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INSTRUCTORS

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Erika Killam

Erika's interest in yoga and meditation began at an early age when she used to make her friends sit and meditate while listening to the sounds of Enigma!  

Her formal studies began in 2004 with Alan Finger and the 200hr ISHTA Yoga Teacher Training program in New York.  Upon completion of this program she began teaching on a regular basis for Elements Yoga and Wellness Centre in Darien, CT.  Erika managed the studio during her 5 years with the Elements Yoga family. She had the amazing opportunity to deepen her yoga studies when she completed 308hrs with Ross Rayburn and Bernadette Birney in Anusara Yoga.

In 2009 Erika arrived on Prince Edward Island where she assisted Dynamic Fitness in launching their Hot Yoga division.  She was invited on as Lead Trainer with Maritime Yoga College and has been instructing aspiring yoga instructors since 2013. In 2018, for the first time, Erika ventured out on her own to develop 3eYoga: Engage, Enliven, Empower.  Through this independent yoga venture she has been able to share her teachings throughout various studios across the island. 

 

She is very excited to launch The Space at Blackbush, a movement studio for the community of Grand Tracadie and guests of the Hotel Acadia.

Her mission as a yoga instructor is to inspire new "a-ha" moments for the seasoned practitioner and crush any misconceptions a new yoga student might have about yoga being "boring"!

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Ouma Cuniah

Before moving to PEI in 2015, Ouma was inducted as a Meditator Facilitator by Lama Catherine Rathburn in Toronto. She is a long time practitioner of Vajrayana and Vipassana meditation, after initiation in India, England and Canada. She is a Sanskrit tutor and a lifelong student of Vedic traditions and Advaita philosophy. She teaches yoga at the Charlottetown Yoga Space and UPEI.

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Deirdre Kessler

Deirdre Kessler studied Iyengar yoga from 2006 to 2016 with Pam Stewart in Charlottetown. In 2016-2017 she completed yoga teacher certification with Ruth Richman; also in 2017, she completed a 45-hour yin yoga teacher certification with Samantha Sambrooke of the Maritime Yoga College. Deirdre (pronounced DARE-dree) has worked with a number of Iyengar teachers, including Jawahar Banjera, Carol Faulkner, Lisa Lelliott, and by Zoom from India with Abhijata Iyengar and Rajiv and Swati Chanchani. Currently Deirdre studies Iyengar yoga with Charles Sanderson at Yoga Grove in Warren Grove.

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Samantha Sambrooke

Samantha completed her first Yoga certification in 2009 with YogaLife in India. She is a Certified Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT), a graduate of Yoga North International Soma Yoga Institute, an Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher with the Yoga Alliance (E-RYT at the 500-hour level) and a Registered Holistic Nutritionist (RHN).

Her over 4000 training hours also includes an 800-hour Yoga history and Philosophy program, Yoga-Nidra Levels 1 and 2 as well as Yoga-Nidra for Children through Traditional Yoga Studies (Brenda and Georg Feuerstein), a year-long Mastery of Mantra training with Russill Paul and Ayurveda, Chakras and more with Indu Arora. And currently, is enrolled in an Ayurveda Practitioner course.

She currently works as a Yoga Therapist and Holistic Nutritionist at the Serene View Ranch, a multi-disciplinary clinic on PEI that focuses on treating mental health issues, especially trauma related difficulties.

She leads Maritime Yoga, which offers Yoga Teacher Training on PEI as well as workshops and trainings focusing on mental health, Yin, Ayurveda and more. Above all, she considers herself a student first and humbly takes space within this tradition of Yoga with reverence and sincerity.

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Carrie Lundy

Carrie began practicing yoga in 2006 when the first Moksha studio opened up in her hometown of Winnipeg. While the benefits of a physical practice were immense almost immediately, she returned to her mat daily for the emotional and mental health support that yoga gifted her. Carrie knew that yoga was the path for her to live a more balanced life, so she signed up for the Moksha training in Kerala, India in 2009. She loves sharing the many benefits of yoga with others and is now trained in Moksha, Moksha Flow, Vinyasa, Yin and Kids Yoga.

 

As an Early Years teacher, Carrie is also passionate about guiding children in their own self-regulation practices. Carrie is a lifelong learner, committed to staying open and growing as both student and instructor. She is very excited to begin teaching at the Charlottetown Yoga Space, where you will find her on Monday nights leading classes focused on breath work, the heart space and flowing movement with intention.

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Holly MacLaine

Over the years, Holly has been drawn to the dynamic connection between yin yoga and reiki. She hopes to offer a sense of peace, well being and support. As she notices the lack of acknowledgment in all limbs of yoga in the western world with a general focus primarily on the asanas, her intention is to teach the 8 limb philosophy in a way that is accessible for anyone. These eight steps act as basic guidelines on how to live a meaningful and purposeful life.

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Alanna Ratushniak

When Alanna began practicing yoga over a decade ago, she quickly found value in the practice for her mental health. In 2020, she completed her YTT 200, studying under Colin
Hall and Sarah Garden in Regina, Saskatchewan. She spent two years teaching in Regina before moving to PEI in 2023.

Alanna's love of yoga stems from its ability to provide the practitioner with what they need - from quiet moments of reflection to an expressive, energizing practice. Guiding classes with an emphasis on how a practice should feel, rather than how it should look, she aims to create fun and inclusive classes.

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Leone Curtis

Yoga has been a grounding part of Leone's life for over 20 years, and her practice has helped her grow stronger, more flexible, more fearless and more balanced both on and off the mat. Yoga inspires Leone to live each moment more mindfully.

Leone completed her 200 hour RYT under the excellent guidance of Sam and Erika at Maritime Yoga College. There is so much to know in the journey of yoga. She has had the opportunity, through further education courses, to deepen her awareness of Yin and Restorative Yoga, Subtle Yoga, Yoga for Healing and Recovery (She Recovers, Y12SR), Somatics Blend Yoga, Mindfulness Meditation and so on. She will always be a student of yoga and is deeply grateful for the loving wisdom her teachers have shared with her on the journey.

In Leone's classes, she loves to help others nurture the body, mind and soul connection with their yoga. Her hope is that her students will step off the mat feeling refreshed and renewed, nourished and balanced.

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Kiara Ra

Sonic alchemist and artist Kiara Ra is a higher-realm conduit of healing energy, lyrical and non-lyrical soul songs, and shamanic sound healing journeys, serving as a catalyst for personal transformation. Her expansive vocal range, multi-instrumentalism, and meticulous, self-taught approach to crystal quartz singing bowls make for multifaceted sound journeys, rich energetic transmissions, and overall sublime experiences.

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Camillea Dean

Camillea was born and raised on PEI. She grew up in Souris, moved to Montague at an early age - so all of Kings County feels like home!

She's had a passion for helping others and healing, since a young age. She completed Medical Administrative Assistant Program with Eastern College in 2012 & Practical Nursing Program with Holland College in 2019. She's worked with Health PEI since graduation in long-term care as an LPN.

She's had a love for yoga, Reiki & many other healing modalities for a number of years. She's enjoyed being a participant but has now become certified in a few modalities & so excited to offer classes/appointments!! She also loves to attend classes at Aerial Warehouse in Charlottetown. Aerial silks, pole fitness & hoop class are a few of the amazing things she loves to attend!!

She is so proud of her certifications, which are: 

  • 200H RYT through the wonderful My Vinyasa Practice (March 2024), registered with Yoga Alliance. 

  • Reiki Master (Level I & II in May 2023 & Master in November 2023)

  • Access Consciousness Bars®️ Practitioner (July 2023) 

  • Access Energetic Facelift®️ Practitioner (May 2024) - all obtained with the beautiful Sarah Carpenter of Heart Centered Healing, with the exception of the Facelift course - the talented Kim Coleman from Nova Scotia facilitated that wonderful course. Camillea is currently working on a Hot Stone Therapy Course for Reiki through Canadian School for Naturotherapies and Spiritual Development, so exciting!​​

 
Camillea began her life changing business, Earthly Haven Holistic Healing in July 2023 and has never felt so alginated in her life. She continues to work part-time as an LPN while working on building her practice, hoping to one day be focused fully on her business. Now that she's found her calling, there's no slowing her down!

The styles you can expect from Camillea will be Yin/Gentle, Hatha, Restorative and additional Reiki at times. She's very go-with-the-flow, this is a beautiful environment for a beginner yogi.

Camillea really looks forward to getting on the mat with you, helping you release some tension & relaxing.

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David Whitty

Dr. David Whitty has been practising Chiropractic here in downtown Charlottetown for 20 years with a focus on soft tissue therapies to the muscles and fascia along with manually adjusting the spine. He is a graduate of St. F.X.U. with a science degree, the Canadian Chiropractic College in Toronto (Doctor of Chiropractic) and also has Masters of Education and Leadership from UPEI. He is the President of the PEI Chiropractic Association, and one of the Opinion Leaders with the Canadian Chiropractic Guidelines Initiative.David’s yoga journey was as a student in the Iyengar tradition for 10 years, spending time in studios in PEI, Toronto, New York and Boston. After reconstructive knee surgery he used the  movement of Hatha along with the precision of Iyengar as part of his rehab. David became a Certified as Yoga Instructor through the Maritime Yoga College, and has continued with training in Hands on Assists and Yin Yoga.David’s Yoga class offerings include Hatha, Yoga for Back Pain and Beginner Yoga. He brings his knowledge of anatomy as a chiropractor to his teaching on the mat, focusing on joint alignment and activating the musculature to protect the joints while improving range of motion, strength and body awareness.David brought CrossFit to PEI, opening CrossFit PEI in 2008. He has more than 3000 hrs of CrossFit coaching experience, and is one of the only Level 4 CrossFit Coaches in Canada. He coaches competitive Weightlifting to athletes from teen years to adults.

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