Raika is an E-RYT and completed her 200-hour teacher training in 2016 with the New School of Yogic Arts at Coolidge Corner Yoga. She also completed Restorative Yoga training in 2019 and Yin Yoga training in 2023. Through teacher training, Raika discovered the power of self-exploration with the support of a gracious and loving community. Yoga has taught her how to explore her perceived physical and mental limitations as well as to appreciate the beauty of being a student. Her teaching encourages her students to discover the power of self-exploration through breath and movement. Raika's classes are shaped by her compassionate touch and are characterized by a balance of restorative poses and mindful vinyasa movement. She encourages a slower pace and longer holds so that students can incorporate attention to alignment and integrity in the asanas. Raika also incorporates restorative or gentle yoga poses to encourage students to relax and renew, as time on the mat is the truest form of self-care.

After years in the pool as a competitive swimmer and miles of endurance running, Colleen practiced yoga as a way to tap into breathwork, stretching, recovery, and  mindset development. Yoga was a way to balance Colleen’s busy routines, which led her to her 200-hour teacher training with LifePower Yoga in 2022 and her Breathwork & Meditation Teacher Training with David Magone. Her focus was to go in deeper, expand her practice, and share yoga with her personal training clients. True surrender to the practice arrived when Colleen was injured with a concussion/ TBI, forcing her to step back from her “normal” routines, social engagements, and activities. During this challenging recovery,  her yoga practice became so much more than a stretch— The practice offered her a sense of safety, trust, stillness, and acceptance of herself, her injury, and the world around her. In pursuit of sharing this peace with others, yoga taught Colleen how to soften, how to listen, and how to love herself and others as they already are.  Yoga is for everyone and every body.

I am an upstate New Yorker living outside of Boston who transitioned from a career in journalism to yoga to find peace and help others. Elyse’s yoga journey began in 2012, leading to her 240-hour certification in 2015 at Free Spirits Yoga in Greensboro, NC, in the tradition of Dharma Mittra. She has since taught yoga in North Carolina and Massachusetts, crafting classes rooted in kindness and compassion. Elyse is also certified in Reiki, SUP Yoga, and Ganja Yoga, and leads yoga hikes in New Hampshire's White Mountains. Elyse aims to create a supportive and brave environment where people can discover more about themselves, shed daily stress, embrace joy, and build strength in a personalized way. As a four-time marathoner living with Lyme disease, Elyse hopes to inspire others to listen to their bodies and advocate for their health. In her spare time, she enjoys being with her fiancé, Tim, and keeping up with her energetic pup, Korben Dallas.

Candace Lites, born and raised in the suburbs of Chicago, was introduced to yoga in high school so that she could maintain balance and flexibility during the offseason of competitive cheerleading and track and field. No longer a student-athlete, she recognized years ago that yoga is much more than a supplement to competitive sports and training. As such, she decided to deepen her commitment to her yoga practice, which led to her completing 200-hour teacher training in February 2024.

Megan was born and raised in Massachusetts and currently resides here in West Roxbury. Megan has a background in elementary education and worked as a fifth grade teacher for 6 years at Carver Elementary School. Through her years working with students, she discovered her passion for mental health and became a school adjustment counselor in addition to practicing mental health counseling for adults. Megan now offers maternal mental health coaching to mothers at any stage. Megan has always been passionate about exercise and wellness, especially the practice of yoga. In 2021, Megan obtained her 200-hour yoga certification through Core Power Yoga in power yoga and yoga sculpt training. Megan enjoys combining her yoga practice and mental health experience to help heal and support her local community.

Running and swimming competitively for years, teaching elementary school, and chasing my 3 young kids around led me to my first yoga class about 10 years ago. I was constantly on the go and not very present for myself or those around me.  Something in me kept bringing me back to my mat. I was beginning to become more aware of how yoga was the magic connection of the mind, body, and soul.  Meditative breath work, focusing on strengthening postures, and enjoying the benefits of a restful savasana taught me how to steady myself on and off the mat. I kept going to yoga classes because I felt a shift after each class and I wanted and needed to keep feeling good! I was eager to deepen my practice and knowledge even further, therefore I completed my 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training in 2022 and have been teaching all levels vinyasa flow yoga ever since!  In addition to teaching adults yoga, I am also a certified children's yoga instructor.  I love guiding people of all ages on their yoga journeys and meeting them wherever they are at on their mats!

200 hours

I received my 200 hour YTT certification through LifeTime Athletic in 2019 after practicing for many years and wanting to deepen my practice. Many people feel they aren’t good at yoga but I believe there is no good or bad way to “do” yoga. It’s not about flexibility or athleticism, although both of those will improve with yoga. It’s about connecting with yourself through breath and movement and calming your mind. The practice is just that, a “practice” and every class is a journey of self discovery and awareness. It all starts with coming to your mat and I hope to see you there!

Megan was born and raised in Massachusetts and currently resides here in West Roxbury. Megan has a background in elementary education and worked as a fifth grade teacher for 6 years at Carver Elementary School. Through her years working with students, she discovered her passion for mental health and became a school adjustment counselor in addition to practicing mental health counseling for adults. Megan now offers maternal mental health coaching to mothers at any stage. Megan has always been passionate about exercise and wellness, especially the practice of yoga. In 2021, Megan obtained her 200-hour yoga certification through Core Power Yoga in power yoga and yoga sculpt training. Megan enjoys combining her yoga practice and mental health experience to help heal and support her local community.

Coming from a dance background and looking for a way to expand her ‘workout’ routine, Vered took her first yoga class in Israel. She was initially curious about the effects of yoga but did not begin regularly practicing until she was on a three-month trip to India. Each morning, she would start her day with yoga, and her passion for the practice developed through this journey. Vered noticed how yoga supported her physically and emotionally, helping her through back pain. For Vered, yoga is a way of healing. As a mother of three, Vered appreciates how yoga helps her find stillness and remain present both on and beyond the mat—two of the many benefits she hopes to share with her students. After over twenty years of practicing, Vered expanded her understanding of yoga by completing the 200-hour RYT at Stil Studio. She is excited to share her passion for the practice by supporting students wherever they are in their yoga journey. Vered’s love for yoga extends beyond just the practice; she especially enjoys offering hands-on assistance to help students deepen their postures and connect more fully with their bodies. For Vered, yoga is not just about alignment but also about personal connection and growth, both on and beyond the mat, and she hopes to have you in her class!

Running and swimming competitively for years, teaching elementary school, and chasing my 3 young kids around led me to my first yoga class about 10 years ago. I was constantly on the go and not very present for myself or those around me.  Something in me kept bringing me back to my mat. I was beginning to become more aware of how yoga was the magic connection of the mind, body, and soul.  Meditative breath work, focusing on strengthening postures, and enjoying the benefits of a restful savasana taught me how to steady myself on and off the mat. I kept going to yoga classes because I felt a shift after each class and I wanted and needed to keep feeling good! I was eager to deepen my practice and knowledge even further, therefore I completed my 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training in 2022 and have been teaching all levels vinyasa flow yoga ever since!  In addition to teaching adults yoga, I am also a certified children's yoga instructor.  I love guiding people of all ages on their yoga journeys and meeting them wherever they are at on their mats!

I have lived in West Roxbury for nearly 15 years, and I love the area as well as surrounding neighborhoods. My love for yoga began at a little studio in West Roxbury called, ‘Yoga for You’, a Bikram studio. I loved the classes, the heat, the instructors, and the community it created. Many years later after being introduced to a Vinyasa style of yoga I quickly became interested in this brand new (to me) style of yoga! My certification began as a quest to learn more about the practice as well as to one day teach it.

I received my 200 hour YTT certification through LifeTime Athletic in 2019 after practicing for many years and wanting to deepen my practice. Many people feel they aren’t good at yoga but I believe there is no good or bad way to “do” yoga. It’s not about flexibility or athleticism, although both of those will improve with yoga. It’s about connecting with yourself through breath and movement and calming your mind. The practice is just that, a “practice” and every class is a journey of self discovery and awareness. It all starts with coming to your mat and I hope to see you there!

After years in the pool as a competitive swimmer and miles of endurance running, Colleen practiced yoga as a way to tap into breathwork, stretching, recovery, and  mindset development. Yoga was a way to balance Colleen’s busy routines, which led her to her 200-hour teacher training with LifePower Yoga in 2022 and her Breathwork & Meditation Teacher Training with David Magone. Her focus was to go in deeper, expand her practice, and share yoga with her personal training clients. True surrender to the practice arrived when Colleen was injured with a concussion/ TBI, forcing her to step back from her “normal” routines, social engagements, and activities. During this challenging recovery,  her yoga practice became so much more than a stretch— The practice offered her a sense of safety, trust, stillness, and acceptance of herself, her injury, and the world around her. In pursuit of sharing this peace with others, yoga taught Colleen how to soften, how to listen, and how to love herself and others as they already are.  Yoga is for everyone and every body.

I am an upstate New Yorker living outside of Boston who transitioned from a career in journalism to yoga to find peace and help others. Elyse’s yoga journey began in 2012, leading to her 240-hour certification in 2015 at Free Spirits Yoga in Greensboro, NC, in the tradition of Dharma Mittra. She has since taught yoga in North Carolina and Massachusetts, crafting classes rooted in kindness and compassion. Elyse is also certified in Reiki, SUP Yoga, and Ganja Yoga, and leads yoga hikes in New Hampshire's White Mountains. Elyse aims to create a supportive and brave environment where people can discover more about themselves, shed daily stress, embrace joy, and build strength in a personalized way. As a four-time marathoner living with Lyme disease, Elyse hopes to inspire others to listen to their bodies and advocate for their health. In her spare time, she enjoys being with her fiancé, Tim, and keeping up with her energetic pup, Korben Dallas.

Coming from a dance background and looking for a way to expand her ‘workout’ routine, Vered took her first yoga class in Israel. She was initially curious about the effects of yoga but did not begin regularly practicing until she was on a three-month trip to India. Each morning, she would start her day with yoga, and her passion for the practice developed through this journey. Vered noticed how yoga supported her physically and emotionally, helping her through back pain. For Vered, yoga is a way of healing. As a mother of three, Vered appreciates how yoga helps her find stillness and remain present both on and beyond the mat—two of the many benefits she hopes to share with her students. After over twenty years of practicing, Vered expanded her understanding of yoga by completing the 200-hour RYT at Stil Studio. She is excited to share her passion for the practice by supporting students wherever they are in their yoga journey. Vered’s love for yoga extends beyond just the practice; she especially enjoys offering hands-on assistance to help students deepen their postures and connect more fully with their bodies. For Vered, yoga is not just about alignment but also about personal connection and growth, both on and beyond the mat, and she hopes to have you in her class!

Raika is an E-RYT and completed her 200-hour teacher training in 2016 with the New School of Yogic Arts at Coolidge Corner Yoga. She also completed Restorative Yoga training in 2019 and Yin Yoga training in 2023. Through teacher training, Raika discovered the power of self-exploration with the support of a gracious and loving community. Yoga has taught her how to explore her perceived physical and mental limitations as well as to appreciate the beauty of being a student. Her teaching encourages her students to discover the power of self-exploration through breath and movement. Raika's classes are shaped by her compassionate touch and are characterized by a balance of restorative poses and mindful vinyasa movement. She encourages a slower pace and longer holds so that students can incorporate attention to alignment and integrity in the asanas. Raika also incorporates restorative or gentle yoga poses to encourage students to relax and renew, as time on the mat is the truest form of self-care.