AMY
Amy is an anatomy inspired teacher with a diverse yoga & fitness background. With experience working with hundreds of veterans, children, special needs adults, athletes, and people with various injuries, Amy has come to know and teach yoga in a very unique way. Her trainings in multiple styles of yoga, certification as a Fitness & Exercise Trainer as well as being a Certified Yoga Therapist, lend to Amy's classes being packed with information about muscles, movement and overall physical well being. Amy is an E-RYT 500 level teacher and has additional specialized training in Anatomy, Sports Performance & Recovery, Yin, Women's Health, Meditation, The Nervous System, Myofascial Release, Spine and Posture Health, Traditional Chinese Medicine, The Lymphatic System, Trauma Informed Yoga and Mental Health & Wellness.
COLLEEN
What started off as Colleen’s interest in building strength and staying in shape through yoga has evolved into a deep understanding of yoga as an agent of healing. Colleen has been practicing yoga for four years and with the guidance of her teachers at Explore Yoga she has cultivated a relationship with the practice that includes overcoming health challenges and healing the body’s nervous and immune system’s. Colleen’s passion became her triumph and she is eager to share these opportunities through teaching yoga. Colleen completed her RYT 200hr teacher training through Explore Yoga.
MARIE
Marie completed her 200 hour yoga teacher training after practicing consistently since 2013. She loves the structure and discipline of an Ashtanga practice, the creativity and flow of vinyasa, and the stillness and surrender of a yin class. She became certified as a personal trainer at one time too, but she's come to appreciate the lessons that yoga teaches (both on and off the mat) even more than the traditional gym culture. Raising two daughters with a husband in the military has given her plenty of chances to put to work these lessons in patience and breath! Additionally, Marie works at a dialysis unit in Troy. She graduated from U of M with a degree in psychology, and she loves to garden, travel and read. Ask for a book recommendation any time!
BECKY
The first time I ever did yoga was in Nepal by candlelight during a power outage. I fell in love with it right then and there! I completed my 200hr RYT Teacher Training at Explore Yoga in 2018 and am grateful to be a part of the Explore team.
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GWEN
Yoga has been a life changer! My five year practice includes slow flow, blend, vinyasa, hatha, wall and my favorite-yin! It's led me to a place of calm and content, with more physical strength and flexibility than I've had in decades. A true bonus was avoiding back surgery, getting off medications and losing 35 pounds! I became a 200RYT in 2016 through Explore Yoga to pay it all forward and share the joy of yoga. I am so proud to be a part of the Explore community! Steve and I are parents to four and soon to be grandparents! I am also a designer and seamstress with a home based business. I love outdoor yoga. This picture was taken after a sunrise practice on the beach in Mexico.
GIGI
After taking my first yoga class in 1998, I was hooked. I found that not only was i able to achieve some sense of relaxation, but I found myself becoming stronger, more grounded and sure of myself. I took a teacher training class in 1999. Realizing the importance of alignment to keep students safe, I began studying Anusara yoga and have done multiple therapeutic training's with Doug Keller. I learn and gain inspiration from my students and try to challenge them in their practices while helping them achieve a sense of inner calm and having fun while doing it. I have also training in iRest meditation and completed my certification in October 2016. In addition to yoga and meditation, I am a Physician Assistant in Radiation Oncology and a mom to five.
KARLY
After years of debating trying yoga, Explore Yoga Studio came into my life and everything fell into place. Starting as a regular in gentle classes I began devoting mind, body, and spirit into this practice. The moving meditation of yoga allows for strength and stretch, as well as mindfulness and ease. When not on my mat I am a preschool teacher and enjoy growing and cutting flowers. After the wild year of 2020, I signed up for Yoga teacher training with Explore to deepen my practice and see what would come of it. Here I am now, ready to share my love of the practice and bring all the benefits of yoga to you.
THERESE
Therese complete her yoga teacher training in 2018 at Explore Yoga.
MATTIE
My yoga journey began in January 2020 at Explore. Through the pandemic, my college graduation, and many other life changes, yoga gave me the space for mindful movement. I first fell in love with the physical and mental challenge of vinyasa and grew to love and appreciate the change of pace in a slow flow or gentle class and the stillness of a yin. After having a back injury in my teens, I have been able to find flexibility and strength that I lacked for many years. At the same time, yoga provided me a place to alleviate stress and anxiety. In 2023, I signed up for teacher training eager to learn more, enhance my practice, and with hopes of sharing with others the incredible tools that yoga offers in so many realms of life. Outside of yoga, I ride horses, I love taking walks in the spring and summer months, I enjoy traveling, but also staying home with coffee and my beloved cat.
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JEN
Being someone who is always on the go, exercise has played an important role in keeping my physical and mental health in balance. My interest pushed me to work as a PT tech where I was able to work with patients and to teach exercise. That in turn got me interested in massage and practicing yoga. I received my certification for massage from Irene’s Myomassology Institute. I continued to work with patients and worked as a massage therapist until I had my daughter. With being a mom and life my direction shifted. My family has grown over the years, adding my husband and 3 step children. As life goes, a shift brought me to Explore Yoga. It was the best twist of fate because here I am now as a receptionist and massage therapist. I look forward to what the future holds and am happy to be a part of the Explore family.
ABIGAIL
I started taking yoga classes in college and fell in love with the aspects of yoga that led to more strength, balance, and flexibility, and the refreshing feeling you get after each savasana is pretty fulfilling as well. I found Explore Yoga's studio shortly after their opening and have been coming back on and off ever since. I completed my RYT 200hr Teacher Training at Explore Yoga in 2022. I love the balance and variety vinyasa and yin classes offer and look forward to sharing that experience with students at Explore Yoga. In addition to yoga, I love to play golf, go to concerts, and go hiking - happy to talk with others about anything!
KELLY
Kelly has been practicing yoga since 2006 and is RYT 200 certified through Explore Yoga. She has always had a curiosity for how the body works and enjoys the creativity of developing balanced classes that leave you feeling strong, agile and at peace. Kelly is specifically interested in anatomy and alignment but loves to weave other aspects of yoga into her classes to offer a deeper and richer practice.
MELISSA
I took my first Yoga class in 1997 as a college freshman but I didn't find consistency in my practice until about 10 years ago. I joined Explore as a student in the spring of 2022 and instantly knew I'd found a home at the studio. I completed my teacher training at Explore in January of 2025. If I'm not on my mat I'm probably reading a book & hanging out with my husband and our 5 cats.
DEANNA
I live a very active lifestyle, biking, lifting, hiking, etc. Moving is part of my livelihood, but a couple years ago I realized I was putting my body through too much and needed to find a way to recover so I would not end up injured like so many of my friends and family. That is when I discovered yoga. I found the practice was not only a way for me to recover my body from endless activity, but after a hectic workday it was a great way to calm my mind, SLEEP and let me be more present in my daily life. I took Explore’s Yoga Teacher Training in 2024 to deepen my practice and help others calm down and reconnect with their mind and body despite life’s chaos.
HEATHER
Heather has always been fascinated by the resilience and strength of the human body and mind. As a cancer survivor, Heather has felt the strength, flexibility and calm that yoga brings to her own mental and physical health. A regular yoga practice has been a game changer in body awareness, strength and confidence, and calm and resilience in her mindset. A desire to learn more and help others embrace these benefits led her to become a yoga teacher through Explore Yoga. Heather is a marketing professional, motivational speaker and blogger with a mission to be a positive impact on the world. In addition to yoga, Heather also enjoys hiking, biking, barre workouts, reading, time with her nieces and nephews, and travel.