Leslie’s yoga journey began in 2010, initially to support her running practice—helping her body recover, stay balanced, and prevent injury. Over time, she discovered that yoga offers so much more than physical benefits; it nurtures the mind and spirit, providing tools for resilience, mindfulness, and inner peace. Since 2022, Leslie has been teaching children’s yoga at Brompton Community School, guiding young minds in mindfulness, movement, and self-awareness. In 2023, she began leading chair yoga classes at The Fredericksburg Food Co-op, bringing gentle movement and wellness to participants of all abilities. She also teaches an Introduction to Yoga class at the Brisben Center in Fredericksburg, offering residents a chance to explore how yoga can bring calm, hope, and balance during challenging times. Leslie’s practice and teaching are deeply inspired by her mentor, Deborah Testa, and her time at Heal Me Yoga. She received her Children’s Mindfulness Certificate in 2022, graduated from her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training in 2023, and completed her Children’s Yoga Teacher Training in 2024. Grounded in the classical 8 limbs of yoga, Leslie continues to study and refine her practice, bringing a balanced, accessible approach to her classes that integrates strength, flexibility, breathwork, and meditation. Her teaching encourages students of all ages and abilities to discover the physical, mental, and emotional benefits of yoga in a supportive and nurturing environment.

Leslie’s yoga journey began in 2010, initially to support her running practice—helping her body recover, stay balanced, and prevent injury. Over time, she discovered that yoga offers so much more than physical benefits; it nurtures the mind and spirit, providing tools for resilience, mindfulness, and inner peace. Since 2022, Leslie has been teaching children’s yoga at Brompton Community School, guiding young minds in mindfulness, movement, and self-awareness. In 2023, she began leading chair yoga classes at The Fredericksburg Food Co-op, bringing gentle movement and wellness to participants of all abilities. She also teaches an Introduction to Yoga class at the Brisben Center in Fredericksburg, offering residents a chance to explore how yoga can bring calm, hope, and balance during challenging times. Leslie’s practice and teaching are deeply inspired by her mentor, Deborah Testa, and her time at Heal Me Yoga. She received her Children’s Mindfulness Certificate in 2022, graduated from her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training in 2023, and completed her Children’s Yoga Teacher Training in 2024. Grounded in the classical 8 limbs of yoga, Leslie continues to study and refine her practice, bringing a balanced, accessible approach to her classes that integrates strength, flexibility, breathwork, and meditation. Her teaching encourages students of all ages and abilities to discover the physical, mental, and emotional benefits of yoga in a supportive and nurturing environment.

Born and raised in New Jersey, Amanda has always carried a deep curiosity for both technology and the art of mindful living. After moving to Virginia at the age of 24, she discovered her passion for yoga and pursued her training at the Heal Me Yoga Institute, where she deepened her understanding of movement, breath, and inner balance. Today, Amanda thrives as both an IT professional and a writer, blending logic and creativity in everything she does. When she’s not working or writing, you can find her chasing the sun on a sandy beach with clear blue waters, or enjoying quiet moments with her beloved dog, Bella. Her approach to life, and to yoga, reflects her belief that harmony is found when we balance the technical with the soulful, and the busy with the beautifully simple.

Megan is one of our dedicated yoga teachers and a proud graduate of our RYT 200 program. She first discovered yoga as a vital tool for navigating the demands of a high-stress career, quickly realizing how profoundly a consistent practice could nurture both mental clarity and physical well-being. Her personal experience fuels her passion for teaching in our community. Megan believes in the transformative power of yoga, not just as a form of exercise, but as a holistic practice that builds strength, enhances flexibility, and fosters a deeper connection to oneself. Whether guiding students on the mat or encouraging mindfulness in everyday life, she strives to create classes that are welcoming, empowering, and restorative, helping each student cultivate resilience, balance, and inner calm. Through her teaching, Megan inspires students to embrace yoga as a lifelong journey, one that enriches the body, mind, and spirit while offering tools to navigate the challenges of modern life with grace and confidence.

I was born and raised in New York State, and life has since guided me to my home in Virginia. I’m married, blessed with four wonderful children, and delighted to be a grandmother to three beautiful little souls. I am a yoga teacher though, in many ways, I feel yoga found me. While exploring different movement and fitness styles, yoga appeared almost by accident… yet it immediately felt different, familiar, and deeply right. What began as curiosity quickly grew into a lifelong path. I have been practicing and teaching for several years now, and the learning never stops. My offerings include Yin Yoga, Self Awakening Yoga, an approach that expands consciousness through the body’s innate wisdom and Hatha Yoga. Each style allows me to guide students into deeper awareness, gentleness, and personal transformation. Yoga continues to evolve with me, and I’m grateful every day for the opportunity to share its healing, clarity, and quiet magic with others.

Renata was born and raised in Brazil and lived across several European countries before making the United States her home in 2001. Her multicultural journey shaped not only her worldview but also her ability to connect deeply with others, she speaks Portuguese, French, and Italian, bringing a warm, international presence to her teaching. Renata began practicing Hatha Yoga more than twenty years ago. What started as a search for physical strength and flexibility soon unfolded into a profound journey of mental clarity, emotional harmony, and spiritual awakening. Yoga became not just a practice, but a way of living with intention and mindfulness. In 2014, she embraced a calling to go deeper, completing her 200-hour yoga certification through the Healing Arts and Yoga Center of Fredericksburg, Virginia. Since 2015, Renata has been guiding students with a gentle, compassionate approach that emphasizes breath awareness, balance, and inner serenity. Her classes highlight the restorative, nurturing side of yoga, offering students a sanctuary where they can reconnect with themselves and cultivate peace both on and off the mat. Renata believes wholeheartedly that yoga is for everyone. With her kind spirit, calming energy, and multicultural background, she inspires students to explore the full essence of the practice, nurturing body, mind, and spirit. With a heart full of gratitude, she is honored to share the transformative path of yoga and is delighted to be part of the Heal Me Yoga community.

Founder, Director and Lead Trainer of yoga teachers at Heal Me Yoga and Wellness Center classes. Learn to heal yourself through the science of yoga so that you can through your own experience help others to heal themselves.

Founder, Director and Lead Trainer of yoga teachers at Heal Me Yoga and Wellness Center classes. Learn to heal yourself through the science of yoga so that you can through your own experience help others to heal themselves.

Gary is a certified breathing specialist and a proud graduate of Heal Me Yoga’s 200-hour CYT instructor training (9th October 2025). With over three decades of experience as a respiratory therapist and registered cardiopulmonary specialist (RCP, RPFT), he has dedicated his career to helping patients harness the power of the breath to reduce stress, improve lung function, and restore balance to mind and body. A lifelong yoga enthusiast since his college days, Gary seamlessly bridges the worlds of clinical science and mindful movement. Now retired from clinical practice, he brings a wealth of knowledge, insight, and compassion to the yoga mat. His classes emphasize the transformative power of pranayama (breath control) and asana, guiding students to unlock their full potential, release tension, and cultivate lasting well-being. Gary’s unique approach empowers students of all levels to experience the subtle, yet profound, impact of mindful breathing and movement, making each session not just a practice, but a journey toward greater vitality and inner calm.

Founder, Director and Lead Trainer of yoga teachers at Heal Me Yoga and Wellness Center classes. Learn to heal yourself through the science of yoga so that you can through your own experience help others to heal themselves.

Jackie was born and raised in South Africa, where her lifelong passion for movement began at the age of five through dance. After relocating to the United States in 1987, she continued her studies in dance, physical theatre, and the Alexander Technique. Since 1989, Jackie has been teaching creative movement, dance, aerobics, and yoga, sharing her deep understanding of the body and breath with students of all levels. A certified instructor in Hatha Yoga, Asanas, and Pranayama, Jackie integrates her diverse background into classes that are both enriching and accessible. Her teaching style reflects a harmonious blend of movement and mindfulness, inspired by over three decades of experience and her long-time practice of Jyoti Meditation, which she began in 1988. Jackie’s classes offer a gentle, introspective approach that encourages inner reflection and connection to the self. “The Secret Garden,” as she calls it, represents the place of love and complete bliss that resides within each of us , a sanctuary we can access at any time by stilling the mind and awakening the spirit.

Certified as a 500-hour Yoga Teacher through Heal Me Yoga, Sarah’s journey began in 2016 when she attended her first meditation class with Debbie. That single experience sparked a deep calling toward Hatha Yoga, inspiring her to complete her 200-hour HMY certification soon after. Building on that foundation with passion and dedication, she continued her studies and earned her 500-hour YTT certification in 2019. Since then, Sarah has taught private classes consistently, witnessing transformative and often profound shifts in students who embrace a regular Hatha practice. Her teaching style is rooted in compassion, clarity, and a genuine belief in yoga’s ability to heal and empower. A lifelong learner, Sarah has also spent more than a decade working full-time as an animal nurse. She expanded her skill set further by becoming a certified canine rehabilitation technician, blending yoga, therapeutic exercise, and gentle massage to support the healing of our beloved four-legged companions. Sarah brings heart, humility, and a deep sense of purpose to every practice, human or canine.

With a background in dance, Kristen began her yoga journey at the age of 15 during a dance workshop. The class was more than just physical exercise, it awakened her awareness of body movement, internal energy, and the energy surrounding her. From that moment, she was captivated. At 18, Kristen was introduced to deep meditation through a local meditation group, further expanding her connection to mind, body, and spirit. Over the years, practicing yoga and meditation with a variety of teachers, through all stages of her life and both of her pregnancies, has brought her balance, strength, and inner peace. In 2017, when her second child experienced colic, Kristen turned to the study of children’s yoga and meditation to support her baby and help her family navigate this challenging time. This inspired her to earn her Children’s Yoga Teacher Certificate and complete her RYT-500, deepening her expertise and teaching skills. For the past five years, Kristen has been teaching private yoga classes for children and adults, tailoring her approach to meet the unique needs, bodies, and life stages of each student. With an energetic passion for yoga, she believes wholeheartedly that there is a practice for everyone, and that yoga can benefit every body, physically, mentally, and spiritually.

I started yoga at home in 2011 using TV programs and DVD’s because I had lost a sense of physical balance. I started attending classes at Art of Balance Yoga shortly after it opened in January 2015 and found more than the regaining of my physical balance. I also found mental awareness, flexibility, and more strength than I’ve ever had before in a non-competitive and supportive community. I completed my RYT-200 Yoga Teacher Training at Art of Balance Yoga in June 2018. My goal as a teacher is to share a class with you that is creative and playful but purposeful and that allows you to take away a sense of balance and renewal. We practice as individuals, adapting the practice to be our own, with a group of kindred spirits. Practicing yoga we are centered within ourselves, yet interacting with others just as we need to be when we leave the studio.

Founder, Director and Lead Trainer of yoga teachers at Heal Me Yoga and Wellness Center classes. Learn to heal yourself through the science of yoga so that you can through your own experience help others to heal themselves.

Founder, Director and Lead Trainer of yoga teachers at Heal Me Yoga and Wellness Center classes. Learn to heal yourself through the science of yoga so that you can through your own experience help others to heal themselves.