Melissa has been teaching yoga since 2008. Her classes are welcoming and dynamic. She completed her 200-hour certification with Intrinsic Yoga. Melissa’s feel-good classes build physical strength and mental clarity through healthy movements, safe assists, and down to earth guidance.
We are all students
You can often find Melissa requesting some yoga book from the public library, taking notes on something new she sees in a health magazine, or listening in on related webinars. In addition to her initial teacher training, she attended teacher trainings with Desiree Rumbaugh, Giselle Mari, Amy Ippoliti, Maty Ezraty, Guru Jagat, Dharma Mittra, and Gioconda Parker.
No one else can be you
Melissa is the type of person who wants to make a conversation as personal and meaningful as it can comfortably get; so it is no surprise that is how she practices and instructs. Knowing her role is that of facilitating her students’ journeys, she meets each group where they are and personalizes for each student.
Melissa’s style is influenced by the struggles of the diverse community she grew up in, the Spanish-speaking misadventures she had living in Chile, and the craving to be in community in Northern Ireland while she studied peace. Through her style, you will know the street hustler she spent a day with, the foster youth she will spend a lifetime with, and every beautiful person flowing in her wide and hearty community.
Practice because it feels good
On why she practices, Melissa says, "The culture I grew up in valued that I was then a determined, energetic, multi-tasker and never asked, whether I was tired or happy. In yoga, I found a practice that exposed my mental clutter and began a connection within and throughout. Connected, fears lost their power and my need to 'try hard' became an opportunity to be present. I practice yoga because it feels good throughout my body. I find peace and release my juvenile drive for perfection. Mostly, I find the love and home I seek each time I am present. But it is not my personal transformation that keeps me teaching yoga, but rather the beautiful journeys I get to witness in yoga students."
Testimonials
“Melissa is by far the best yoga instructor I’ve ever had the pleasure of doing classes with. She has a unique gift to teach a class full of people on such an intimate and individualized level. She makes the atmosphere fun and peaceful, yet challenging. She gives individual attention to form and to difficulty level…She creates an environment that is welcoming and not intimidating for beginners but also develops community and pushes everyone to really challenge themselves.” –Jenelle Herman
“She brings fun, energy, and caring to the class. I took her class weekly for a couple years and learned a lot.”- Patrick Hogue
“I still credit her with my awesome down dog pose. You could tell that Melissa truly cared about her students and their well-being.” –Cynthia Le
“Melissa knows her stuff and brings her passion to the classes she teaches!”- Cara Smith