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Teachers

Pia Oliveri

Owner/Director

Pia is the owner and director of Wabi-Sabi Yoga and Wellness Center. She is an RYT 500 hr teacher and is currently enrolled in the Yoga Therapy program at the Soul of Yoga. Pia is also a Personal Trainer, Pilates and Barre instructor. With a background in nursing she has a unique perspective on how chronic diseases can affect the body and on specific strategies to live a healthy life.

Harriet

Yoga & Fitness Instructor

I found yoga over 10 years ago and I immediately fell in love with the overall body conditioning it provided. Then I found Barre and fell in love with everything about it as well. I received my Barre training from Barre Intensity and Lifer Fitness in West Hartford, CT. The combination of doing yoga and Barre classes brought strength, flexibility and fun back into my life. I received my 200 YTT and 300 YTT from The Yoga Shop in West Hartford, CT. I am also certified in Chair and Restorative yoga.

Cheryl Pacyna

Yoga Teacher

Cheryl Pacyna is a retired school psychologist. She first became enamored of yoga when a colleague arranged for a yoga teacher to hold classes after school. She was immediately hooked on the release of stress the practice provided. As her practice progressed and her strength and mobility improved she decided it was time to deepen her practice by training to teach yoga. She completed her 200 hour initial teacher training at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, training with Yoganand Michael Carroll and Coby Kozlowski. She completed an additional 300 hours of advanced asana training as well as training leading meditation, pranayama, restorative yoga, and chair yoga classes. She enjoys teaching classes that are mindful and accessible to everybody.

Kim Stanton

Yoga & Fitness Instructor

Kim is a 500-hour certified yoga instructor, she completed her 200 – RYT training at Zag Fitness in Suffield, CT, and her 300-hour RYT training at Karma Yoga in West Springfield, MA. Kim has always had a love for fitness and was drawn to yoga as a way to find balance in a sometimes-unbalanced world. She believes in the benefits of yoga for all, including athletes and fitness enthusiasts. She discovered that lessons we learn on the mat can be much more meaningful in our daily life off the mat and she enjoys sharing that with her students. Kim has also been a group fitness instructor for many years, she started her career teaching aerobic classes, which included kickboxing and step. Kim’s teaching focuses on creating a safe and appropriate practice for each person who enters her class, always bringing attention back to the breath while reminding her students of proper alignment and form. She loves learning and expanding her knowledge in the fitness industry and she is looking forward to sharing that with you!

Hilary Platen

Yoga Instructor

I began my regular practice of yoga in 2001 to cope with anxiety and stress. I was able to see the benefits immediately. I earned my 200 Hour Certification at The Mindful Yoga Center in Newington, CT and an additional 100 Hour Certification in Mindful Yoga Therapy for PTSD at the same studio. I have taught in a variety of settings, including gyms, yoga studios and Senior Centers. My specialties are Beginner's, Gentle and All Levels Classes.

Mike Riley

Meditation and Yoga Specialist

Mike Riley is a U.S. Air Force Veteran and Yoga teacher living in Bloomfield CT.
Mike is 500-Hour CYT from Kripalu School of Yoga and Health he is also 200-Hour CYT from Mindful Yoga Center's Embodyoga program and 150-Hour CYT of Mindful Yoga Therapy for Veterans with Adaptive Practices. Mike specializes in bringing yoga to special populations in underserved communities through organizations like Copper Beech Institute, Connecticut Veteran Administration and Omega Institute. " My passion is to bring yoga to Everybody especially those in marginalized communities, to help reduce the impact of Exaggerated Stress Response and also to reduce anxiety and depression." MR.



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Be like the River that takes the path and becomes the Ocean:-) Yagamike

Irene Hilbert

Advanced Reiki Healer

I received a Masters of Education and have taught in the classroom in NYC and Windsor for over thirty years.

In 2014 I became certified in Reiki and have practiced reiki for 8 years. I sought out reiki to cope with the side effects of breast cancer.

Some of the benefits of reiki are:

It can stimulate the immune system.
It can help relieve stress and anxiety.
It can promote self healing and alleviate pain.
It can improve sleep.

I continue to get support in reiki as a member of Andrea Fraiser’s Shine Tribe , an online group that supports reiki practitioners.

Sharon Cournoyer

Yoga Instructor

Sharon began her true yoga journey in 2016 with one hot yoga class on the vernal equinox. One amazing instructor, turned mentor, and 108 sun salutations later and she was hooked. Sharon is a 200-hour certified yoga instructor, she completed her 200 – RYT training at Karma Yoga in West Springfield, MA. and has been teaching yoga for 4 years. Sharon is a life-long educator who found peace of mind and an outlet for full body fitness through yoga. There is much that she has learned through her yoga practices that translate to life lessons both in and out of school. She specialized in a vigorous, sometimes heated, vinyasa flow that includes traditional poses with stretching and strength building and perhaps a few laughs along the way. She is very excited to be joining the Wabi Sabi family.

Tim Mayock

Yoga Instructor

Tim started his yoga journey 25 years ago with the intent to find relief from chronic pain. Tim says “Yoga has been a great tool and has taught me so much about my body and mind.” As a musician Tim finds that yoga and music practice intertwine. Tim approaches both with an attitude of "show up and let go of the results". Yoga helps with the contortions of daily music practice and singing helps to become more aware of breath and letting go of tension. Tim has done over 2000 classes with multiple teachers. He did a 250 hour yoga teacher training at Dhira yoga.

“My aim is to teach students about the mental benefits of yoga. I let them know that yoga can be similar to going to the beach in calming your thoughts. The challenge is yours to define and it never pays to push anything too much. The perfect pose is less important than the body's ability to find what works best – using props or just staying in an unsupported version of a posture.” His approach is lighthearted, yet purposeful.