some difficult life changes, and yoga taught me how to connect to my authentic self. I came through with a profound appreciation for the power of the practice. Inspired by this power and the desire to facilitate this process for others, I began my 200-hour teacher training in 2009 at Yogaworks and completed an apprenticeship through Yogaworks to reach my 500-hour certification in 2013. I taught classes in the Los Angeles area until March 2019, when I moved to North Carolina with my husband and 3-year-old son.
My classes offer a safe, balanced asana practice that emphasizes proper alignment. I encourage my students to find that they can exceed their own expectations by connecting to their breath. I lead classes with compassion, guiding students toward self-awareness. I believe that through linking movement with breath the mind is cleared, and we are open to connect to our true nature.
Teresa is an Arizona native transplanted to North Carolina by her husband’s career in the US Air Force. She has a passion for helping military families as well as people in recovery. Teresa began teaching chair yoga in 2019 at a facility for adults with disabilities, and loves to share the benefits of yoga with ALL people. Teresa is a firm believer that even the most subtle movement can have the most profound effect on mind and body. My classes offer a safe, balanced asana practice that emphasizes proper alignment. I encourage my students to find that they can exceed their own expectations by connecting to their breath. I lead classes with compassion, guiding students toward self-awareness. I believe that through linking movement with breath the mind is cleared, and we are open to connect to our true nature.
Sheena received her RYT 200 Hour Hatha Yoga training in her hometown of Tucson, AZ in June of 2021. Her passion for yoga started over a decade ago as a new mom, looking to find balance and calm in her life. She currently resides in Sanford with her husband, two teenagers and adventure dog Jade. Sheena’s classes are taught intuitively, with a strong focus on the spiritual aspect of yoga, including chakras and breathwork. Sheena is also a Reiki Practitioner, offering personalized energy healing, chakra balancing, and crystal healing. When she isn’t teaching yoga, you can find her on the mountain bike trails with her family, hunting for crystals, making sourdough bread, or curled up with a pile of books!
Deanna is a Sanford native that also spent some time living in Wilmington and Boone, NC. She graduated from Appalachian State University with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. She has been practicing yoga since 2014 and decided to pursue her 200 hour RYT in 2021. After completing her certification and giving birth to a little boy, she dived right into teaching. In her spare time she enjoys being outdoors, loving her fur babies and human baby, any form of body movement and reading. What she loves about teaching yoga, is the freedom and release that can be created for the folx if given the right atmosphere and connection with their yoga community. Deanna has a special interest in working with Trauma/PTSD survivors, Underserved Communities, Post Partum Moms and Athletes.
My love for training clients, coupled with my love for yoga, inspired me to enroll in yoga teacher training and earn my 200HR teaching certificate. I completed Yin Yoga and Mindfulness Certifications in 2021, Spin Class Instructor Certification in 2022, and my 300HR RYT and Reiki Master in 2023.
In my yoga classes, you are given the space to make the yoga practice your own and to show up on your mat just as you are—perfection not required! I love to foster an environment of ease and community among my students. You can expect to experience a fun and dynamic sequence grounded in healthy alignment. In my class, it is okay to fumble and fall.
For me, yoga is best practiced when we embrace imperfection, let go of any desire to achieve a certain pose, and simply allow ourselves to be present and move organically.
Our bodies are such a gift and yoga teaches us to celebrate, accept, and listen to our bodies. I want to spread my love of yoga with everyone and teach yoga to as many people as the universe allows. I want to teach my students to have compassion for their bodies and strive for their greatest physical, mental, and spiritual potential while living fully present in the moment.