She/Her
Erin Keir
Westshore Instructor
Erin Keir, born and raised in Toronto landed in paradise Victoria B.C. 500Hr RYT + Reiki Energy Healer, Erin combines elements of breath, energetic movement and mindful relaxation to promote a deep sense of balance and freedom. Her approachable style is accessible to yoga veterans and rookies alike – you’ll leave her classes connected to joy and ready to ‘Let Shift Happen.’ With over 15 years of diverse experience teaching many forms of yoga & dance, Erin leads regular weekly classes, private sessions, workshops and retreats worldwide. She proudly has served on the faculty of the Ahimsa Yogayama Teacher Training program, where she herself studied and graduated. Always a student, she is deeply grateful for her teachers & mentors: Michelle & JP Tamblyn-Sabo, Danielle March, YuMee Chung, Simon Park, Rod Stryker & Theresa Marcotte.
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She/Her
Rose Cortez
Victoria + Westshore Instructor
My passion for Creative Expressions, Yoga and Healing Arts continue to bloom everyday. I’ve been a Yoga Teacher for a decade sharing my energy and experience through community building, art, poetry and innovative resilient props for on and off my Yoga mat. My recent projects are supporting, facilitating and gathering conscious minds as a Creative Director for Yoga, Art & Nature Retreats as visitors on unceded territory on Haida Gwaii + sharing my Reclaimed Cedar Bloom Yoga & Art Blocks.
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She/Her
Tianna Andrews
Westshore Instructor
Tianna has always had a huge passion for movement. She’s been practicing & teaching different forms for years, ranging from yoga, acrobatics, mobility, inversions, and more.
This experience has given her the skills & expertise to help you dive into deeper levels of awareness within your own body to help you reach your movement goals. Whether your goal is to build strength, range of motion, body awareness, get upside down, or to feel better physically & mentally, she’s here to guide and support you through your journey!
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She/her
Willow Hopper
Massage Therapist
Willow was born in Banff AB, Canada and raised in Ottawa ON. She first made a move westward in 2007 when she followed her roots back to Banff where she spent two years living and playing. Though she loved the seasonal adventures the mountains had to offer, she followed a pull towards the coast and has been living on Vancouver Island for over a decade where she now calls Metchosin home. When Willow was little, it was always a challenge to convince her to get out of the water–whether that was a lake in the Gatineau Park, a pool or a river–and not much has changed. A lover of all things water, she has found her happy place nearby the ocean with an abundance of varying coastline, rivers and lakes to explore. She even enjoys the rainy winters. Willow can often be found with a favourite mug in hand, enjoying local trails, snuggling something furry, laughing, engaged in good conversation, making soup or sitting at her piano.
Willow is a recent graduate of the West Coast College of Massage Therapy located in the heart of Victoria. Over the course of her time as an intern therapist, Willow had the opportunity to work with a variety of populations and conditions including: chronic pain, mental health challenges, athletes, pre and post natal, central and peripheral nervous system disorders and various inflammatory conditions.
Willow welcomes a wide variety of clientele: from those seeking to simply enjoy a relaxation massage to those in need of a more therapeutic focus. She is committed to creating a practice centred around facilitating relief, wellness, empowerment and resilience as directed by each individual client’s goals. Working with Willow, you can expect empathic active listening, a mindful treatment approach and plan, as well as tailored homecare. Willow strives to forge supportive therapeutic alliances with her clients as a means of inspiring hope, curiosity and confidence as they pursue and maintain their health goals.
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She/Her
Eve Carty
Westshore Instructor
Eve has been practicing yoga for over 20 years and took her practice to the next level by completing her Yoga Teacher Training Program (RYT-200). From there, she has completed various other training programs to complement her yoga and aerial fitness classes. She completed her 300 hours Yoga Teacher Training in July 2020 and is designated as a RYT-500. She is currently a member of Yoga Alliance and also designated as a Continuing Education Provider (YACEP).
She aims to make her classes fresh, uplifting and fun for all levels. She is friendly, approachable and takes great care with creating a safe and comfortable environment for all her students. She loves sharing the joy of yoga and fitness with each and every student that she meets along the way.
She believes in yoga for life – taking every opportunity to weave the tools and practices of yoga that she has learned into her daily life. She is always looking for ways to deepen her practice and expand her study of yoga by continuously learning – not only from other teachers and colleagues, but also from students.
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She/Her
Carrie-Ann Robinson
Victoria Instructor
Coming soon
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She/Her
Dawn Bayers
Victoria + Westshore Instructor
Hi I’m Dawn, I believe yoga transforms us from the inside out.
Whether you’re new to yoga or are looking to deepen your practice, I’m here to support you on your journey and offer you tools and experiences to feel more at ease in your body and mind.
Yoga truly changed my life and teaching is my passion. I’ve been teaching full time for over 10 years, I teach a variety of styles from Hatha to Flow to Yin and Restorative Yoga, as well as Breathwork and Meditation.
I have facilitated several Meditation and Pranayama workshops and created alongside my husband a Yoga and Sound experience - Immersion, Sound, Mind, Body which we have shared at local yoga studios as well as festivals in Alberta and British Columbia, Canada.
I’m known for mindful, grounding and balanced classes integrating breath and movement; using breath to calm the mind while working into and connecting with the physical body. I also blend music and meditation to create a serene experience.
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He/Him
Eddy Bortzer
Victoria Instructor
To me, it's all about awareness. Yoga encourages us to move with mindfulness, compassion, and intention and that transfers over to almost every aspect of our daily lives. It’s about learning and practicing on the mat so we can spread this joy, happiness, presence, and love to others off of the mat.
My positive approach to teaching provides for a playful atmosphere where I weave together free-fluid movements with the sounds of the breath while always coming back to intuition. I enjoy flowing through funky transitions and settling deeply into a shape allowing the asana to fully encompass the body. Through these transitions and asanas, I will attempt to guide the class to discover these new depths, kind of like exploring the deep sea. My intention is to give students the feeling and experience of oneness, wholeness, connectedness and to cultivate a positive state of being.
My professional background lies in nature and forest connection and I often bring these “natural” aspects into the class. Whether it’s placing our awareness on the elements within us or building a sequence like building a fire, it’s all connected.
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She/Her
Jonni-Lyn Friel
Victoria Instructor
Jonni-Lyn Friel has been teaching Yoga since 2006 and is a E-RYT-500, E-RYT 200, RPYT and Jivamukti
teacher who recently returned to Canada ,after many years of living in Athens Greece. She is pleased to
call Victoria , B.C home and looks forward to exploring how life will unfold here.She first was exposed to
Yoga as a child in Canada through her first teachers, her parents, and joined in their practice by watching
and following along. Yoga was always a self practice that took her through years of competitive
swimming, University and backpacking around the world.
In 1999, she stepped into her first Yoga class and discovered the joys of having a teacher and being
taught from another person's experience and knowledge. In 2006 she completed her first teacher training
in Athens, Greece. With a strong background in alignment and Anusara, she began to explore the world of
Vinyasa, completing a teacher training with her wonderful teacher Rusty Wells. In 2013 she completed the
300 hour Jivamukti Yoga teacher training in Costa Rica and found new teachers in Sharon Gannon and
David Life.
Now a 500 hour RYT, she has taught numerous 200 and 500 hour trainings, where her love is to share the
Bhagavad Gita and to teach service and compassion as a way to happiness and self realization. In 2016
she founded Namaha Yoga School, a collective of teachers from around the world from different
traditions who share the common belief that teaching Yoga is a path of Seva, or service. Jonni-Lyn knows
Yoga to be sacred, healing and powerful. This is how it has affected her life and spirit. Her greatest joy is
to share her knowledge and pass on the teachings of her beloved teachers to others, in hope that it serves
them in their lives.
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She/Her
Sarah Meyer
Victoria Instructor, Studio Support
Sarah is a yoga teacher, a mother, and a water lover. She wants to encourage a world where people
can love their bodies for what they are: strong, beautiful, and created beings.
Sarah began a committed yoga practice in 2008 after sailing around the Pacific Ocean in the confined
space of a tall ship. This experience was life changing and left her wanting for more movement in her
life than a boat length of deck space would allow. Ever since, she has been enchanted with this
practice of yoga that offers the ability to shift our state of being by simply shifting the shape of our
bodies. This has led her to a deep love of mindful movement, and opened up opportunities to offer
these practices back to others.
Sarah's classes will straddle the line of challenge, striking a balance between both a doable and
difficult practice experience. Expect clear and concise cuing that will lead you to find success in
postures you didn't think possible. She strives to empower her students to find their own reasons for
continuing their journey. She desires to bring a little more Grace into the world by paying attention and
seeing the people in front of her; meeting them where they are and loving them for who they are.
Sarah completed her first teacher training in 2012 and has since trained with Darren Rhodes, Christina
Sell, Esak Garcia, & Natalie Rousseau, among others. Sarah is a E-RYT certified yogahour® teacher
and holds deep gratitude for the blessings in her life, including her supportive husband, 3 wonderful
children, & this beautifully created world.
Asana, practice, learning, teaching; yoga is never “finished.”
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He/Him
Guy Friswell
Victoria + Westshore Instructor
Guy Friswell views the act of teaching as a joyful extension of his personal yoga practice. He is passionate about all things yoga and is always eager to share this passion, both in and out of the yoga studio. Guy is well-known and respected in the local Victoria yoga community and has been teaching for many Victoria studios since 2009. He has made numerous appearances at local yoga conferences, community events, and large group outdoor classes. For the last couple of years, Guy has been offering classes online, bringing his calm and authentic approach to yoga and meditation students around the world. Guy brings a fusion of practices to his classes, including meditation, mindfulness, classic hatha yoga, vinyasa flow, yin, Qi Gong, and functional fitness. You can expect a well-rounded class from Guy that leaves you feeling centred, balanced, and ready to face your day!
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She/Her
Tara Heal
Victoria Instructor, Lead YTT Faculty
Tara Heal landed in beautiful Victoria in 2017 from a 14 year stint living in NYC, and couldn’t be happier. Her teaching has spanned NHL teams, teens, Broadway performers, office groups – always offering classes that are powerful, soulful, and dynamic, while incorporating innovative, intelligent sequencing and functional alignment. She aims to encourage body awareness, agility, and strength, while illuminating the peace and power that comes from mindfulness.Tara fell in love with this practice in 2001. By 2008 she began formal training with Rod Stryker’s Para Yoga Vinyasa Certification (Mary Bruce and Johnna Smith), and has continued with trainings, immersions and inspiration from The Iyengar Institute, Laughing Lotus NYC, Kula Yoga NYC, Moksha/ Modo Yoga, Sivananda, Janet Stone, Carly Forest (Yin), Christine Price Clark, Ryan Leir, Dina Tshouluhas, Witold Fitz-Simmons, Ted Grand, Jessica Robertson and will be a student for life. Tara is honoured to share the practice that has brought so much courage, resilience and joy into her own life, and intends to bring light, humor, patience and authenticity into her teaching. Alongside Yoga, her work as a performer has taken her to stages all over the globe. She feels endlessly grateful to continue sharing her “why” through movement and music.For info on events, special offerings, privates, and mentorships, connect with Tara via Instagram DM.
@tarahealybird
For info on upcoming events, workshops, and teacher trainings visit www.tarahealyoga.com
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She/Her
Crista Shillington
Victoria Instructor
Crista adores yoga! She loves the peace and happiness that it brings her, and loves helping others to similarly discover the healing and empowering effects of yoga. She has found that yoga addresses all aspects of mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being, and that acceptance and confidence on the mat reflect into daily life.
Crista holds a B.A. in Psychology, and has taken additional training in counselling and social work. She has been teaching yoga for over 15 years. She has completed numerous Teacher Trainings: 5 Elements Vinyasa with Janet Stone, Vinyasa with Clara Roberts-Oss, Prenatal with Teresa Campbell, Advanced Hatha Teacher Training, Silent Meditation, and Advanced Pranayama. She is proud to hold the highest designation of certification with Yoga Alliance, an Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (E-RYT 500). She loved being a member of the Semperviva Yoga Teacher Training faculty in Vancouver, BC.
She is passionate about helping students learn, sweat, de-stress, and have fun! She encourages students to be playful and open. Her classes are always creative, working toward peak poses, and include a theme in practice. She feels that yoga should be a balance between challenging oneself to grow and learn, and gently respecting one’s daily limits. She believes that every person has the ability to discover the wisdom and compassion of their own inner teacher. Come and play!
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She/Her
Carly Greene Hill
Victoria Instructor
Her classes are a lot like her hair: ever-changing, colourful and full of joy. Meet Carly Greene Hill. She’s a movement teacher, events organizer and writer, here on the traditional lands of the Lək̓ʷəŋən People. Often found with a coffee in one hand and a pen in the other, Carly creates avenues of self-expression under her pen name tiny.writer.
Her yoga sequences offer something for everyone—be it heart, flow or funk. You can expect a focus on intelligent movement, playfulness and connection to music + poetry.
When she isn’t working, this community connector winds down by cooking (badly), camping (also badly) and watching TV (namely Ted Lasso). More often than not, she has her nose in a book and arms around her favourite infamous companion, Ari The Cat.
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She/They
Amber Fox
Victoria + Westshore Instructor
Amber’s Yin and meditation classes emphasize a holistic mind-body-spirit approach to yoga, offering a safe holding container for your practice through steady, grounded presence and trauma-sensitive practices to encourage deep inner listening, cultivation of present moment awareness and trust in the innate healing intelligence of our bodies.
Amber practices as a Medical Herbalist in Victoria, and draws on her knowledge of the healing modalities of plant medicine, ayurveda and buddhism to enrich her offerings as a yoga and meditation teacher. She bows deeply to her many teachers with whom she continues to study, and looks forward to practicing with you!
To learn more about Amber visit her website: www.embodiedherbalist.com
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He/Him
Jonathan Boyd
Victoria Instructor
Jonathan brings a light-hearted intelligence to his yoga classes. He combines the wisdom of ancient traditions with the scientific knowledge of modern functional movement. He teaches mixed levels by empowering students with the choice to make it mellower or to turn up the volume of their practice. His classes at the Yoga Lab are inclusive spaces surrounded by a vibrant, supportive community of like-minded individuals. Styles of yoga that he teaches include: Hot Flow, Bowspring, Align Flow and Level 2 Flow. Aside from teaching yoga, Jonathan works as a hydrologist in flood forecasting.
Jonathan began teaching in 2009 after completing an Anusara Yoga Teacher Training with Chris Chavez in Vancouver. Over the past decade, he has regularly globetrotted to study with the best yoga teachers in the world. More recently, he has been heavily influenced by the functionality & accessibility of the Bowspring practice. He is grateful for incredible teachers and mentors, including Patrick Creelman, Christine Price Clark, John Friend, Desi Springer and Christina Sell.
To view Jonathan’s schedule of events, or practice online, visit www.jonathanboydyoga.com
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She/Her
Sam Streeter
Victoria Instructor
Originally from suburban Ontario, Sam has called Victoria home for nearly a decade.
She’s got a traveling heart and an adventurous soul. Those attributes have taking her to numerous Modo studios across North America as a guest teacher.
With nearly 1000hrs of teacher trainings under her belt, Sam’s flame for learning continues to burn bright.
She finds her greatest growth through fellow teachers, students, community, books, conversations and life experiences.
“Life and all the experiences, good or bad, that have been thrown our way skillfully mold us into the people we are now and the people we’re becoming. Breath is an incredibly powerful tool we can use to connect deeper with ourselves. It can allow us to truly be present, in the moment. It can carry us through the most uncomfortable situations, on and off our mats.”
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She/Her
Lori Kalef
Victoria Instructor
Lori presents a progressive and unique approach to the flow of yoga, offering a continual creative style that begins from the inside out that allows for the freedom to colour outside the lines by feeling, rather than just doing. Seamless connection through dynamic transitioning enabling the space in between to be just as essential as the pose itself. When she’s off her mat, Lori can be found traveling the world with her job as the Program Manager for an international animal welfare organization. And, don’t be surprised if she’ll try to get you to adopt a four legged creature by the end of class!
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She/Her
Britt Buntain
Victoria Instructor
Britt teaches from the perspective that yoga practice should feel good, and this comes from her attention to health, presence, playfulness, and accessibility. She cues with attention to breath and alignment, leading a focused and strong class with deep relaxation towards the end. She loves to put together a playlist for classes that infuses a rhythm to flow with through the movement practice. You can expect to feel encouraged, inspired, cared for, and nourished from her classes. Her teaching began in 2011 with the Moksha/ Modo training and has evolved with vinyasa and yin certifications.
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She/Her
Tracey Noseworthy
Victoria Instructor
Tracey has dedicated herself to the practice, study and teaching of yoga since discovering its joys and benefits during her first pregnancy in 2001. She was fuelled by the inspiration of Shiva Rea, and has further trained with teachers around the world combining elements of dynamic and inspiring alignment-based flow. Her teachings blend the traditional Eastern philosophy and asana with todays desire for physical practice, while integrating the mind body connection.
Tracey completed her RYT 200 Yoga Alliance certification through Shiva Rea in 2005 with an emphasis on Prana Vinyasa training. She earned her RYT 500 certification with Janet Stone in 2018 specializing in philosophy, intuitive sequencing and the devotion of unified breath and movement. Being a lifelong leaner, she graduated from McMaster University in 1988 with a degree in Physical Education. She credits this early start as her catalyst to a diverse, and blossoming thirty years in the health and wellness industry.
Tracey initiated the Global Mala Project for Peace now running in its 12th year. She is the co-creator of Binds and Beats, a local project that unites the yoga and music world, and has taught workshops at the Victoria Yoga Conference for six years. She has led retreats, workshops and immersions in New York, Mexico, Greece and Thailand. She is currently working on Teacher Training Programs in Victoria and Vancouver, while offering mentorship and one on one training.
Tracey creates a safe, non-competitive space for her students to dive beneath the surface of their daily lives to find deeper meaning and clarity. She leads from her heart, stirs emotion and infuses joy while honouring the teacher within. She is known for her creative sequences and intentional themes, emphasizing the importance of proper alignment and the ability to pause and honour time shared on the mat.
She is a devoted mother of two and offers yoga as a way of life, a practice of being in the moment and savouring every breath!
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She/Her
Em Schnurr
Victoria Instructor
Emily teaches with grounded strength, passion, and fire. She inspires the practitioners in her classes to dig deep using breath to find the balance between exploring new edges, having no expectations, and staying present. Her intention behind every class is that people show up and do the work on the mat so that they can live a more authentic life off the mat.
Emily sees herself as a student first, and finds her own courage and strength by the challenges and teachings from her personal practice.
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They/Them
Charlie Gates
Victoria Instructor
Charlie Gates (they/them) is a queer sound practitioner and movement guide recently transplanted from Toronto. Their yoga classes are a blend of deep listening, fluid movement, and intentional soundscapes to support the journey. Charlie believes the practices of movement and meditation exist not just for us as individuals, but as potent tools for resiliency, compassion and power; offering ourselves to each other as allies, activists, and buoyant beings. They are delighted to be sharing movement and sound offerings at Yoga Lab.
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She/Her
Pilar Munoz
Victoria Instructor, Lead YTT Faculty
Pilar is a seeker of truth. She believes that what we desire the most is to see our wholeness and to connect intimately with one another in this world – to see each other fully. She believes it begins first with yourself.
Pilar teaches from a place of curiosity and humor. You are encouraged and challenged physically, mentally and emotionally to showing up fully! Grounded in knowledge of the heart and love, Pilar’s gentle and mindful guidance through postures creates safety for each and every student to intimately connect with their breath. This is the ultimate experience of life. She encourages students not to miss out on any part of their lives: the light and the dark and all the spaces in between.
She is joined on this journey by her two beautiful children who are both her teachers and allies.
Pilar’s trainings include: Modo Level 1 (2011), Yin (2014) and Vinyasa Flow (2014).
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He/Him
Eddy Bortzer
Victoria Instructor
Yoga is truly a way of life. A way to live a more meaningful and purposeful life. My philosophy is to provide a safe space for the yoga practitioner where people can come as they are and enter into the present moment. A space where you can come out of the mind and enter into the physical body; letting go of all judgments and to just be. The practice of yoga itself is truly the teacher and I am the guide who offers suggestions.
To me, it’s all about awareness. Yoga encourages us to move with mindfulness, compassion, and intention and that transfers over to almost every aspect of our daily lives. It’s about learning and practicing on the mat so we can spread this joy, happiness, presence, and love to others off of the mat.
My positive approach to teaching provides for a playful atmosphere where I weave together free-fluid movements with the sounds of the breath while always coming back to intuition. I enjoy flowing through funky transitions and settling deeply into a shape allowing the asana to fully encompass the body. Through these transitions and asanas, I will attempt to guide the class to discover these new depths, kind of like exploring the deep sea. My intention is to give students the feeling and experience of oneness, wholeness, connectedness and to cultivate a positive state of being.
My professional background lies in nature and forest connection and I often bring these “natural” aspects into the class. Whether it’s placing our awareness on the elements within us or building a sequence like building a fire, it’s all connected.
Yoga inspires me to move throughout my day with fluidity, ease, presence, and compassion. It reminds me to let go and to surrender to the present moment and to cultivate that positive state of being.
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She/Her
Kaitlynn Hoffman
Victoria Instructor
Kaitlynn’s yoga journey started 8 years ago as a young student who casually explored different studio’s intro month passes. After hopping around for a while, she noticed how a regular practice supported her mental, physical and spiritual health and decided to make this a commitment in her life. The anxiety she regularly battled with felt better managed. She felt more spacious in her body. And she felt a deepened connection to her true self. Kaitlynn continues to make this practice a priority in her life, both on and off the mat. She uses being on her mat as a safe space to feel and process.
In 2016, she decided she needed to share the wisdom and personal tools one can access through this practice. Kaitlynn took her 500hr training through Modo International and then continued with a Level 1 & 2 yin training with Joe Barnett in 2018. Most of her time teaching has been in studios, but she has also enjoyed putting on different workshops and events, mainly geared towards mental health and social causes. She always strives to make classes as accessible as possible and from a trauma-informed perspective. Her goal is to help you feel safe and supported in your practice so that you can experience a deepened connection to your inner world. You can expect a slower pace and depth of explanation in postures with Kaitlynn’s classes, making them friendly to all experience levels! The practice of gentle discipline is at the core of Kaitlynn’s teaching.
Originally from Edmonton, Kaitlynn has been loving soaking up time in the natural beauty of the island. She is also a registered holistic nutritionist who enjoys cooking up a storm.
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She/Her
Kamila Nowak
Westshore Director + Instructor
Kamila, Teacher and Director of Operations at Lab Westshore, is the one behind the scenes working with our incredible Westshore faculty and facility, and teaching a variety of class offerings at both Lab Westshore and Victoria. She grew up on Vancouver island, and keeps very active exploring within BC’s bountiful nature. Dance was a huge part of Kamila’s yoga journey and active lifestyle growing up; she fell in love with graceful mobility, and learned much about stretching and movement anatomy. Yoga came into Kamila’s life over 13 years ago, the physical/spiritual restorative functions and power of breath latched onto her heart and mind. The ever learning world of yoga and mindful fitness is humbling and exciting for Kamila, with several trainings, workshops, and years of experience in management and business she hopes to meet and move with you very soon!
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She/Her
Wendy Debeck
Westshore + Victoria Instructor
I was actually born right here- in Metchosin on the Westshore, back in ‘68. Just to think how differently my 20’s may have turned out if I had had access to a brilliant yoga space like this one?! Well things turned out just the way they needed to and here I am, full circling back to my geographic roots.
As a longtime lover of yoga as my chosen form of exercise for both the brain & body, you’ll likely see me next to you practising mornings, on my mat, and mostly because being on it and with other yoga doin’ folks, makes me feel alive & thriving- keeps me steadfast and motivated as I round the corner into my 50’s.
As a dedicated and developing yoga teacher, my hope is that the deep necessity of my personal practice somehow comes across in classes, and that those like myself, who stumble, may find surer ground. I anticipate so very much sharing together- all of us learning & feeling better through the powerful group dynamic, yet still with the peace, privacy, & power, that comes with being on the mat.
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She/Her
Tay Evans
Westshore + Victoria Instructor
Tay (she/her) is a life-long learner and an advocate for liberatory personal and collective practices, such a yoga. She began her yoga practice in 2013, and since, yoga has revealed a life of truth, beauty, and love. Her practice now extends beyond yoga, into meditation, breathwork, and various healing practices. As a training psychotherapist, Tay imbues her classes with honesty, compassion, and teachings intended to be practiced far beyond the mat.
Through movement, Tay believes we as practitioners have the opportunity to work through our physical, emotional, and mental “stuff.” Offering us greater clarity into the truth embedded within our lives. By seeing the unseen and connecting to the parts of us the world would rather have us hide, or that we ourselves once deemed as “not enough” — whether through our upbringing, social conditioning, or pain — Tay believes we can begin to heal on an individual and collective plane. Echoing the words of her teachers, there is no healing for one if there is no healing for all. Our liberation, our freedom is tied.
Tay is continuously inspired by her teachers, Ally Maz and hiro Demichelis. As she aspires to facilitate classes that are trauma-informed and anti-oppressive, she shares the utmost appreciation for the work of Michelle C. Johnson, Reesma Menakem, Deb Dana, and many others who have made this work possible today.
Tay’s classes are full of heart, offering a space for students to unload their worries, find their breath, and come back to their bodies.
Her experience includes over 600-hours of yoga and meditation teacher training with the SATTVA School of Yoga, Feelvana with Ally Maz and Ashley Brodeur, and the Lab of Meditation’s meditation and breathwork facilitator training. Tay also offers a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and is working toward a master’s in counselling psychology. She is expected to graduate in the fall of 2022.
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He/Him
Peter Schreurs
Vic + West Instructor, Lead YTT Faculty
Hello, my name is Peter, and I am a certified athletic therapist, yoga instructor, and osteopathic student. My goal as a professional is; to combine my knowledge of athletic therapy, osteopathy, and an integrative practice of yoga, in order to provide my clients/students a holistic approach to health.
The practice of yoga came as a natural avenue for me to finally find a bit of quiet in my thoughts. I did not realize until I began the practice of yoga, that I had to move my body to find stillness in my mind. To me, yoga is a system of techniques we use to increase the mindbody connection. I believe that a well sequenced and well taught class can offer benefits to anyone regardless of their ability. My style of practice and teaching is very much influenced by my formal education in athletic therapy, ongoing osteopathic studies, and years on the mat.
Athletic therapy is the certification I chose to pursue to work as a health professional. Throughout my training as an athletic therapist, I have been fortunate to work with different local teams, including; Charger’s men’s volley ball, Vike’s girls’ basketball, and the Harbourcats baseball team. This has given me a wealth of practical experience, providing care for athletes who have sustained acute injuries, as well as providing ongoing rehabilitation of injuries. Athletic therapists are orthopedic specialists, who can provide care for anyone, not just professional athletes. As an athletic therapist, I look to get to the root of the problem in order to provide immediate care, and to offer solutions to prevent the injury from re-occurring.
In addition to athletic therapy my educational journey has recently landed me in the study of osteopathy. This is an ongoing program lasting 5 years with additional years to complete a thesis. Osteopathy is a holistic manual practice which utilizes the bodies’ inherent autoregulatory mechanisms through which to create a physiological effect. This philosophy of approach treats the individual, and emphasizes the interconnectedness of all structures and processes within the human body.
I have been teaching yoga for five years and have completed my Bachelor in Athletic & Exercise Therapy at Camosun, as well as my certification to be an athletic therapist, CAT(C). I am also committed to ongoing education through my osteopathic studies. The ability to combine the holistic practice of yoga, and the formal education in athletic therapy and osteopathy, allows me to approach the healing aspects of the body with an analytical yet flexible mind.
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She/Her
Sasha McDougall
Victoria + Westshore Instructor
In 2010 I was attending university and felt a need to switch directions. A few months later I found myself traveling to Ucluelet Bc to attend my first 200 hour training. Since then I’ve taken a variety of unique trainings and had the opportunity to travel to different gems of the world to retreat and grow. I’m constantly in awe of the space the practice holds to reconnect with one’s self and bring people from all walks of life in one collective space.
Influenced by my teachers, peers, and environment. I aim to hold space for students to observe and truly investigate this complex experience of being human and help facilitate what is learnt on the mat is seamlessly transferred into a capacity for rendering even the boldest complexities of life into a peaceful way of being.
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