~The Teachers~

All of our teachers are certified, and most of them are registered with the Yoga Alliance (RYT), a national organization that provides support to and maintains minimum standards for the education of yoga teachers. In order to qualify to be registered with the Yoga Alliance, a teacher must have a minimum of 200 hours of study, including teaching, special modifications in yoga postures for special needs, anatomy, philosophy and history of yoga.

Janis Bowersox founded Yoga For Everybody in 1999. Her love of yoga, and gratitude for the benefits that yoga has brought into her life brought to her a vision to provide a better space for teachers and students in Fairfield, where she has been a resident for 23 years and has been practicing Yoga for 10 years. Her love of Yoga and desire to communicate that love to others has led her to create Yoga For Everybody. Her dream is to honor Yoga teachers by providing an excellent yoga space to teach in, and encourage everyone who has an interest to try yoga.
Janis became a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) after completing a 200 hour yoga teacher training program in Tuckahoe, New York at Yoga Haven. She is busy behind the scenes running Yoga for Everybody with the help of many good people.

Marleen Salko has studied and taught in the health and fitness field for over 22 years. She is certified in Advanced Kripalu Yoga from the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health.

Marleen was the founder and owner of Marleen's Yoga Center in Southport and Westport, which merged with Yoga for Everybody in May 2005.  She is away January-May.

Carolyn Fahey R.N., R.Y.T., H.H.C. is an Anusara-inspired yoga teacher and certified Hatha Yoga instructor registered with Yoga Alliance. Her passion for living a happy, healthy, meaningful life infuses her teaching with compassion and joy. As a teacher, she guides her students towards healing, transformation and freedom. Carolyn teaches Level 2 on Mondays at 5:45,Level 1 & 2 Thursdays at 4 p.m. and Level 2 on Saturday mornings at 7:30.  In the summer, Carolyn teaches yoga on the beach on Saturdays at 7:00 am.  Learn more about Carolyn on her website.

Evelyne Serais, R.Y.T., is a certified Kripalu yoga teacher, with 500 hour Certified advanced teacher training from the Amrit yoga institute. She is also a certified Traditional Thai Yoga body worker.
She teaches the Saturday morning Level 1&2 Class at 9:15 a.m. the Monday and Thursday morning Level 1&2 Classes at 9:15 a.m. and the Thursday evening 7:30pm combination Level 1 and Yoga Nidra.

Kathy Jamison is a certified Viniyoga teacher and massage therapist. A lifelong interest in wellness through nutrition, exercise, lifestyle and spirituality naturally drew Kathy to yoga. A graduate of the American Viniyoga Institute (AVI) founded by Gary Kraftsow, she is certified as both a Viniyoga teacher and therapist. Kathy holds a position on the AVI teacher/therapist training staff where she has contributed to the development of curriculum materials, and currently serves as a member of the AVI Advisory Board. She is registered with the Yoga Alliance at the 500 hr level and is a member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists. Also using her knowledge as a licensed massage therapist, Kathy brings a blend of yoga therapy and bodywork to her group classes and private sessions. She teaches a Level 1&2 class on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 7:30a.m., an Gxtra Gentle (Viniyoga) class on Wednesdays at 11 a.m., and a Gentle Class Tuesdays at 5:45 p.m.

Ariadne Drakonakis-Kambas returns to Y4E after having her third child in 5 years, moving out of town, and moving back. She is a certified Kripalu yoga teacher, massage therapist and occupational therapist. Ari teaches a Saturday morning 11a.m. Gentle class and a Level 1 class at 6:15pm on Sunday. 

Erica Tetro-Langer has been practicing yoga for 16 years. She is a certified Kripalu yoga teacher and is also certified in Pre-Natal yoga. Erica has a strong faith and appreciation for the wellness and healing ability of yoga. She loves to share yoga off the mat with her family aspiring to bring mindfulness into the everyday rituals of life.
The Intro. to yoga class is an inspiration to teach as it offers Erica the invitation to reconnect with her beginners mind and to share the joys of yoga with new students.
Erica teaches Level 1 & 2 Yoga on Sunday mornings at 8:15am and Intro to Yoga on Monday nights at 7:30pm.  She is offering a 7 week Introduction to the Chakras series starting October 1, 2009, which meets Thursdays from 12:30-1:45pm. In February 2010 she will offer a four week Introduction to Kripalu Yoga class on Sundays at 2:30, and she will teach a 7 week Chakra series on Thursdays at 12:30.

Kerri Gawreluk started her journey with yoga 10 years ago and knew from her very first class that she wanted to pursue teaching. This desire led her to the Be Yoga/Yoga Works studios in NYC where, under the guidance of Yoga Master Alan Finger, she received her certification in the ISHTA tradition, an integrated system of Hatha yoga, Tantric philosophy, and Ayurvedic wellness which encourages students to create unique yoga practices to fit their own individual needs. In all of her classes, Kerri encourages her students to practice with compassion for and a sense of humor towards their own individual intentions as well as to “drink in” the intentions of their fellow practitioners, thereby creating a safe, accepting, playful space for everyone. Kerri believes that if every person set aside 15 minutes each day for yoga, the world would be a much more peaceful place... and she has made it her mission to spread that belief one student at a time! Kerri Gawreluk teaches Pre-natal yoga on Thursdays at 5:45 p.m. She also teaches Mommy and Me class on Thursdays at 11 a.m. when that class is meeting. She has also taught the Tween Groove Yoga class for Middle School girls, and a monthly Family yoga class.

Jackie LeMeur has been a student of yoga for 13 years and a certified yoga teacher for 9 years. Jackie’s classes are inspired by her own personal spiritual journey and study of various hatha yoga styles including her current study in the Anusara style. Focusing on breath, intention, and alignment, Jackie’s classes are challenging and inspiring. Jackie teaches a Vinyasa Flow Class Tuesday and Friday at 11 a.m., and Intro to Yoga (alternating with Erica Tetro) on Monday nights at 7:30p.m.

Joy LeVine Abrams, MS, RYT, is a certified Kripalu Yoga instructor and has been teaching yoga for 9 years. She has also completed advanced training to become a Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapist. Joy is co-creator of THE FLEXIBLE PAINTER, an art and yoga retreat in Madison, CT and Tuscany. Joy's interest in the body/mind connection began with her M.S. in Biology and Nutrition in 1983. Joy feels her most profound learning came from her nine years of hospice work as Director of Volunteers. Joy teaches Gentle yoga on Tuesdays at 9:15 a.m. and Fridays at 9:15 a.m. She is offering an 8 week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Program which is based on the work of Jon Kabat-Zinn out of UMass Medical Center.  A new program will be held in January 2010 on Tuesday nights in a Southport location beginning January 2010. She is a Graduate of UMass MBSR Program and the Practicum for those who wish to teach. Her email address is joyoga1@optonline.net

Julia Hepfer studied yoga intensively with Shri Yogi Hari of the Sivananda lineage, receiving her Yoga Shiromani Certificate (teacher of Yoga). Julia first studied yoga at Fairfield High School where yoga was offered through the physical education program, and was taught by a certified Kripalu yoga teacher, Joanne Eckstrom. She especially enjoys teaching poses to her two daughters. Julia is currently on sabbatical.

Michelle Brunet, RYT After many years of practice Michelle’s desire to share her love and passion for yoga lead her to Kripalu to become a teacher. Although her roots are clearly Kripalu she infuses her classes with an energy and style all her own. Whether gentle, moderate or vigorous her practices have a heart-centered flow with an awareness on breath & movement. She encourages each student to connect with their “intuition” so they are able to find whatever they need during practice. Michelle’s hope is that students are able to take the benefits of yoga off their mat and into their daily lives. Michelle teaches Level 1 yoga on Mondays at 3:30 and Level 1&2 yoga on Wednesday mornings at 9:15, and restorative yoga workshops as well as Yoga and Knitting workshops and classes. A weekly Restorative Yoga Class is offered on Wednesdays from 3:30-4:45 and Fridays from 4:00-5:15. Preregistration is recommended as space is limited to 10 students. Learn more about Michelle on her website MYOGA.COM

Robert Ortner, E-RYT-500 Robert's approach to the art of yoga begins with the phrase "We are our own best teachers". One does not just do yoga, one becomes yoga: it is a lifelong journey that anyone can make.
Robert is a Certified Yoga Teacher at both the 200 & 500 hour levels with Don and Amba Stapleton from the Nosara Institute.
Robert has worked with and coached many individuals with a wide range of health issues which, in turn, has led to a pursuit of different yoga therapies and a strong belief in stress relief, breath work, meditation, and energy healing. Robert teaches the Tuesday night at 7:30 pm and the Sunday at 10:00am  level 1&2 classes.

Amy Van Buren became a serious practitioner of yoga when she began taking classes for fun and discovered how movement and breath could positively influence not only her physical state, but also her mental and emotional states as well. As a clinical psychologist, Amy’s training was in helping people through traditional methods of talk therapy.  However, she found that the physical movement and breathing involved in yoga could soothe both the body and mind in a way that was not possible through talk therapy alone.  Having practiced yoga for several years, Amy has found that yoga is a powerful method of calming and centering ourselves, as well as a way of gently training our minds to pay attention to what really matters in life. 

Amy is certified at the 200-hour level by Kim Valeri of YOGASpirit studios and is a registered yoga teacher (RYT) with Yoga Alliance.   Her classes combine a mixture of flowing postures, the use of breath to shift energy states, and some gentle teachings informed by Eastern philosophy and Western science on applying yoga to our lives “off the mat.”  Amy is also an Associate Professor of Psychology at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT.  Any teaches gentle yoga on Wednesday nights at 7:30.

 

Nora Gluck has been practicing yoga for twenty years and received her certification in Amrit Yoga with Amrit Desai, founder of The Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. Kripalu remains her spiritual home and she has taken numerous personal growth and yoga workshops there. A psychotherapist for over thirty years, Nora brings a deep psychospiritual perspective to her teaching and believes that yoga is a powerful tool for personal growth and transformation as well an opportunity to create connection and community. Nora teaches workshops on yoga for anxiety and depression.

Become a yoga teacher!! Yoga for Everybody is offering a 200 hour, Yoga Alliance registered Yoga Teacher Training Program -- it begins in October 2009 and graduates in November 2010.