We have a wonderful new Curvy Yoga teacher this month! I am excited to share them with you! To see a full list of our Curvy Yoga Certified teachers, please click here.

Beth Berila

Location: Minneapolis, MN

Tell us a little about your relationship with yoga — both your practice and your teaching. Yoga has offered me a path to wholeness. For me, it is about transformation, compassion, and empowerment. As such, it is deeply connected to the other work I do as a Women;s Studies professor at St. Cloud State University. I hope that as students sink into their yoga practice, they learn more about themselves and learn to meet both themselves and others with kindness and compassion. Yoga also offers us the opportunity to unlearn some of the more harmful messages about ourselves and others that we are inundated with in society, including limiting messages about unattainable beauty standards. Yoga offers a deeper path to beauty and wholeness–one that includes all of who we are.

Why do you want to bring Curvy Yoga to your community? Many of the students in my classes can benefit from Curvy Yoga, so I hope to integrate the teachings in a way that makes the classes more accessible and empowering for everyone. At the moment, I don;t an to offer specifically Curvy Yoga classes in Minneapolis, but I do plan to integrate Curvy Yoga teachings into my online classes and the ones I teach on campus at St. Cloud State University.

What can folks expect when they take a class from you? Humor. A willingness to laugh, A deeper message about life and learning that we can integrate into our lives long after we leave class. And a companion as we all find our paths to wholeness and well-being.

What has been your favorite part of the certification process? Working with the fabulous Anna! And learning several teaching methods that I KNOW my students will appreciate.

How can people get in touch with you? People can find me on my website!

Jessica Edwards

Location: Winchester, VA

Tell us a little about your relationship with yoga — both your practice and your teaching. After struggling with anxiety and weight issues my entire life, I finally found balance, clarity and a healthy lifestyle through yoga and meditation. It’s helped me better manage my fibromyalgia and chronic pain and find a wonderful way of connecting with my children including my oldest who has autism. By sharing my journey, I’ve found a way to better connect with my students as well!

Why do you want to bring Curvy Yoga to your community? Our community has a strong and yoga community that I’m blessed to be part of. Our community also has a wonderful curvy community as well that I’m proud to be part of. However, these communities don’t often if ever meet and I want to show that yoga is for everyone no matter their size!

What can folks expect when they take a class from you?  I focus on keeping my classes judgement free, light hearted and welcoming to everyone, especially newcomers.

What has been your favorite part of the certification process? It has been amazing to connect with so many other Curvy Yoga teachers and practioners! I’ve learned modifications to not only help my students but also to improve my own practice!

How can people get in touch with you? People can find me on Facebook or on Instagram!

Linda Melochick

Location: Newport News, VA

Tell us a little about your relationship with yoga — both your practice and your teaching. I have been practicing yoga for six years and I enjoy learning and sharing my knowledge with my students. I love the way I feel mentally, physically, and emotionally since I have been practicing yoga; and I love the inner peace yoga has brought to my life. I have built my classes on emphasizing Yoga for Wellness and my classes include a lunch hour practice at my office, substitute teaching for gentle yoga, Hatha yoga, Vinyasa 1, Vinyasa 2 and Yoga Fundamental classes, and my own weekly Yoga for Wellness class at a local studio.

Why do you want to bring Curvy Yoga to your community? I have so many curvy friends that have expressed the desire to try yoga but they say they are intimidated to walk into a yoga studio because there aren’t any other bodies in class similar to theirs. I want them to understand that all shapes and sizes, if they can breathe, they can do Yoga. I want them to be able to experience yoga as a modality for inner peace, joy, and serenity and I want them to learn and absorb body acceptance affirmations as they gain strength, flexibility, and self-esteem so their life can become less exhausting and more enjoyable.

What can folks expect when they take a class from you? They can expect a tender heart from me and all levels including beginners will feel welcomed. They will receive a very rewarding workout no matter their body shape or physical limitations. Their workout will be physically challenging with sequenced asanas, mentally challenging with affirmations and/or class themes (quotes and readings), relaxed with guided meditations(s) or lengthy shavasana and pampered with essential oils and/or hot stones.

What has been your favorite part of the certification process? I love all the valuable information we received as part of every module to assist us in making modifications in our classes to allow curvy people to feel welcome and be able to receive a practice where they feel results. Because of my certification I was able to make modifications that allowed a curvy person to leave class feeling great about herself and committing to a practice. I also enjoyed having fellow class mates from all over the world as part of the training.

How can people get in touch with you? People can find me via email.

Lynne Johnson

Location: Fredericksburg, VA

Tell us a little about your relationship with yoga — both your practice and your teaching. I started taking yoga classes in 2008 after losing more than 100 pounds and was immediately hooked. I loved how it was a form of exercise that didn’t make me feel like I was punishing my body. My practice has evolved over the years and I originally enrolled in teacher training to deepen my practice and knowledge of yoga. I never intended to teach. However, as my teacher training program progressed, I realized I had something to offer and wanted to put it out there into the universe.

Why do you want to bring Curvy Yoga to your community? I’ve heard from so many people that they want to try yoga but don’t believe it’s for them or that it’s something they can do. I think bringing curvy yoga to my community in a safe, body friendly environment would allow those potential yogis a chance to see that yoga is for everyone. I know how great yoga makes me feel – physically and emotionally – and I want a chance to share that with as many people as I can.

What can folks expect when they take a class from you? People can expect a positive environment with a lot of encouragement, lots of fun poses with props and modifications, and hopefully a chance to realize that they are capable of anything!

What has been your favorite part of the certification process? Hearing about everyone’s experiences as a yoga teacher and getting awesome ideas of how to bring yoga to the curvy community.

How can people get in touch with you? People can find me on Facebook or on Twitter!

Susan Hester

Location: Fayetteville/Stedman, NC

Tell us a little about your relationship with yoga — both your practice and your teaching. I began attending yoga classes in 2010 to assist with the complications of Fibromyalgia and injuries. Because of these concerns my personal practice is slow, gentle, and therapeutic. My love for yoga and the benefits I received from it lead me to enroll in the Embrace Yoga Studio 200-Hour Teacher Training that I completed in November 2014, the Curvy Yoga Teacher Certification completed in May 2015, and the Carolina Yoga Company 500-Hour Teacher Training. I teach Gentle Yoga and Chair Yoga because of my desire to help others with chronic conditions, injuries, and weight concerns.

Why do you want to bring Curvy Yoga to your community? I want every body size to have an opportunity to enjoy the benefits Yoga has to offer and learn to love their body no matter what size or age.

What can folks expect when they take a class from you? Students will experience a slow, gentle practice offering the most supported to the least supported versions of poses in a safe, body positive environment. I am available in the Fayetteville/Stedman area for group or private lessons.

What has been your favorite part of the certification process? Anna has so much positive energy which made this process such a joy. I enjoyed learning the modifications for curvy bodies while working with a supportive group. An added bonus was the self exploration that came about working with each module.

How can people get in touch with you? People can find me on Twitter!

Nancy Raef

Location: Niceville, FL

Tell us a little about your relationship with yoga — both your practice and your teaching. Yoga is where I learned to get out of my head and into my body – really feel what is happening during my time on the mat. And eventually, to feel what was happening off the mat. All of a sudden I had instant access to this wonderful barometer. This connection between mind and body (and spirit) was life changing. Over time I realized I wanted to help others find this connection as well, and I’m so thankful I was led to Curvy Yoga to bring that dream to fruition.

Why do you want to bring Curvy Yoga to your community? While there are some amazing teachers in our area, the perception in the community is still that one has to be thin and already flexible to practice yoga. I want to help dispel that myth and make space for anyone to come give yoga a chance; to perhaps find their own barometer and their own connections.

What can folks expect when they take a class from you? First and foremost, folks will always get options, lots of options! I want to give people a safe space where they can find what works best for their body. I love using props for modifications and will have them available whenever possible. I hope to bring some humor and fun as well, because I always enjoy laughing in class!

What has been your favorite part of the certification process? If I have to choose just one thing, it would be meeting and knowing the other women in my class. They are amazing and I have learned so much from them. Along with Anna and Liz, I cannot imagine another group of women with whom I’d rather have gone through this journey. I cannot wait for our reunion!

How can people get in touch with you? People can find me on my website, on Facebook or Twitter!

Nikki Suchy-Belanger

Location: Las Vegas, NV

Tell us a little about your relationship with yoga — both your practice and your teaching. My relationship with yoga is that of admiration. Through yoga, you can pretty much build your own world according to your intuition. My practice has many avenues. I focus on meditation, mental change (like depression and anxiety), as well as managing pain through yoga for those with injuries and larger bodies. I have a roller derby background helping those who are larger in the sport manage mobility through yoga technique and pain management.

Why do you want to bring Curvy Yoga to your community? I want to bring the athletic element back to those with larger/curvier bodies. You can really do anything at any size, it just takes a bit of practice to help recalibrate our inner center mechanisms. I also want to bring those who want to try roller derby into the realm as well. Yoga gets a stigma about size, shape, and flexibility. Roller derby is the same way. You CAN be any size, shape, AND AGE. (Oldest player on our travel team was 58!!)

What can folks expect when they take a class from you? You can be as you are and expect a safe space to explore yoga for your body, no matter what that looks like. You can also expect to feel better after a session.

What has been your favorite part of the certification process? My favorite part has been learning with a group of women who were supportive and fun. I really enjoyed traveling to the school and being a part of the community from the getgo.

How can people get in touch with you? People can find me on Facebook!

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