Energy Exchange Coordinator, Yoga Teacher

Amanda Everitt

I started yoga hoping to improve my flexibility. Not only did my flexibility and strength benefit from my yoga practice, but I found I was better able to manage my stress. The benefits I found in each class stay with me off my mat and allow me to be a better and more present wife, mother, and friend.

I found Chrysalis when I was looking into Yoga Teacher Training and with one step through the door I knew this was the place for me. I have so much appreciation for the community at Chrysalis created by each teacher, staff member, and yoga student.

Yoga Teacher, Barre Instructor

Angela Del Franco

I started yoga 15 years ago for physical reasons and have been blessed to experience so much more. Yoga is now a choice that I make every day to dedicate and commit to understanding the body and the mind. With this yogic journey, I’ve also discovered I’ve been able to understand myself and others more. I continue to learn how yoga is beneficial for all stages of development and is truly universal.

My classes are alignment-focused with some influence of my dance background.

Yoga Teacher, Director of Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training

Angela Jackson

Yoga is a way for me to get to know who I am. It has been the means to access my true being and reach my full potential in this life. I cherish my time on my mat and live yoga every day in all that I do. Yoga’s not just the asana practice; it’s a way of living life gracefully and peacefully.

I teach Hatha, Prenatal, Postnatal, and yoga for athletes. My teaching style is focused around proper alignment and assisting you to reach your potential in every pose. My goal in every class is to bring a greater physical and spiritual awareness to my students.

Yoga Teacher

Anwar Qureshi

When I first came to yoga, I never would have guessed what a transformation it would bring about in my life; how it would change my relationships, my career, and how I value and utilize time. It wasn’t that yoga gave me a prescribed path, but it helped me find what I had spent so much time burying; a self – unencumbered by doubt, fear, or shame.

I teach classes designed to balance physical and mental discipline with openness and ease, bringing these characteristics together through mindfulness on and off my mat.

Yoga Teacher

Brittany Folino

I’ve practiced yoga on and off since I was just an adolescent. But it sucked me in after struggling through a few difficult years with depression and anxiety. I revisited my mat once again in 2013 and this time was different. My anxiety dissipated, the depression melted away, and I felt this strong connection with something higher. I felt connected to myself, body, breath, and ultimately the universe. The things I was genuinely struggling with began to transform into light, strength, and peace within. A year later, I felt called to start my journey as a yoga teacher to share this amazing gift with others.

My classes are creative, with a strong focus on alignment, breath and moving inwards to allow the external world to melt away. I encourage students to find their edge and evolve their practice by tapping into their strength, breath, and potential.

Yoga Teacher

Carly Milne

There was a point in my life where I started to lose a sense of myself by falling into the same unhealthy cycles that were stunting my progression as a whole. I was seeking something to help me find a deeper connection to my self-worth. I then found yoga and started coming to classes regularly. It quickly became apparent to me that yoga was more than the physical asanas. It was a deep healing tool that became a consistent and daily positive asset to my life. Every time I landed on my mat I started to gradually see a shift internally and the way I chose to live my daily life. Yoga has encouraged me to explore my highest potential as a being, enhance self-discovery and most importantly helped me embrace self-love. Yoga continues to transform my mind, body, and soul through my teaching and personal practice.

Through my teaching, I aim to create a fun and energized strength-based practice. I strive to encourage everyone’s deepest potential through their asanas, breath, and a playful heart, in hopes they carry that off their mat.

Yoga Teacher

Chris Nguyen

Walking into my first yoga class, I didn’t know what to expect at all. I was around 16 years old and thought it would be a great way to pass the time. Little did I know it was the spark of lifelong exploration – I knew it was something that I had to continue in my life. I truly believe that one’s yoga practice will never reach a peak; rather it will continuously grow stronger and deeper – past the physical asana.

As a teacher, I bring in different modalities to complement the yoga practice. My desire to continually study not only the yoga practice but also the body and movement allows me to expand my practice and share it with my students to move well and correctly. I strive to teach from a place of compassion and curiosity, as that is how I’ve been taught.

Yoga Teacher, Barre Instructor

Deborah McNairn

My personal struggles with mental illness and addiction have provided the opportunity to discover yoga as an amazing healing tool; however today yoga is a necessity for me. Through studying yoga, I’ve come to appreciate the limitless benefits of pranayama and meditation.

I’m married and have three wonderful and extremely active children that keep me motivated to make physical activity and healthy living a priority! I believe that with the optimal alignment and foundation, the practice of yoga is bound by nothing. We never fully reach the pinnacle; there’s always more waiting at our edge. My goal as a yoga teacher is to share my experiences, challenges, and lessons learned to encourage self-discovery and freedom in others.

Yoga Teacher, Barre Instructor

Iris Kolenski

I’ve always had a strong passion for personal fitness; beginning with many years of dance, gymnastics, and cheerleading. I was naturally drawn to yoga and began taking classes at my gym a few years ago. Shortly after, I started experimenting with different styles of yoga at several different studios in the area. Some personal life challenges lead me to consider deepening my practice by studying the art of yoga through teacher training.

For me, yoga continues to be a life changing experience, and I’m passionate about sharing my love for the practice with others. I assist in cultivating an energized practice focused on integration, alignment and body/mind awareness for a disciplined and wholesome life on and off the mat.

Yoga Teacher

Ingrid Pulpan

Yoga has been a part of my life since 2007. What started out as a physical practice, yoga soon became so much more. I began to notice positive shifts in my mind, body and ultimately, life. Gradually yoga has transformed from something I do into a lifestyle.

I teach classes that integrate precise alignment, link movement with breath and are creatively sequenced to help build strength and flexibility. I sprinkle in some playfulness, inspiration and maybe a challenging asana to help deepen your practice. Each class is different, as I tap into the energy of that day and class, and is designed to cultivate a meditative mind. My hope is that you step off your mat feeling rejuvenated, balanced and connected to your mind, body, and soul.

Yoga Advisor

Janet Takamatsu

I’ve always been physically active and would find myself turning to yoga when I would be injured or have a strain from an activity. Over the years I started to notice the benefits and effects of yoga. My body was transforming, and I could feel the overall wellness that yoga brought to my everyday life.

Yoga helped me to release stress, continue to exercise with results and helped me reconnect with my true self. I went on to do the Chrysalis Yoga Teacher Training program in 2015/2016. I’m truly grateful to be part of Chrysalis Yoga.

Yoga Teacher

Jennifer Denney

Yoga for me has been a great source of healing – physically and mentally. I began practicing yoga in 2001 while in University as a form of exercise and to deal with the stress. Since then yoga has helped me overcome the physical limitations of two knee injuries, one that limited my ability to walk for years and it has given me strength in challenging times to have confidence in myself and provided me with perspective on how to approach life in a positive way.

Yoga Teacher, Co-Director of 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training

Johanna De Castro

I’m involved in many communities through my love for yoga, sports, and my previous work with the Boys & Girls Club of Hamilton. To be able to connect with others, share conversations and positive moments allows me to do everything I love in life!

In my classes I bring balance, lightheartedness wrapped up with lots of love, laughter, and tutu’s on special occasions! Flow with me to ignite your inner fire and elevate your potential! Relax with me to find harmony in mind, body, and spirit.

Yoga Advisor

Kaitlyn Vellenga

I came to Chrysalis as a life-long competitive athlete transitioning from university life to working different office positions, and I found that my body had a hard time adjusting; I sought out a form of exercise that would provide some support. It became evident pretty quickly that the benefits of coming to my mat went far beyond the physical. Yoga has allowed me to become more comfortable in my skin, feel confident and unselfish in taking time just for me and provided some relief from the anxiety I had dealt with for years.

After two years of finding personal peace and enjoyment from practicing at Chrysalis, it felt completely right to immerse myself further in the amazing community and become a Yoga Advisor. The staff here are so welcoming and kind, you immediately feel at home. I look forward to chatting with you about what benefits yoga, and Chrysalis can bring to your life!

Yoga Advisor, Social Media Guru

Kristina Mance

I began practising yoga with my family nearly ten years ago. It was a way for us to keep fit and spend time together. At the time I didn’t know that my relationship with yoga and my practice would become such an important part of my life. Dealing with insomnia, anxiety, depression and a sports injury pushed me to delve deeper into my practice with restorative and yin yoga. My mat became my refuge; my practice became non-negotiable, and week by week I started to see a difference. The changes I saw extended beyond looking and feeling better physically; they opened doors for reflection, profound emotional healing and ultimately growth.

Yoga has taught me compassion, self-awareness, strength, balance and humility. I am so grateful for my yoga practice and yoga teacher training because they have transformed me into a happier and healthier version of myself.

Yoga Teacher

Leah Hennessy

I came to yoga after 15 years of dance came to an end. Looking for a way to move my body, I fell in love with the physical practice of yoga. Fast forward a couple of years, and I had a buildup of emotions that left me feeling unhappy, stressed, and anxious. It was at this time I started to notice the mental and emotional shift that occurred every time I hit my mat, and that’s when the floodgates opened!

I love to teach the way I love to move! I aim to introduce a sense of exploration and playfulness to each practice while focusing on safety and alignment. Whether it is offering new poses, playing with transitions or connecting movement with breath, I encourage students to explore the boundaries of their body and mind.

Yoga Teacher

Lisa Gayk

When I came to yoga in 2014, I never expected it to shift my life in so many ways. Physically, I began to notice myself for the first time. I began to notice the movements in my body, how my breath could be my anchor, and even more aware of the food and products that were going into my body. Mentally, it was a gradual shift as I started to react to life differently. My practice has taught me to show compassion rather than judgment, to choose love over fear, to be vulnerable, to be present, and to honour my feelings, instead of avoiding them. I’m different, and I view the world differently.

In my classes, my mission is to inspire students by focusing on alignment, compassion, growth, and creativity and allowing them to explore the mind-body connection to remind themselves of their inner power and strength. My goal is to connect with students’ hearts and to encourage them to live authentically on and off of their mats.

Yoga Teacher, Barre & Fitness Instructor

Marion Kernaghan

Fitness became my passion around 2009 after my fourth child was born. I started running, kickboxing and being more active than ever. I’ve taken a variety of courses in the field of exercise, nutrition and weight loss to further my knowledge but the bee in my bonnet is my yoga certification. Yoga just brings everything together. It brings balance and harmony to my life, my fitness and myself. Yoga has highlighted the strengths and limitations of my body and in my life. Coming to my mat gives me the space to breathe, think and to just be me.

I teach fun, fast-paced, energetic classes that are designed to strengthen, tone and challenge the body and mind.

Yoga Teacher

Michelle Compas

Although surrounded by yoga and meditation in childhood, I resisted it because I couldn’t relate. I didn’t find a home for yoga in my heart until 2010. Yoga came into my life by accident one day, and I’m grateful for all the events leading up to that moment. Now, I never under-appreciate how opportunities come to you when you need it and are ready for it. In 2011, I pursued my yoga instructor certification to immerse myself into the philosophy and values of yoga.

My style is inspired by the curiosity of how our bodies are different from each other and even day to day. I respect where you are at in your yoga journey and am drawn to the idea of letting the pose meet you.

Yoga Advisor

Mikayla Toner

I have struggled with anxiety for a long time and found it very difficult to cope with it. Once I started doing Yoga, I found it as an escape from that anxiety and a way to not focus on other things going on in my life and just breathe. Yoga has not only helped me deal with my anxiety, but it also makes me feel better physically. There are so many benefits to yoga and I love how it feels to notice yourself progressing through practice.

Since yoga has helped me so much, I’m glad to be a part of such a friendly, welcoming group of people who share the same passion at Chrysalis. It is such a positive environment to be in and I’m excited to be working for Chrysalis Yoga.

Yoga Teacher, Barre Instructor

Melissa Bumbacco

Growing up with a background in dance it was no surprise when I fell I love with yoga back in 2014.  The time I spend on my mat I use to still my mind and fuel my physical body through mindful movement.  My practice has empowered me both on and off my mat. It has allowed me to use my body to accomplish things I may have once thought impossible.

Teaching allows me the opportunity to share my passion and knowledge with others. My Barre class helps you develop stronger, leaner muscles while my yoga practice is focused on alignment and creative flow sequences that will challenge your body.

Studio Manager, Yoga Teacher

Natalie Pearson-Workman

Feeling anxious, agitated and lost, I first came to my yoga mat in 2007. As a student of yoga, my life is constantly being transformed in ways I would never have imagined possible. My exploration of yoga philosophies continues to provide me with all the tools I need to live a more present, vibrant and fulfilling life. I’m particularly drawn to pranayama, meditation and a gentle approach to asana; I find the quieter, more contemplative practices to be the most transformative for me.

As a teacher, I’m honoured to share my experiences and support others as they infuse yoga into their lives. My classes are inspired by my personal life experiences, teachers, mentors, students, friends, and family. As you breathe, move and meditate you will be encouraged to find your flow, honouring what YOU need in each moment. I strongly believe that this safe and supportive style of teaching allows you to delve deeper into your practice, to build your own “Yoga tool box” and ultimately begin to lead the life you imagine for yourself.

Teacher

Nanashi Satori

I’m reminded of a quote from Ram Dass “If you think you’re enlightened, go spend a week with your family”. Shortly after coming across Eckhart’s teachings and experiencing a radical shift in Consciousness, I went back to live with my parents, sister, and nephew for the last 7 years. Turns out Ram Dass is a pretty wise man. Having seen the healing powers of Presence in the challenging environment of family dynamics, I’m confident that it can help in any facet of your Life that needs rebalancing.

Yoga Teacher

Rachel Saxon

I came to yoga as a needed change to my physical exercise routine and immediately fell in love. Before long I developed a deep desire to expand my practice beyond my mat and signed up for a workshop on Transformation, and transformation is exactly what happened! By the end, I was happier, healthier, and gave off an inner glow. I knew yoga was where I belonged.

I teach classes that are physically challenging and focused on proper alignment, and explain how the yoga poses affect the body.

Owner, Yoga Teacher, Director of 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training

Shanine Dennill

I tried my first yoga class in 1998/9 while living in South Africa. It wasn’t until I came to Canada after people encouraged me to try yoga again, that I fell in love with it. Yoga became a sanctuary for me during difficult times (especially in times of grief) and an incredible tool I hope others can experience to help in their life – for self-care, to alter habits, and to learn more about life.

I love creating unique sequences, including a sprinkling of philosophy, while remaining grounded in the principles of alignment to keep everyone safe. I love to learn and throw in new and challenging poses, but will always give options to make the pose accessible for everyone’s body. I believe compassion for those going through difficult times can be cultivated through the compassion we show ourselves in our yoga practice, by doing inner work, and the empathy we have for others.

Yoga Teacher, Barre Instructor

Stacey Cabrera

I struggled as a teen with low self-esteem. When I first began practicing yoga, only the physical aspect attracted me. I now embrace the spiritual journey as well. Yoga helped me realize that what I was looking for externally, was right in my heart and soul all along. My classes will challenge you to take yourself less seriously, to think, to grow, and to build physical strength and spiritual compassion.

I find inspiration everywhere: books, my teachers, and in other people’s stories. Yoga has helped me to become a more honest, loving and authentic person. Through my journey, I have learned to love all parts of myself, seeing myself as “perfectly imperfect”. I fell in love with Yoga and Barre because I love to be challenged. Only after sustaining a back and neck injury, did I begin to truly understand the power of Yoga. I quickly realized that my true calling was to share what I had learned. After completing 1560YTT hours, including Yoga Medicine Training on the spine, shoulder, and hip, I hope to inspire others.

Yoga Advisor

Stephanie Macleod

I came to yoga after some health problems left me feeling physically and mentally broken. A friend urged me to try yoga and introduced me to Chrysalis. I found that each class I took had a part in bringing my broken bits back together. No matter how I showed up on my mat, the acceptance I received was instrumental in my healing journey. I knew soon after that I wanted to bring that to other people. I have since completed the Chrysalis Yoga teacher training program, the Prenatal yoga teacher training program, and the Restorative yoga teacher training program. By studying and incorporating Yoga philosophy into my life, I now realize that I was never broken – I was just disconnected from myself, and too connected to things outside myself.

Throughout my journey, Chrysalis has felt like home. When the opportunity presented, I was delighted to become part of a team that encourages people to show up as they are, while creating a safe place for that to happen.

Meditation Teacher, Director of Meditation Teacher Training

Tony Murdock

My spiritual journey began in 1972. I then completed an Honours Degree in Comparative Religions and a Master’s degree in Sanskrit and Hindu Religious History.

I started teaching meditation in 1998. It has been my privilege to be a part of several Yoga Teacher Training Programs, and I have developed a Meditation Teacher Training Program. Since 2007 I’ve taught meditation classes at Wellspring, supporting those with Cancer.

In addition, I’m a Therapeutic Touch practitioner. To date, I’ve released 3 meditation CDs.

Yoga Teacher, Barre Instructor

Wendy Baker

I came to yoga when I was expecting my second child. My doctors suggested that I try yoga. Little did I know it would become a huge part of my life. Yoga has taught me so many wonderful things: it has shown me how to be calmer and more patient (great things to have when you’re a stay-at-home mom of two very busy boys). Yoga has also taught me to live more in the present moment, not the past or future. I feel incredibly connected to the world and people around me.

I feel that yoga is a gift to share with others. My goal as a yoga teacher is to teach in a fun and inspirational environment while focusing on body alignment and technique. I aim to expand students’ yoga practices and give them an opportunity to explore their body, mind, and spirit.