Teachers

Mar’Kee is a  yoga teacher and practitioner, a social worker and a mother of two.  A multiracial woman, a spirited rebellious soul,  Mar’Kee  aligns with anti-oppressive and liberatory approaches to create equitable healing results and capacity for the vulnerable.  As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker since 2009, Mar’Kee has over 15 years experience in clinical social work practice including expertise in public child welfare and with the elderly population.  Mar’Kee holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Child Development from Spelman College and a Masters in Social Work from University of Southern California. Shadow work, grief and loss integration, yoga for children and families are Mar’Kee’s specific areas of expertise. 

Mar’Kee first found yoga in 2011, while pregnant with her first child. After the traumatic loss of her beloved big brother in 2014, Mar’Kee embarked on a journey of identity reclamation and enlightenment .  During the COVID-19 pandemic, Mar’Kee decided to enhance her knowledge of yoga philosophy and completed a 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training program through My Vinyasa Practice in 2021; studying under Michelle Young and Ana Pilar-Cruz. Mar’Kee has combined her vast social work experience with the rich and profound tools embedded in the practice of yoga to elevate her healing capabilities.

  Mar’Kee lives in Holden with her partner, Sean, and their two children (ages 14 and 7).  In her spare time, when she is not studying the Bhagavad Gita or mommy-ing her two children, Mar’Kee enjoys walks outside with her puppy, Pepper, journaling, true crime podcasts and studying Buddhism.  An adventure seeker, nature lover, curious mystic, crystal collector and Vedic astrology nerd, Mar’Kee brings all of herself to her healing work creating a profound grounding space for growth. Mar’Kee seeks to live an authentic life, leaving a legacy of love, passion and connection.

Sara-Grace Reynolds is the founder of Third Eye Yoga Collective – she is a  passionate student and teacher of yoga. Her goal in creating a teachers’ collective is to share the beauty of yoga across many disciplines while keeping yoga affordable and accessible to all students. She has been teaching movement since 2006, initially Pilates, and then yoga since 2009. She is a 500-hour certified yoga (E-RYT500) teacher via the yoga alliance and has traveled to India twice to study yoga and meditation.  Her teaching style is rooted in self-compassion, self-guided experience, and intuitive movement, and she always encourages students to take what they need from her classes. Sara-Grace is a student of Buddha dharma, and she incorporates buddhist teachings into her yoga offerings. She helps to guide her students towards the higher levels of yoga, including pranayama and meditation, which are always incorporated into her classes. She believes in kindness and nonviolence in all things, and her teaching style reflects this.

Sara-Grace is also a mom of two young children, and a physician specializing in internal medicine. She also completed a year of postgraduate training in physical medicine and rehabilitation. She enjoys working with students with all levels of physical ability and supporting those dealing with illness.

Om Shanti. 

Meng has over 20 years of yoga practice and 12 years of yoga instruction. She started because her doctor recommended the practice to help with insomnia and learned by following VHS tapes and DVDs that featured instructors like Rodney Yee, Bryan Kest and Patricia Walden. She later discovered the world of practicing within a studio community at Metrowest Yoga where she worked as a volunteer, yoga assistant and later on as a yoga instructor. She has since taught yoga at many studios around central MA, college, and corporate settings to people of all ages and abilities.

Meng has mainly studied under Theresa Murphy for both her 200 hour and 300 hour yoga teacher training certifications as well as a variety of other specialized topics including yin yoga. In addition to Theresa, Meng has also trained with Judith Lasater for restorative yoga and Tiffany Cruikshank for myofascial release. She has a continuous curiosity of using tools and props to help support people in connecting awareness to their bodies; as well as to an overall feeling of ease.

Jacki first came to yoga looking for a safe place, quickly realizing there is no safer place than coming back home to herself. She received her 200 hour certification from Metrowest Yoga and Training Center in Worcester in 2016. 

Jacki teaches the way she practices – slow and intentional – with a focus on the power of choice and learning to trust yourself. She encourages practitioners to pay attention to what the practice feels like, rather than what it looks like, reminding them that yoga is a feeling, not a shape.

Even as a teacher, Jacki remains a student, continually learning from her practice, the yoga community, and the natural world around her. An enthusiast for the outdoors, she draws her deepest inspiration from nature. When not in the yoga studio, she can be found tending to her small scale market farm in Pomfret, CT, where the cycles of patience, growth, and resilience mirror the lessons of yoga.

Heather has been practicing yoga for over 20 years. She has attended and received her 200 and 500-hour certifications in Prana Flow through Shiva Rea’s Samudra School, led by Shiva’s Senior teacher, Coral Brown. As a dedicated student of yoga and her love of being outdoors, Heather draws inspiration in her own practice and teaching from nature and its many forms. She wholeheartedly believes that yoga is about community and offers space for students to experience their practice in a dynamic yet supportive environment where compassion and acceptance are encouraged.

Cindy is committed to helping teachers, students and private clients expand their possibilities through education, movement and self-exploration.  She has a deep curiosity about the function of the human body and how it is a barometer for what is going on in the more subtle realms of the mind and the emotions. She has over 20 years of experience in the fitness industry as an instructor and international presenter, and over 16 years’ experience teaching yoga and training yoga teachers. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences, has studied extensively with numerous teachers and programs, including Baron Baptiste, Rolf Gates, Shiva Rae, Ana Forrest, Tom Myers, Bo Forbes, and Theresa Murphy. After studying meditation with Sarah Powers in Thailand and attending silent retreats, she realized her need for a daily meditation practice and how it is essential for her to calm the crazy and create more peace in her life. She has studied Yoga Therapeutics with Dr. Bo Forbes, and she is currently completing the three year IAYT certified Yoga Therapist Program with Susi Hately and she is studying with Amy Mathews to become a Licensed Somatic Educator with the School of Mind Body Centering.

Cindy’s seminars and workshops have been presented throughout Canada, the US and Japan. She has assisted and taught classes at Kripalu for Bo’s sessions on Yoga for Anxiety and Depression, and has taught 6 years of 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Trainings.

Her classes are mindful explorations of movement and stillness infused with a sense of humor.  Visit www.cindyboulteryoga.com for more information

With over two decades of experience in yoga, meditation, and fitness, Jennifer Davidson brings a compassionate and holistic approach to wellness. Her teaching draws inspiration from renowned yoga leaders such as Cindy Lee, Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa, Baron Baptiste, and Rodney Yee, as well as spiritual influences including Amma, Dipa Ma, and His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Jennifer’s background includes extensive work with a diverse range of students—prenatal and postnatal mothers, infants, teens, seniors, veterans, and post-surgical clients—always emphasizing safety, mindfulness, and accessibility.

A graduate of the Frog Pond Yoga Centre, the Massage Institute of New England, and Seton Hall University, Jennifer also holds certifications in Pilates and Barre Pilates through Balanced Body, as well as Reiki Levels I and II. Her teaching integrates anatomy, philosophy, and mindful movement to create an experience that nurtures both body and spirit.

Ruth Febo (she/her/ella), a certified RYT® 200 and Trauma Informed Yoga Teacher, began her yoga journey in 2003. She earned her Yoga Teacher Training certification in 2019 and completed trauma-informed yoga training with Lara Land of Three and a Half Acres Yoga in 2024. Ruth is dedicated to lifelong learning, both on and off the mat. Her classes focus on flow and restorative yoga, weaving breath and movement to nurture the mind-body connection. She values sangha—community—as a vital aspect of yoga, providing space for practitioners to support and accept one another.

For more than thirty years, Jennie Backstrom has been immersed in the healing art and philosophy of yoga — a journey that began in childhood when her father introduced her to the practice that became her lifelong compass. Yoga has guided her through growth, motherhood, creativity, and transformation, shaping the way she lives and teaches.

Jennie’s classes are known for their warmth, clarity, and genuine sense of ease and fun. She has a unique ability to help students feel their bodies in simple, accessible ways, guiding even those who feel disconnected into presence and self-awareness. Her extensive training spans Ashtanga, Anusara, Svaroopa, Hatha, and Vinyasa yoga, with studies under respected teachers including Elena Brower, Sianna Sherman, Anodea Judith, Seane Corn, Baron Baptiste, Marc St. Pierre, and instructors from Kripalu and Sacred Centers. Her studies and teachings have taken her across the globe, allowing her to learn from and teach within diverse yoga communities.

Beyond the studio, Jennie expresses her creativity through music, including her album Emotions Sit, and through her online offerings at www.jenniebackstrom.com. She is also the founder of YogAffirm, a digital sanctuary supporting women — especially single mothers — in building confidence, resilience, and inner trust.

Jennie’s mission is to help people bend instead of break, reconnect with their inner wisdom, and cultivate practices that support them in every season of life. Whether guiding a class or offering wisdom to her son, she teaches with authenticity, compassion, and a deep sense of connection.

 Gabrielle (she/her/ella) started practicing yoga over 10 years ago as a way to bond with her mom. It quickly became a personal passion and opened up new avenues of spiritual and physical growth. Gabrielle completed her YTT in Costa Rica in 2019 and has been teaching ever since. A 200 hour certified teacher, her focus is making yoga accessible for all bodies and people of all backgrounds. In her classes she focuses on slow, intentional movement, attention to breath, and connecting mind and body. She loves teaching yin and restorative classes. She aims to practice yoga on and off the mat and encourages her students to do the same. Outside of teaching and practicing yoga and meditation she does legal advocacy work for the LGBTQ+ community, loves hiking, reading, board games, and a really good cup of coffee.

Lilly discovered yoga 20 years ago when she was searching for an antidote to reduce stress and manage her chronic back pain.  She quickly realized that the healing benefits of yoga reached far beyond the physical and fell in love with the practice as she started to experience unexpected shifts.  Her work in human services became more manageable and her pain gradually subsided. Finding yoga transformed Lilly’s life and beliefs in many positive ways. 

In 2004, Lilly completed her 200HR YTT and has since continued to study and train extensively with various yoga and meditation teachers, including Rolf Gates, Shiva Rea, Shawn Corne, Johnny Gillespie, Josh Summers, David Nichtern and many other local and internationally recognized teachers. 

Taking a special interest in maintaining back health, she has completed several programs focusing on principles of alignment, biomechanics as well as yoga for relieving back and hip pain. Lilly has worked closely with physical therapists to bring components of PT to her own practice and teaching style.  Most recently, she completed her 300HR Advanced YTT through Metrowest Yoga. 

Lilly’s classes develop organically, depending on the students’ needs. With careful attention to alignment, breath, present moment awareness and core integration, Lilly guides her students to move from their center to find the essential balance between strength and mobility.  Her classes are an invitation to play and create space for self-reflection. Sharing the gift of yoga has become one of her greatest joys and passions.

Sherylynn is passionate about wellness. A certified yoga instructor, barre instructor, artist and woman of faith, she seeks to encourage and spread a message of hope in her teaching. She received her yoga certification from Mang’Oh Yoga in New York City, and has taught across New England, New York, and New Jersey. Sherylynn leans into her faith in her personal asana practice, and is the founder and owner of TrustLoveKnow | The Christian Wellness Company where she offers a Christ-centered alternative to traditional yoga classes. To learn more visit: www.sherylynnsealy.com or www.trustloveknow.com. 

Georgia Johnson is a compassionate yoga and meditation instructor with over 20 years of practice. She first discovered yoga as a way to ease stress and anxiety, and it has since become a lifelong path of healing and balance that she loves to share with others. Her classes offer a gentle, welcoming space for students of all levels to breathe, move mindfully, and reconnect with themselves.

Trained in multiple yoga styles—as well as Reiki and Thai Yoga Massage—Georgia emphasizes mindfulness, intuitive movement, and the power of breath to help students reset and rejuvenate at their own pace.

Off the mat, Georgia is a food blogger at The Comfort of Cooking, a photographer, and a mom. She finds joy in cooking, traveling, and connecting with people wherever life takes her.

Jeanine is a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT 200) with over 20 years of yoga practice. She completed her 200-hr training at Heartwood Yoga Institute, under Ginny East Shaddock, and is also certified in Chair Yoga.

Initially falling in love with the connection of body and breath in vinyasa-style classes, Jeanine soon began to appreciate the permission to rest and turn inward that she gained with more restorative styles of yoga.

Today, Jeanine is dedicated to helping others explore wellness, and bring movement and breathwork into their everyday lives. In her classes, she focuses on creating a welcoming and safe environment that promotes the integration of breath and intuitive movement through pranayama, vinyasa flow, and restorative asanas.

Gina is a Gendai Reiki Master and a Certified Bliss Bowls Sound Healing Practitioner. She infuses traditional Reiki Energy sessions with healing vibrations from singing bowls and other sound healing instruments which enhance and heighten the overall effect of her energy work and also offers Sound Bath Meditation experiences in the local area.  Gina holds both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music education from The University of Connecticut, is a certified Music Together instructor, and has been teaching all ages for many years. She has been a student/participant in many natural healing modalities for over 20 years. She lives in Berlin with her husband Scott, children Aria and Will, and her Mini Dachshund Remo.

Gina is known for her calming presence and her sessions are incredibly relaxing and soothing. She is intuitively guided during sessions to where each client needs healing energy the most and often receives intuitive hits that she then passes on to her clients and which help them on their healing journey. She connects with, invites and shares other energies such as Tachyon, a group of Archangels, Lightning energy (a lemurian energetic healing modality) and light codes.

Rick Rocha discovered the practice of meditation in 1986, which would soon begin his new life on a spiritual path.

In 2000, to further deepen his spiritual side, he took his first Tai Chi class and met his Tai Chi Chuan teacher. Over the years, with his teacher’s guidance, Rick has learned several styles of Tai Chi, Qigong, philosophy, weapons, and other Chinese martial arts. Like peeling an onion, he continues to study the practice of Tai Chi Chuan with his teacher.

He has a background in Ayurveda, working at a center for five years as a massage technician, and learning about the healing qualities of herbs, oils, and decoctions.

Rick is also Reiki ll certified, a lover of Ashtanga Yoga and a student of theatrical magic for most of his life.

While Tai Chi can be a social exercise, it is also a personal journey each person has to walk.

Rick prefers to teach at the pace of each individual student. His classes offer this mind/body practice which is learning total body coordination, philosophy, Chinese language, Tai Chi martial art theory, developing inner peace, balance, and inner strength.