Teachers
Joseph Dugan
​Joseph is a Nada (sound) yogi at heart and believes that everything is made out of sounds and vibrations. His classes focus on harmony and developing deeper listening skills, not only with our ears but with our whole body and heart, so we may trace the path back to the unharmed place within.
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"Yoga's not about making us into better people, it's about cleaning off the dirt to see what was always there."
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500hr-E-RYT AYM Rishikesh, India
200hr-RYT Evolve Yoga MI, US
50hr Yin Yoga - Arhanta Yoga
50hr Nada Yoga - Jivasu​
MAURA o'meallie
In 2017, Maura left her Colorado mountain town to live in Ferndale, Mi. She grew up in a vibrant art community and was always surrounded by inspiring creatives.
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She believes that the practice yoga helps to awaken the parts of ourselves that lay dormant and allow us to move with more ease in our daily lives.
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"When I think of yoga the first word that comes to mind is connectivity. Connecting to all life and back to a place of wholeness and well being."
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200hr-RYT AYM Rishikesh, India
200hr RYT Nada Yoga Rishikesh, India
200hr RYT Yoga for Eating Disorders
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Valerie WEir
Valerie Weir as been practicing Kundalini yoga since 1973 and trained directly with Yogi Bhajan. She has also served as a teacher trainer for the kundalini yoga institute. She has extensive experience in sound healing having trained with Gong Master Don Conreaux and has completed level one training with Professor Surider Singh of the London Academy of Music. She’s a professional Astrologer and holds a level two certification in Steven Forrest’s apprenticeship program. Valerie’s classes are fun and innovative, classic Kundalini yoga involves movement breath-work and sound. Each class includes Gong and homemade tea. No level of experience required- just come as you are.
ELLIE SCANDiRITO
Ellie is a certified Hatha Yoga teacher, has been engaging and inspiring students around the world for the past 10 years. She received her formal training at Parmarth Niketan Ashram in Rishikesh India, where she studied Yoga asana, pranayam, yoga nidra, vedic chanting, and meditation. Her style is invigorating, yet calming.
When Ellie is not teaching yoga, she is working as an Early Childhood Educator. She also is enrolled in The Beaumont School of Yoga Therapy. She is studying the scientific framework of yoga, and how to treat physical and emotional / mental health needs.
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*Ellie is currently living in Kyrgyzstan! We will update you upon her return!*
trishna patel
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Yoga has woven in and out of Trishna’s life for the past 25 years. At a young age, she began learning the philosophical and spiritual aspects of Yoga through the practice of Swadhyaya (self-study). She was then introduced to yoga postures and meditation to complement her 11-year study of the Indian classical dance form, Bharat Natyam. With the intention of deepening her practice, she completed her 200-hour teacher training in 2019 at Namaste Yoga in Royal Oak. Throughout this process, she began to see and feel immense transformations within herself and in her life, and felt inspired to be a yoga guide for others.
Trishna believes the integration of the mind, body, and breath is a powerful practice that allows for self-discovery and awareness both on and off the mat. She understands the study of yoga to be a lifelong endeavor that requires continuous commitment. With her calming voice, foundational cues, and offerings of both variations and challenges equally, she aims to create an inclusive environment that supports all students on their journey.
200hr-RYT Namaste Yoga, Royal Oak, MI
katrina wright
Katrina had practiced yoga at various times of her life but it always seemed like something was hidden behind the class that was never discussed with students…until she found Samastah! She never pictured herself as a yoga teacher but was fascinated by the new information she was receiving and earned her 200 RYT from Samastah in 2019. She continued studying in the two Yogic Embodiment courses that followed. Katrina also studies voice & harmonium with Maura. In her professional life, she leads IT at a local non-profit whose mission is to heal trauma. She donates her time to train co-workers about trauma-informed practices and the importance of self-care.
Her yin yoga class is about feeling a deep connection to whatever you need most in the moment.
angelo Dhinka
Adriel Velasquez
Amanda Hacker
Amanda was introduced to yoga in late 2010 and soon observed the positive shifts yoga had on her mental health. Having a love for holistic health and after graduating from massage therapy school in 2015, she sought to take her yogic learning further.
Amanda completed a 200-hour yoga teacher training in 2016 and a 300-hour YTT from 2017-2019, both with the Beaumont School of Yoga Therapy now known as the International Institute of Yoga Therapy (IIYT). In 2022, Amanda finished the third level of IIYT’s yoga therapy program and experienced offering yoga therapy online, and to patients in hospitals.
She is inspired at the power and depth of yoga, and is a student at heart. Yoga has helped Amanda in immeasurable ways, and in an effort to share the benefits of a yoga practice with others she began consistently teaching in 2019. Amanda's background offers a therapeutic and compassionate approach to her instruction of yoga, aiming to create a safe space for all.
dawn Henry
Stephanie Nagy
RYT-200
Stephanie Nagy is an experienced registered yoga teacher (E-RYT-200), currently studying to become a Yoga Therapist. She brings to her classes a love of physical movement, body awareness and the ability to meet the students where they are in their practice. Stephanie is certified in Yin and Chair Yoga, which she frequently incorporates into her classes. In February 2022, she was certified in the Yoga of 12-Step Recovery as a Y12SR Leader, in order to support people in recovery through yoga.