Our Instructors
We are the yoga home for a group of dedicated and experienced instructors offering a variety of perspectives on yoga. We teach from the heart, standing in our truth as we guide others on the path in the ways that most resonate with us.
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Pronouns: she/her
Describe yourself in three words: Bubbly, patient, strong
Why do you teach yoga?
I believe yoga is an essential tool for navigating life. Whether you practice asana, only meditate, or follow the 8-limbed path, yoga offers everyone something that allows them to look deeper into themselves to find contentment, understanding, and compassion that translates into our relationships with each other and possibly a higher power.Describe your teaching style:
I would describe my teaching style as creative, challenging, humorous, and fun. I like to challenge people’s comfort zone and watch them surprise themselves. I also like to encourage people to not take their practice, or themselves, so seriously.What would you like students to get out of attending your classes:
I would like my students to gain a sense of confidence and self awareness from my classes. I want them to understand the breath and flow of the practice and feel the rhythm that allows them to detach from their daily life and chatter of the mind so that when they leave they feel recharged to face the challenges of life with a calm, open approach.Tell us about your yoga experience and training:
I began taking hatha yoga classes at East Carolina University in 1998 when I began teaching group fitness classes. I graduated with a BS in exercise physiology in 2001. I then moved to Portland, OR for chiropractic college and explored various styles of yoga including Bikram, Ashtanga, vinyasa, and Baptiste. I taught my first yoga class in 2002. I got certified in 2003 to teach BodyFlow, now called BodyBalance, as a part of the Les Mills programs. It combined yoga, mat pilates (which I also taught), and tai chi. When I moved back to Cary in 2005 after receiving my doctorate in chiropractic, I continued to teach BodyBalance, pilates, BodyPump, and yoga at a couple of area gyms. I graduated from Dharma Richards’ first RYT-200 YTT in 2011. By 2012 I was teaching power flow classes at LifeTime in Apex and the Yoga Garden. In 2015 I joined CrossFit Surmount in Apex and began teaching power flow and Yin yoga at the gym. In January 2020 I traveled to Rishikesh, India and spent 8 days in a yoga ashram.How do you like to spend your time:
I love to take an afternoon nap! Between running 2 chiropractic offices, my family (husband, Jim, and 2 kids), teaching yoga, and working out at the crossfit gym, I truly enjoy a Saturday or Sunday afternoon nap. I also enjoy being outside; working on our 8 acres, gardening, taking our 2 rottweilers on trails, going for a run, paddleboarding on Jordan Lake in the summer…being outdoors is key. I love to cook, we have season tickets to the Hurricanes hockey games, watching NASCAR and baseball, traveling with my pilot husband in our little plane, reading, and painting with acrylics or any sort of arts/crafts.Follow me on Instagram:
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Pronouns: she/her
Describe yourself in three words: Compassionate - Caring - Curious
Why do you teach yoga?
To help people feel fully into their bodies and discover their true selves. Help people as they age stay strong and energized.Describe your teaching style:
Friendly, Open, Explorative, Inclusive, GenuineWhat would you like students to get out of attending your classes:
To remember that every person has the ability to change any stories that they are telling themselves that do not promote joy and love.Tell us about your yoga experience and training:
I found Kundalini yoga late in life and started practicing in order to stay fit and to get fully into my body. I did my teacher training during the first year of Covid with Yoga Vision in Canada.How do you like to spend your time:
I like to spend my time on my mat in devotion to my divine self and be in deep conversation with other people who are dedicated to healing, growth and learning.Anything else you’d like us to know?
I love the Yoga Garden !!!
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Pronouns: she/her
Describe yourself in three words:
Passionate, Wise, Free SpiritedWhy do you teach yoga?
It makes me feel good to see others heal. I want my world to heal.Describe your teaching style:
Relaxed, light-hearted, supportiveWhat would you like students to get out of attending your classes:
At least one moment of complete connection to. the breath and body. Peace within their breath.Tell us about your yoga experience and training:
I have been practicing yoga since 2020. I did gymnastics growing up, so it felt natural. I began to enjoy yoga so much that I wanted to share my joy with others. I found YTT at the Yoga Garden and will be certified in October 2024! This past June I started teaching a kids yoga class as well as an adult class. I am quickly gaining teaching experience within my community.How do you like to spend your time:
Going to the gym, going on walks, maintaining my vegetable/medicinal herb gardens, doing mental/self care and hanging with my family.Anything else you’d like us to know?
My birthday is October 29 - scorpio. I like to bring offerings from my garden.
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Pronouns: she/her
Describe yourself in three words:
Open, loving, awkwardWhy do you teach yoga?
I teach because the practice of yoga has impacted my life in positive, transformative ways, and I want to share the abundance and depth of this practice with my students.Describe your teaching style:
I aim to teach with humor and heart. I also try to support each student with individual suggestions on how to make each pose more comfortable and steady and the mind more peaceful.What would you like students to get out of attending your classes:
I would like my students to know that yoga is about building inner awareness. More awareness and more acceptance, over time, help to build inner strength and facilitate deep healing.Tell us about your yoga experience and training:
I’ve been practicing yoga as a physical and spiritual discipline since 2017. I completed my 250-hour yoga teacher training with Ti Harmony (Loving Kindness Yoga School) in Carrboro, NC.How do you like to spend your time:
Yoga and meditation, spending time with my family, native plant gardening, fiber crafts, and reading.Anything else you’d like us to know?
I was born and grew up in Ukraine and speak with an accent - they tell me it’s mild. I love dogs. I’m left-handed but I’ve mastered the use of right-handed can openers and scissors :)
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Pronouns: she/her
Describe yourself in three words:
Lack Self-AwarenessWhy do you teach yoga?
I enjoy movementDescribe your teaching style:
An attempt to share something that was shared with me.What would you like students to get out of attending your classes:
Take something offered to nurture your practice.Tell us about your yoga experience and training:
Classes, workshops, & trainings in Dance, Acrobatics, Yoga, PilatesHow do you like to spend your time:
Chasing family members.
READ BLOG POSTS BY NICOLE
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Pronouns: she/her
Describe yourself in three words:
Magickal, mystical, moon childWhy do you teach yoga?
Yoga teaches me.Describe your teaching style:
Authentic, student focused, intuitiveWhat would you like students to get out of attending your classes:
To feel better than they started class, physically, mentally, and spiritually.Tell us about your yoga experience and training:
RYT200 under Jennie Wise, Stacy Smith, and William Stevenson
RYT300 under Dharma Richards
Yoga Warriors International Instructor under Dharma Richards
Y12SR Peer Support Guide under Nikki Meyers
Current: Level 1 Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training under Keval Kaur KhalsaHow do you like to spend your time:
Yoga, cats & MagickAnything else you’d like us to know
My favorite color is glitterFollow me on Instagram:
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Pronouns: she/her
Describe yourself in three words:
creative, kind, spiritualHow do you like to spend your time:
I spend most of my free time with my family - husband, Lee and two daughters Mai + Cora. We like exploring outside, watching movies and making delicioius food. In any extra freetime, you’ll find me doing yoga, reading or crafting!Anything else you’d like us to know?
I am the Studio Coordinator here at Yoga Garden and you’ll find me behind the hello@yogagardenpbo.com email account. Say hi anytime!
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Pronouns: she/her
Describe yourself in three words:
Introspective, caring, spiritualWhy do you teach yoga?
I believe in the power of yoga to change lives for the better.Describe your teaching style:
Lighthearted, sincere, loving, thoughtful. I like to teach a slow flow that has some physical challenge to it but doesn’t have complex choreography or poses. I almost always include some yoga philosophy or a theme to think about as we practice. There’s always music.What would you like students to get out of attending your classes:
I hope their yoga practice is a time when they can feel really alive and present in their bodies and minds. I would love my students to release enough tension so that the nervous system can relax, the heart can open, and they leave feeling open hearted, relaxed, and elevated.Tell us about your yoga experience and training:
I started practicing yoga in 1999. I’d always been physical and athletic, but It took a while for the mind-body-soul piece to come together for me. Slowly I realized that yoga was changing how I moved through the world and really improving how I experienced life. I opened Yoga Garden in 2017 (see our “About” page for more). I participated in our studio’s first RYT-200 Teacher Training with Dharma Richards in 2018 and began teaching after that. I completed my RYT-500 certification with Dharma in 2021. In 2024 I completed an additional 300-hour training in Himalayan Kriya yoga with Anand Mehrotra at Sattva Yoga in Rishikesh, India.How do you like to spend your time:
I spend a lot of time managing the studio. It is a labor of love, my dharma. I practice yoga pretty much every day too. So my life is very yoga-focused. I also love to spend time outdoors, running, walking, gardening, and playing tennis.Anything else you’d like us to know?
I am on the board of Sacred Path Community, a spiritual community centering the sacramental use of psychedelics. I am a passionate believer in the power of psychedelics for healing, growth, and spiritual development.
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Pronouns: she/her
Describe yourself in three words:
Kindhearted, Funny, CuriousWhy do you teach yoga?
It’s a beautiful medium to get to know yourself.Describe your teaching style:
Gentle flow and stretch with attention to modifications and alignment.What would you like students to get out of attending your classes:
Peace, relaxation and the desire to try all different yoga classes and teachers.Tell us about your yoga experience and training:
I obtained my RYT in 2009 after training with two teachers from different studios in Mississippi and Florida who joined together to offer a yoga training. I continue to learn informally by taking classes from different teachers to help me in teaching as well as my personal practice.How do you like to spend your time: Being outdoors, walking, swimming, listening to live music and dancing. Playing with my dog. Being new to the community I am enjoy meeting new people and potluck meals, playing games, and talking.
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Pronouns: she/her
Describe yourself in three words: Authentic, Funny, Empathetic
Why do you teach yoga?
Connection! With myself and with others, and to teach my students how to connect with their own inner wisdom.Describe your teaching style:
Playful, spontaneous, challenging, and fun!What would you like students to get out of attending your classes:
Heightened awareness of the mind-body connection, the beautiful biomechanics of yoga, and how to lean into challenges to discover their own strength and wisdom.Tell us about your yoga experience and training:
I completed my 200-hour teacher training and Art of Assisting program in 2014. I received my Prenatal and Restorative Yoga certification in January 2015 and completed Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy Levels 1 and 2 in 2017. I’ve also completed over 30 hours of anatomy training through Yoga International and Yoga Medicine.How do you like to spend your time:
Riding my horse, playing with my daughter, traveling and exploring new places.Anything else you’d like us to know? With the exception of workshops, I never plan my classes. I show up and teach to the bodies in the room. I find this on-the-fly strategy to be the most effective at keeping both myself and my students present in the moment, rather than focusing on what’s next.
Follow me on Instagram:
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Pronouns: she/her
Describe yourself in three words: Thoughtful, antsy, grateful
Why do you teach yoga?
I’ve found peace through my daily at-home practice and regular in-person classes with other members of the yoga community (hello!).Describe your teaching style:
I want them to know that they are more than welcome - they are invited, encouraged, necessary. I will always do what I can to make them feel comfortable! And, props are our friends.What would you like students to get out of attending your classes:
In my classes, I hope to help others find ease and space in their minds and their bodies. I want to challenge my students and leave them feeling confident, powerful, and open to all that the universe has to offer (and their ability to access it).Tell us about your yoga experience and training:
I began practicing yoga on and off in 2009, and have practiced regularly for about five years. I am honored to be a graduate of the Yoga Garden 2024 Walking the 8-Limbed Path Yoga Teacher Training.How do you like to spend your time:
I spend my time reading, traveling with my wife, practicing yoga with my mom and sister during our weekly Facetime classes, scrolling on my phone (I’m human!) and taking my dog for long, meandering walks.
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Pronouns: she/her
Describe yourself in three words:
Energetic, loving, expressive.Why do you teach yoga?
I enjoy sharing the practice of yoga with others because it allows people to fully drop into the present moment and take care of their needs.Describe your teaching style:
I take a holistic approach blending breath work and movement to bring students into the present moment. My classes focus on physical alignment and mental fortitude.What would you like students to get out of attending your classes:
The ability to breathe through discomfort- mentally, physically, and emotionally so that they can show up as the best version of themselves regardless of what is happening in their lives.Tell us about your yoga experience and training:
I have been practicing yoga for 14 years. I completed my 200-hr YTT in 2018 at Carolina Yoga Company and have been teaching regularly ever since.How do you like to spend your time:
I enjoy spending my time writing and playing music, hanging out with my family and friends, and of course, practicing yoga!Anything else you’d like us to know?
Where your attention goes, energy flows. Manage your mind and you’ll manage your life.
BLOG POSTS BY LISA
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Pronouns: she/her
Describe yourself in three words:
Spirited, Compassionate, CreativeWhy do you teach yoga?
Connection, community, physical & mental health <3Describe your teaching style:
Energetic, challenging, fun, with a little bit of silly thrown in. Working out is much more enjoyable when we let our guard down and laugh a little 😊What would you like students to get out of attending your classes:
I hope to inspire people to move their bodies regularly and step outside of their comfort zone so they feel proud of themselves when they leave classTell us about your yoga experience and training:
My certification is in ‘Yoga with Weights’ from CorePower Yoga. I’ve been practicing yoga for over 10 years, in addition to other fitness modalities including competitive bodybuilding.How do you like to spend your time:
Thrift/Antique shopping, sewing, volunteering at Second Bloom Consignment in Pittsboro, exercising, spending time with my husband, Tom, our two cats, and my loved ones.Anything else you’d like us to know?
I’m excited to be enrolled in the Yoga Garden 2024 Walking the 8-Limbed Path Yoga Teacher Training!Follow me on Instagram:
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Pronouns: she/her
Describe yourself in three words:
Delightful, Giving , MagicalWhy do you teach yoga?
To share my practice and encourage others to find their own practice. Teaching yoga feels like sharing sunshine.Describe your teaching style:
While I enjoy teaching a variety of yoga styles, my specialty is a gentle flow.What would you like students to get out of attending your classes:
I want my students to leave their mat feeling nurtured and loved.Tell us about your yoga experience and training:
I have been practicing yoga for over 20 years. I found yoga after I broke my back and fell in love with the practice immediately. I participated in 200 and 300 hour training with Dharma Richards at Yoga Garden PBO and I hold a 500 hour Yoga certification with Yoga Alliance.How do you like to spend your time: Sitting in the sunshine, Reading, Paddleboarding.
Anything else you’d like us to know? Let your light shine
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Pronouns: she/her
Why do you teach yoga?
I was able to experience a profound shift in my physical and mental wellbeing through a daily yoga practice, and my life is better because of it. My hope is that everyone can experience this for themselves through the science of Yoga.Describe your teaching style:
My regular classes are relaxed and lighthearted. We take the science of yoga seriously but we try not to take ourselves too seriously.What would you like students to get out of attending your classes:
I hope that people attending my classes walk away with a sense of lightness and bliss, and I hope they are inspired to incorporate yoga into their lives both on and off the mat..Tell us about your yoga experience and training:
Meadow decided to deepen her practice by studying Classical Yoga under Dharma Richards, earning her 200-hour yoga teacher certification in 2015 and completing her 500-hour certification in 2017. She is certified in Accessible Yoga, Yestorative Yoga, Yoga for Post Traumatic Stress through Yoga Warriors international, Integral Yoga for Stress Management through Satchidananda Ashram, and Yoga Nidra through Arhanta Ashram. She has also completed studies in Ayurveda and Yoga for Pain Management. She has had the great honor of studying with other amazing teachers such as Erich Schiffman and Dharma Mittra.How do you like to spend your time:
Reading, cooking, relaxing.Follow me on Instagram:
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Pronouns: she/her
Describe yourself in three words: joyful, passionate, loving
Why do you teach yoga?
to provide practitioners with opportunities to discover new possibilities and transform themselves spiritually, mentally, and physically through the science of yoga... to support practitioners in finding their own path in life and figuring out what it looks like for them to be able to take their yoga off the mat and into the worldDescribe your teaching style:
I teach classical hatha raja yoga in the tradition of Sri Dharma Mittra. I also teach yin and restorative yoga. Believing that there is truly something for everyone in the practice of yoga, I offer options and modifications to make the practice accessible for everyone. I think that it is important to honor the yamas and niyamas in the physical practice of yoga.What would you like students to get out of attending your classes:
my classes come from a place of patience, love, and joy. I cultivate a supportive class environment encouraging practitioners students to be true to themselves, acknowledging and honoring the teacher within, tapping into a sense of deep awarenessTell us about your yoga experience and training:
After practicing yoga for over 10 years, I wanted to deepen my practice, which led me to Yoga Garden School of Yoga Live Your Yoga Teacher Training. I completed my RYT-200 with Dharma Richards of Yoga Garden in 2010 and my RYT-500 with Dharma in 2011. I also hold a certification as ERYT-500 and Yoga Alliance Certified Education Provider (YACEP).How do you like to spend your time:
You’ll find me “witching out” by celebrating moon cycles and the Wheel of the Year. I love scuba diving, walking in the woods, eating and preparing vegan food.Anything else you’d like us to know? I’m a high school Latin teacher. I offer private and semi-private yoga classes, Reiki sessions, specialty yoga workshops, yoga teacher training modules, and continuing education for yoga teachers.
Follow me on Instagram:
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Pronouns: she/her
Describe yourself in three words:
Thoughtful, patient, curious.Why do you teach yoga?
I teach yoga because it helps us connect with ourselves, each other, and the world around us. We have a capacity to live a broad and full life and I want to share that with the world.Describe your teaching style:
I love to get people moving with vinyasa and then have them hold postures to build strength. I also incorporate meditation as it is easily one of the most important things in my life and something I never get tired of sharing.What would you like students to get out of attending your classes:
I want them to walk away feeling inspired and stronger in body and mind.Tell us about your yoga experience and training:
I have been teaching yoga full time for the past 4 years and am trained as a vinyasa, anusara, and ashtanga teacher. I’m a certified yoga therapist, 500 hour registered yoga teacher, and an iRest meditation teacher.How do you like to spend your time:
I’m working with individual clients as a yoga therapist and spending time my husband, our grown children, and friends. I also like to stare at the beautiful pond behind our house, walk outdoors, read things that inspire me, and rest my mind with some puzzling.
READ BLOG POSTS BY MELISSA
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Pronouns: she/her
Describe yourself in three words:
Kind, Compassionate, CuriousWhy do you teach yoga?
To support myself and others on their healing pathDescribe your teaching style:
I invite you to notice sensations using Hatha Yoga practices that allow for slow movements and stillness while honoring your uniqueness.What would you like students to get out of attending your classes:
I hope that students learn something about themselves while practicing yoga with me.Tell us about your yoga experience and training:
I started taking yoga in my thirties out of curiosity and found my sense of spirituality through Gita study and yoga philosophy. I have 1000 hours of training with the International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center (200 hour Yoga Teacher Training and 800 hour yoga health education) along with training in Chair Yoga, Yoga for Osteoporosis, Yin Yoga for Any Body and YOGA for Youth.How do you like to spend your time:
Studying yoga, walking with my family and two dogs, chilling in my hammock and pretending to garden.Anything else you’d like us to know?
Yoga is a guide for how I navigate my world and a framework for my healing path.Follow me on Instagram:
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Pronouns: he/him
Describe yourself in three words:
Energetic, playful and kindWhy do you teach yoga?
I deeply appreciate cultivating flexibility, balance and core strength in body and mind and love to share these gifts.Describe your teaching style:
Like you and me, it is a perfect work in progress. I offer guidance on safe ways to lengthen and strengthen and share breathwork techniques to deepen the connection between body and mind.What would you like students to get out of attending your classes:
Deeper understanding of and reverence for your body and expanded awareness of possibilities.Tell us about your yoga experience and training:
I’ve practiced hatha yoga for about thirty years, mostly in alignment-based approaches with Paul and Sommer Sobin and other wonderful teachers. My formal teacher training in 2024 were offerings of the Sattva Yoga Academy of Rishikesh, India; a 200hr online YTT and 300hr in-person training of Kriya yoga.How do you like to spend your time:
I love moving my body and stilling my mind in all sorts of ways-on a yoga mat, a trail run, in the garden or in a body of water are a few of my favorites. Reading, meaningful conversation and helping others also fulfills me.Anything else you’d like us to know?
I just might bring some of the joyfully playful energy of Baby Ganesha or a Unicorn Puppy to class from time to time.Follow me on Instagram!
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Pronouns: She/Her
Describe yourself in three words:
Creative, Caring and IntrospectiveWhy do you teach yoga?
I teach yoga because I have found so much joy and peace through my own practice and I want to share that with others.Describe your teaching style:
I recently had a student describe my class as challenging, but fun and relaxing and I think that sums it up. I like to provide students with opportunities to do what works for their bodies but also try to challenge themselves. My class is a space to enjoy yourself and find pieces of your practice you can take with you when you leave.What would you like students to get out of attending your classes:
I want people to know this practice is for anyone who wants it and that their practice is personal to them and it can be whatever they need it to be on and off the mat.Tell us about your yoga experience and training:
I began practicing yoga in my early 20s and spent the next 9 years as a dedicated practitioner. I felt called to deepen my knowledge and practice and then to teach in 2013 and began my 200 hour training with Dharma Richards at Yoga Garden Apex in 2013. I began teaching in 2014 and completed my next 300 hrs of training with Blue Lotus NC in 2023.How do you like to spend your time:
In my free time I like to make art, knit and sew, and I love reading and hiking.Anything else you’d like us to know?
I’m so happy to be a part of the beautiful community of Yoga Garden!
Ready to grow with us?
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