Staff

Yoga/Pilates Instructors

Alex Baker

Alex has been a dedicated Hatha Yoga practitioner for over ten years. She continues to discover joy and humility through the efforts of her practice. Alex finds inspiration from the Krishnamacharya lineage including the teachings of B.K.S. Iyengar, A.G. & Indra Mohan, Donna Farhi & Judith Lasater. Alex has a gentle and encouraging teaching style, meeting each individual student exactly where they are at within their practice. She creatively focuses on building the relationship between our breath and our physical body. Alex’s classes will increase your physical strength & flexibility in addition to deepen your awareness of the healing qualities found within your breath. While exploring a full range of asanas with Alex, you can expect to learn more about the ancient philosophical teachings from Patanjali’s Sutras as well as learning how to better support yourself within the seasons through the science of Ayurveda. Alex is a 2009 graduate from the 8 Limbs Teacher Training Program and is excited to share the wonderful therapeutic benefits of yoga with you.

Tiffany Berry

Tiffany Berry has been practicing yoga since 2000 and teaching since 2008. She has practiced numerous styles, and primarily practices in the styles of Hatha and Vinyasa, but finds inspiration for her practice from Iyengar and Anusara Yoga as well. Her study of and experience with prenatal yoga has brought to her practice and teaching an additional element of inner awareness and respect for honoring where the body and mind are on every given day. She loves exploring and studying the anatomy and physiology of the body and how it moves, to better protect and strengthen what we all have to work with. She also enjoys taking the yoga practice off the mat, finding how to make it a part of daily life. Prior to teaching yoga full time, she was a software and systems engineer for 9 years, bringing an analytic and systematic approach to her yoga practice. Tiffany completed her original training through Yoga Works at the Yoga Tree in 2008. She has taken additional training in therapeutic yoga approaches to back pain (particularly the low back, neck, and shoulders) and prenatal and postnatal training, as well as workshops in Yoga Nidra, Yoga Philosophy, and adjustments.

Nancy Ayala

Nancy began an extensive self-study and rapidly grew a tenacious passion for educating herself about the miracle of the human body, mind and spirit and how to thrive on all levels. She decided to make a dramatic career shift, quit her job in the retail world, and enrolled in the Instructor Certification Program at Vitality Pilates, while also training at the Samarya center for her yoga teacher certification, and becoming certified as a personal trainer from the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Nancy has used these therapeutic practices to heal and transform her own body and life after spinal injury from several auto accidents that left her in debilitating pain. Since then, she has been teaching full time and has maintained her own daily personal practice. As an ongoing eternal student hundreds of hours have also been spent in the study of anatomy, nutrition, eastern and western philosophy, Ayurveda, and sacred art with various different teachers from around the world including Yogacharya Ganga Puri, Shiva Rea, Sadie Nardini, Leela Francis, Pieter Weltevrede, Light Miller, David Crow, and Sebastien Lagree.

Nancy is an innovator in the field of yoga/pilates and mind/body transformation. Her personal approach is unique and pulls from multiple eastern and western disciplines, and is both intuitive and steeped in the traditional aspects of yoga. Her classes invite students to take a journey inward by infusing devotion and playfulness into the heart of her teachings. Classes focus on awakening higher levels of awareness through the exploration of breath, sound, organic movement, dance, dynamic core flow, alignment, meditation and the interconnection between mind, body and spirit. She encourages students to work at their own pace in a comprehensive and compassionate environment while also challenging them to move beyond their perceived limitations ultimately unveiling the innate loving energy that transforms and heals each of us from within. She is passionate and devoted to living and breathing wellness, and is grateful to share these transformative practices of empowerment with her clients, students, and friends.

Leanne Garn

Carmen Viola

Carmen Viola, Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher began teaching Iyengar Yoga in 1989, although her in-depth study of the method began five years earlier. She has been a yoga practitioner since 1976 when she was first introduced to hatha yoga by a co-worker.

Yoga was instrumental in helping her to manage and ultimately heal from a debilitating low back and hip injury and then a few years later whiplash. Various physical maladies have given her insight to understanding and helping students with their own issues, having experienced ankle, knee, and wrist sprains, and a shoulder injury. The novice to the seasoned student is guided and challenged with Carmen’s warmth, compassion, and sense of humor.

Kristen Swanzy

Kristen Swanzy is a native of the Pacific Northwest. She started doing yoga 8 years ago as a means to relieve stress during her academic years at Whitman College.

She found the benefits of yoga to be so life altering that she changed her scientific career path in order to pursue a more spiritual one. She has a background in a mixture of yoga styles; however she chose to develop her focus on the process of learning about the self through the methods of bodily awareness and personal compassion found in Viniyoga. This lineage of yoga brings the mind, body, breath experience together for her.
It is in the tradition of Viniyoga that Kristen has received her certification through Yoga Alliance and it is in this tradition that she has found the foundation for her current teaching style.

Marilee Veniegas

Tracy Wussow

Yoga became an integral part of Tracy’s life in 2003 when what began as a simple quest for a well-rounded workout evolved into a holistic appreciation for body, mind and spirit. She has practiced many yoga styles, primarily focusing on Power Vinyasa, Anusara Yoga and Viniyoga. Tracy is certified in CorePower’s 200-hour yoga teacher training. Inspired after studying prenatal yoga teaching with Tiffany Berry, Tracy earned prenatal yoga teaching certification at Seattle Holistic Center. In addition to completing teacher trainings with Shiva Rea and Baron Baptiste, Tracy’s grateful to have studied locally with Maria Bliss and Carina Ostebovik. As an inquisitive yoga student and instructor, Tracy enjoys broadening her knowledge of anatomy, yoga philosophy and prenatal yoga. She sees it as an honor to be entrusted to help others on their yoga journeys, whether they’re brand new or seasoned practitioners. In that spirit, Tracy hopes her classes help students feel uplifted and imbued with a stronger sense of self. Tracy loves sharing her time with her husband, cat and yoga mat.

Bodywork/Massage Practitioners

Krista Hardersen

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.”
Albert Einstein

While finishing her anthropology degree at the University of Kansas, Krista found herself in severe pain, suffering from poor postural habits and little body awareness. With the help and education of a talented chiropractor (with a gym in his office!), she learned about the body and its limitless ability to heal and protect itself. In this she found her calling – to help others heal themselves.

Krista graduated from the Brian Utting School of Massage in 2000. Her specialty is Injury Treatment – combining deep specific work with Somatic Transformation (trauma healing) and energy work to allow for profound physiological and emotional balance.

She tailors her work to suit each individual, using her skills in Deep Tissue, Swedish, Neuro-muscular Technique, Craniosacral therapy, Reiki, Hot Stone and Pregnancy Massage to provide a powerful bodywork experience.

Krista is happiest while dancing, snuggling with her son and hubby, doing yoga, strengthening, and moving forward while being in the moment.

She is a Preferred Provider for many health insurance plans including Aetna, Cigna, Premera/Lifewise, Uniform, L&I and PIP (auto insurance).

Azur Koteen

Azur has been interested in bodywork for many years and is a lifelong resident of the northwest. Combining his studio art undergraduate work with a background in sports, dance, yoga, martial arts, acrobatics and outdoor adventure, he looks to creatively share his passion for health, movement and life. Since graduation from the 1000 intensive massage program at The Brian Utting School of Massage he has completed continuing education workshops in Trager, Deep Muscle Therapy, and Qigong. The study of massage has given rise to a huge respect for the anatomy and physiology of the body, and an excitement in discovering the path to health in the modern world.

Azur works to integrate styles to best suit the needs of the individual. He looks to find the most effective combination of relaxation and structural massage to bring presence and ease in the moment, and insight and lasting comfort to the following days. He brings his attention through bodywork to assist with an awareness of breath, facility of movement, greater personal presence, and clarity of self.

Tami Mason

Tami received her first professional massage as a teenager where she was able to learn about the mind, body, and spirit connection of which she had no prior understanding. The amazing practitioner who gave her first massage explained all of the emotional and physical benefits that massage provides for people. After receiving that first professional massage as a teenager, Tami craved a greater clarity about the healing power of touch. She was fascinated by the vast physical and emotional benefits massage gave her, and decided to enroll in massage school.

She attended Bodymechanics School of Myotherapy and Massage in Olympia, WA where she began her career as a massage practitioner in 2003. Since then she has taken a variety of continuing education classes including: lomi-lomi, deep-tissue, hot stone, myofascial release, Reiki and trigger point therapy.

Tami’s philosophy in her massage is to facilitate the mind/body connection through deep relaxation. She believes that when you allow your mind, body and spirit to surrender and become present in the moment, a whole new experience opens. She strives to create a space in which her clients can achieve this awareness and encourages the body to let go of any tension. She integrates various techniques that she has learned to maximize her massage. Tami caters each massage session to fit the needs of the individual client, while assessing what she finds in the body to provide perfect balance.

She is a preferred provider for many insurance companies and can take L&I and PIP (car accident) claims

Acupuncture/East Asian Medicine

Tripat Chawla

Tripat practices multiple styles of acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine. Whether the style of needle insertion or specific herbal formula, he creates a optimal treatment plan for mental, physical, and spiritual health. This multi-faceted approach to diagnosis allows him to adapt treatments to each individual’s body type. Tripat graduated in 2007 from the Seattle Institute of Oriental Medicine and is board-certified.

Tripat believes it is important for patient and practitioner to work together. Through participation and careful observation by both sides, treatments can illuminate much about one’s health. More importantly, this process can help a patient learn how best to achieve equilibrium between themselves and the external world.

Tripat’s passion for medicine comes from a clear desire to help people. He believes each human has amazing potential and derives great joy from helping to smooth out bumps on the road of life. A Seattle native, his idea of fun is relaxing in the beautiful outdoors, swimming, and spending time with his family.

He is a Preferred Provider for many health insurance plans including Aetna, Cigna, Premera/Lifewise, Uniform, L&I and PIP (auto insurance).

Shirliey Fung

Shirliey specializes in the treatment of pain and in women’s health.

Shirliey received her Master’s degree in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (MAcOM) from the Seattle Institute of Oriental Medicine in Washington State and she graduated with honors and with Phi Beta Kappa from the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.

She is a licensed acupuncturist and board-certified Chinese herbalist. She holds certifications from the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine, the National Association for Detox Acupuncture, the Kang Wen Integrative Oncology Program for advanced clinical training, and Mary Elizabeth Wakefield’s advanced certification for facial rejuvenation.

She is a Preferred Provider for many health insurance plans including Aetna, Cigna, Premera/Lifewise, Uniform, L&I and PIP (auto insurance).

Jennifer Lewis-Gosch

Jennifer Lewis-Gosch, MTCM, LAc, is a National Board certified diplomat (NCCAOM) in both Acupuncture and Chinese Herbology. A graduate of the Northwest Institute of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine in 2003, Jennifer holds a four-year Master’s degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine. In association with her studies at NIAOM and Bastyr University, Jennifer completed clinical internships at Harborview Medical Center, Mount St. Vincent’s, Su & Jin Family Acupuncture and NIAOM’s student clinics. Jennifer’s continuing education studies include training and certification in Acutonics® Healing, an energy-based non-invasive treatment utilizing precision calibrated tuning forks applied to acupuncture and acupressure points, as well as Acupuncture Facial Rejuvenation, a nonsurgical treatment to correct the signs of aging. She has also had advanced sports medicine acupuncture training allowing her to successfully treat musculoskeletal injury and dysfunction. Additionally, she has had advanced studies in pediatrics and women’s health. She has assisted women during labor with pain management and induction and found this to be very effective and rewarding as well. Lastly, she often uses Reiki in conjunction with her acupuncture treatments depending upon the needs of the individual client. Jennifer believes that healing is a shared responsibility between client and practitioner.

Prior to completing her studies at NIAOM, Jennifer attended Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon where she received a Bachelor’s Degree in East Asian Studies. While at Lewis and Clark, Jennifer studied in China and Vietnam as part of an International study program. As a result of this program, Chinese medicine’s philosophy of treating the whole body was introduced to her and proved impetus for Jennifer’s pursuit of a career as a Chinese Medicine practitioner. Upon graduating from Lewis and Clark College, Jennifer returned to Asia where she spent three years living in Taiwan furthering her Chinese language studies.

Skincare

Wendy Ray

Wendy is a graduate of the Euro Institute of Skincare; recognized as one of the premier holistic and naturopathic esthetics schools in the nation. Graduating at the top of her class she is a full service esthetician trained in all aspects of skincare; specializing in European naturopathic and Ayurvedic facials, manual lymphatic drainage, aromatherapy, lash and brow tinting, nutrition, rejuvenating body treatments and body sugaring (a gentle, healthy alternative to conventional waxing).

Wendy’s dedication to quality skincare and joy in meeting new people, combined with the inviting warmth and gentle spirit of those dedicated to the Maya vision gives her great satisfaction and pride. Outside of Maya, Wendy enjoys quiet evenings at home with my family, wonderful meals with close friends, meaningful conversation, books, movies, music, travel near or far, and trying something new as often as possible.