Team Members Archive - PranaShanti

Alyson

Alyson weaves artistry, anatomy, and somatic movement with ancient yogic wisdom. These combined disciplines create a tapestry that reminds us of the human body's self-organizing bio-intelligence. A somatic guide, Alyson works deeply to Deconstruct and Reconstruct unconscious muscle tension. Known as “the teacher who does things differently,” her carefully crafted sequences leave students with greater physical and emotional knowledge. Deemed a sequencing wizard, her embodied flows shift long-held movement habits, muscle tone, fascia patterns, and reflexive responses. Techniques such as self-myofascial release and somatic mobility hacks dissolve root causes of pain and fast-track strength and flexibility. We cannot deny reality, but we can influence the present. Life sneakily leads us to our purpose, often on a path we resist. Yoga and Somatics guided Alyson toward her dharma: inspiring others to inhabit their soma. The soma, our self-sensing entity, shapes the fabric of personal and collective movement in all forms. Creator and founder of Yoga Somatics Online since 2019, she weaves 25 years of experience...

Katherine

I am a professionally trained Fletcher Pilates instructor, with experience across the full range of Pilates equipment. As a professional dancer, I bring a deep understanding of movement, alignment, and body awareness to my teaching. I believe in moving with precision and intention while creating a practice that feels both challenging and supportive. I am also trained in Alixa Flexibility, completing Modules 1–5. This comprehensive system offers stretching and flexibility training for everyday bodies through to advanced flexibility and contortion. My teaching blends strength, mobility, flexibility, and mindful movement to help each individual better understand and connect with their body....

Steffi

Steffi’s strong, yet playful teaching style and explorations into movement and breath coupled with a good sense of humour is appreciated by beginners as well as students who are in for a challenge or two. Her classes are inspired by many teachers and types of yoga and by her background in dance. Over the many years of teaching dance as well as teaching in an academic setting, Steffi has become very adept at sensing the energy in the room and flowing with it. She also knows that as we flow through life we find ourselves sometimes in very habitual patterns. And this happens in our yoga practice as well. We get very rigid and set in our ways. In her classes, Steffi invites her students to embrace the change from the way they might have practiced yoga and to allow for dynamic ease. Steffi has practiced yoga since 2006. Over the years she has come to appreciate many styles such as Vinyasa,...

Tania, RMT

Tania is a Registered Massage Therapist and a soon-to-be 200-hour registered yoga teacher. From a young age, she has been passionate about movement and holistic health. She loves yoga, hiking, biking, strength training, Zumba, and really, any activity that gets the body moving! One of her favourite sayings is “Motion is Lotion!”—a phrase that reflects her belief in the importance of movement and staying active. With her passion for wellness and a desire to better understand the body, Tania studied Massage Therapy at Algonquin College, diving deeper into biomechanics, anatomy, and physiology. She graduated with honours and is excited to bring this knowledge into her practice. One of her goals is to share her knowledge of anatomy, health, and movement to help others improve their quality of life. In the treatment room, Tania takes a holistic approach to care, recognizing that the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of our well-being can all influence the body. She values thorough assessments, effective treatment, and remedial exercises to...

Kelly

Interest and circumstance drew me to a hot power yoga class in August 2012. I was instantly hooked and committed myself to daily practice. To build my knowledge of Yoga and its philosophy, I enrolled in 200hour Teacher Training Program with Power Yoga Canada. Earning my certification in August of 2013, I continued to practise at Elevate Yoga in Ottawa, where I eventually began teaching and assisting in the studio’s everyday operations. I spent the next 6 years honing my skills as not only a teacher, but also a student. I began taking weekly Iyengar classes in 2015 to gain a better understanding of postural alignment and the use of props to facilitate deeper expression of postures. In 2021, I began a new career path and stepped away from teaching in the spring of 2022, but continued to maintain a daily practice, which complements a resistance training program. My practice has been solely in my home since 2020, but recently, I was...

Evelyn

I’ve been studying and practicing astrology for more than twenty years, but what continues to inspire me most is its remarkable ability to help us understand ourselves with greater compassion and clarity. My path with astrology has taken me across North and Central America and beyond, studying evolutionary, archetypal, Shamanistic, and Jungian approaches to the birth chart. Along the way, I’ve worked with clients from many different backgrounds and stages of life, each seeking to better understand their purpose, relationships, challenges, and opportunities for growth. I see astrology not as a tool for predicting the future, but as a sacred language of meaning. It helps us recognize the deeper patterns at work in our lives, understand the season we are currently living through, and reconnect with the person we are becoming. Many of the people who find their way to my practice are navigating transitions: questions of identity, purpose, relationships, career, or simply a feeling that life is asking something new of them....

Doug

I began my yoga journey in 2012 after finding myself in the emergency room being treated for diverticulitis and going into a septic shock. Stressed out and burnt out, I knew I could not continue the lifestyle I was living. Shortly thereafter I walked into my first yoga class. I couldn’t even reach my toes but I knew I had found my purpose. Leaving behind a career in sales and marketing, I held a dedicated practice for 5 years before making my first trip to India to go deeper into my passion for yoga. I completed my first YTT in 2017 at the Sri Yoga Ashram in Rishikesh, India. I have since returned 5 times to continue my studies. I have completed 600 hours in Hatha and Ashtanga Yoga, and recently 200 hours in Kundalini Tantra. I have also completed trainings in Yoga Nidra and Yin and Restorative Yoga. I am also passionate about woodworking and build musical instruments(monochords and harps)...

Mark

Mark values kindness, love and helping people. He wants to improve a bit each day and try to make each day a bit brighter. He has experienced the mental, physical and spiritual benefits of regular yoga practice over the last 15 years. He loves yoga and wants to share the benefits with as many people as possible. Mark enjoys a yoga practice that focuses on strength, flexibility, breath work and body awareness. His classes can be challenging, but provide options for all. He tries to bring a bit of joy or levity to his classes as yoga, like life, should be fun and incorporate some laughter. He looks forward to serving his fellow yogis in class, and is happy to be part of the wonderful yoga community at PranaShanti. Please say hello if you see him as he always enjoys meeting people and learning something about them.< Yoga is life, and life is beautiful....

Saman

Saman is a yoga teacher, breathwork facilitator and a percussionist. He integrates his drumming into his breathwork and yoga sessions, believing that drum beats connect us with our inner rhythm and others, and help us be more present. He also incorporates electronic beats into his music production to allow for more immersive experiences. His passion lies in quieting the mind through movement and breathwork, a practice he is eager to share with others....

Sonya, RMT

When you’re in balance, you feel it — your body moves with ease, your mind is clear and focused, and your emotions flow without overwhelm. You feel healthy, present, and alive. But balance doesn’t mean staying still. Much like riding a bike, it’s a dynamic process — sometimes we wobble, sometimes we fall, but with awareness and support, we find our centre again. Over time, we learn how to maintain momentum and recover more easily when life shifts us off course. I’m Sonya, a Registered Massage Therapist since 2012, a Professional Life Coach, and a certified First Aid/CPR Trainer. My work is grounded in the belief that healing and growth happen when we align body, mind, and spirit. Whether through massage therapy, coaching conversations, or teaching essential life-saving skills, my goal is to work in partnership with you — to help you reconnect with your own rhythm, rediscover your balance, and feel empowered to maintain it. Let’s explore what balance looks and feels...