Catherine's devotion to yoga and wellness provides the foundation for Leewi Yoga. With a professional background in psychology and behavioral therapy, as well as a personal penchant for health and fitness - ranging from ballroom dance and ballet to Pilates and yoga - Catherine has dedicated much of her life to bridging the gap between mental, physical and emotional states of wellbeing. Her interest in holistic health is centered largely on yoga, and the solace one finds when "coming to the mat."

Catherine's diverse experience with yoga began in 1996, with her introduction to Kundalini philosophy, and later grew into a deep appreciation for the challenge and stimulation Ashtanga and Bikram/Moksha styles of yoga provide. To enhance her understanding of yogic tradition, Catherine has completed the Yoga Alliance Teacher Training and is a registered member of the International Association of Yoga Therapy, which combines her previous work in psychology with her current passion for physical wellness.

In 2008, Catherine opened Leewi Yoga, a restorative space in which the lifelong pursuit of balance, peace and perspective is cultivated and revered. In addition to operating her own studio, Catherine continues her own Anusara yoga practice, which combines awareness and alignment of both physical and mental energies. Through Anusara Catherine has found herself "opening to grace," and is devoted to helping others discover this for themselves at Leewi Yoga.

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Joanne has been an instructor at Yoga Oakville for the past two years. Joanne also works part time at her husband's ski and bike store as the ski-clothing buyer. She enjoys all types of cycling and spending her winter weekends with her family skiing in Ellicottville NY.

Joanne started taking Ashtanga yoga once a week in a local church basement. After hearing about a new hot yoga studio that had opened in Toronto she decided to give this a try. After the first week of hot yoga she realized this was a style of yoga she wanted to pursue. She went on to complete the first Moksha Yoga teacher training, and has been teaching in Toronto and Oakville ever since. Joanne has continued to develop her understanding of Yoga through studying the principles of Anusara yoga.

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Sofie Jambor
teacher

Sofia was born in Budapest, Hungary. By the time she was 9, she had lived in three different countries and spoke three different languages. Her fascination with culture, travel and people has grown throughout her life.

Sofia's love and passion for animals carried her into an undergrad program in vertebrate biology and physiology, and work as a veterinary assistant. She graduated from the University of Toronto with a Bachelor of Science and hoped to one day study veterinary medicine. But life presented other options and challenges to her after the culmination of a romantic relationship ending, the divorce of her parents and a failed attempt at entry into veterinary college. She spent the next several years feeling disillusioned, stagnant, frustrated and lost. Having swum competitively throughout her school years, she turned to sports as an outlet, competing in triathlons, and diving into flying trapeze and rock climbing. She began working as a private trainer to assist others to achieve their personal and physical goals.

A chance encounter with Colin Matthews and the persistence of a friend brought her to Yoga Oakville in August 2005. She approached yoga with a determined mindset, seeing it as nothing more than another physical challenge to overcome and master. She did not trust herself to explore any deeper, but sensed that her practice was important. Applying to, and being accepted into a teacher training program in Thailand, March 2006, brought out the feelings of self-judgment, inadequacy, distrust and anxiety that she had been unable to process. Colin was crucial in helping her to work through these challenging emotions, which prevented her from moving forward in most avenues of her life. Completing the training and traveling on her own gave her a major sense of accomplishment and changed her perspective.

Since then, she has studied restorative yoga under Judith Lasater and now teaches with all of her personal experiences in mind. She believes that yoga is a personal journey; an opportunity to develop the courage it takes to become more honest, kind, tolerant, and accepting of yourself and the world around you.

“If we’re growing, we’re always going to be out of our comfort zone.” ~ John C. Maxwell

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June Bradley has practiced and loved yoga since 1970. She trained to receive her Yoga Instructor's certification in 1977 and 1978 and then went on for further Yoga Instructor's certification in l987, l988 and l989. June has taught yoga part-time for many years. She is a registered member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists.

June currently is a social worker who has run an innovative private practice since 1995. Prior to establishing her own practice, June worked as a medical social worker, corporate management trainer and yoga instructor. Her focus is with the integration of mind, body and spirit to promote a holistic experience of healing. Her own history of overcoming many years of severe migraine pain has influenced her approach to counselling.

June blends yoga therapy with body centred psychotherapy and medical intuition. This enhances the client's understanding of where they have been, where they are now and where they are going.

At Leewi Yoga June offers a group class for Gentle Awareness Yoga, as well as one on one Yoga Therapy for mental and emotional areas of distress. www.junebradley.com

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Grant Hutchinson began practicing yoga in 2001. Drawn to the meditative dynamism of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga and amazed at the serenity and focus it brought to him, he became committed to the practice. He spent 10 months during 2004-5 studying ashtanga yoga and meditation with different teachers in Mysore, India and the Gulf Islands of Thailand. During this time, he completed the Yoga Thailand teacher training course. Grant encourages his students to explore the stillness within the energetic practice in a supportive and non-judgemental environment. He has also been the force behind bringing Yin Yoga to our studio.

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Christine has been involved in fitness all her life and has a passion for any fitness-oriented challenge that comes her way. She has a conviction to try anything at least once! And at least twice if it's fun.

She has participated and competed in a variety of sports from synchronized swimming to track and field. Christine has enjoyed the last twenty years as a fitness professional and personal trainer. She creates and leads personalized fitness programs, spinning sessions, as well as an assortment of aerobics classes including step, strength training and muscle conditioning for all levels of fitness. She has recently completed her yoga teacher training program within the standards of the Yoga Alliance and is enjoying incorporating the art of alignment and focus into not only her own life but the lives of others.

Christine believes that making fitness, nutrition, and the mindful practice of yoga part of one's life and in turn this leads to a better quality of living. Having a harmonious balance between muscular strength, cardiovascular conditioning and flexibility as well as mental focus is the key to her approach to a healthy body and mind.

Christine is also constantly passing on knowledge to her participants from the many workshops and conferences she attends. She is well known for her contagious energy, enthusiasm and wealth of creativity.

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Marinella is a certified yoga teacher and has been a practitioner since 1996. Currently Marinella is working toward her Anusara Yoga certification, a sophisticated and distinctive yoga system based on alignment, philosophy and building community.

Strongly committed to the service of yoga through her own creative expression of the Universal Principals of Alignment™, application of self-observation, exploration and love for Tantric philosophy, her classes are filled with laughter, delight and essence of true spirit.

When Marinella is not on her yoga mat, she can be found enjoying the city landscapes, riding her bicycle through Kensington Market, climbing walls or walking friendly dogs through Trinity Bellwoods!

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Megan approaches teaching through the eyes of a perpetual student, yet will the wisdom of a seasoned teacher. She is committed to supporting her students on their journey of exploration and healing.

Having studied at the school of Yoga Therapy and Natural Medicine in Toronto, her primary styles of teaching are 10 body Kundalini and Classical Hatha, as well as Ashtanga. Megan credits, Archa Mati with having the greatest influence on her teaching.

Off the mat, Megan’s passion for film and theatre is seen on screen and on stage as a writer, producer and actor.

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My yoga journey began with a 6:30 am hot yoga class. I was hooked from the beginning and proceeded to take 500 classes over the next two years! I was fortunate to take part in the inaugural Moksha Yoga teacher training in Toronto and have been teaching full time ever since. I try to teach every class like a class that I would like to take. I have since completed a 200 hour Anusara teacher training at Yogaphoria in New Hope, Pennsylvania. I studied extensively with Naime Jezzeny and Sue Elkind.

Before I started teaching I was a pool player/actor/stand-in. I was standing in on the movie Cinderella man and three months into the movie (with one month left to shoot) I walked up to the director, Ron Howard, and told him I was leaving the show the next week to start a yoga teacher training course. He told me he thought I was doing the right thing - his wife told him that yoga is great, and here I am!

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A lifelong athlete, Diane was brought to her first yoga class in order to rehabilitate a knee injury. It only took one class for her to realize the multiplicity of benefits to the mind, body and spirit provided by the practice of Asana. As a personal trainer and former fitness competitor, Diane advocates the complimentary effects of a regular yoga practice to athletes from all disciplines, and recommends its incorporation to her clients.

Diane's journey towards the yogic path was by no means a straight one. Never feeling 'quite right' in the corporate world, Diane spent most of her 20's studying. She holds a B.A. in International Politics, a Diploma in Business-Marketing and minors in Philosophy and Religious Studies. Diane credits the commencement of her yoga practice with helping her to get in touch with her most 'authentic self', granting her the insight and inspiration necessary to leave the corporate world behind, where she worked as a marketing manager in the promotional industry and pursue a work that she truly loves, as a personal trainer and yoga instructor. Diane's first yoga training took place in Hawaii, where she completed the five week intensive portion of a 500 hour certification. Her exploration has since continued with the study of Anusara yoga with John Friend, Naime Jezzeny and Sue Elkind.

Having made yoga her life's work, Diane really feels as though she has finally come home after years of searching. As yoga combines her two lifelong loves of physical fitness and ongoing study of philosophy and spirituality.

'Our lives begin to end the day that we become silent about the things that matter.' - Rev. Martin Luther King

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