The Skinny

Rachel is an exuberant, compassionate, and meticulous yoga teacher living in Vancouver, BC.  She began practicing in 1998 and fell in love with yoga’s capacity to heal, nurture, and transform the body and the mind.  Continually advancing her studies, she has earned 500-hour level certifications from both ISHTA and Yoga Works (both YA recognized) and has trained in Anusara and Therapeutics.  Her classes combine alignment, breath, and a devilish sense of humor.  Her teaching is continually evolving and she enthusiastically shares this passionate journey with her students.

“Very simply, I practice and teach yoga because I always leave class better than when I began. Every time.”

A bit of a renaissance woman, Rachel earned her BA from Columbia University (Magna Cum Laude/ Phi Beta Kappa) and her MFA in Acting from the American Conservatory Theatre.  She has appeared internationally in television as well as in the black box theatres of New York City and Vancouver.  She has taught in such prestigious institutions as the Tisch School of the Arts (MFA), Columbia University (MFA), the Public Theatre Shakespeare Lab, and the Stella Adler Conservatory.  She has written for the History Channel, Fathom Knowledge Networks, Plank Magazine, the New York and Vancouver Fringe Festivals, and blogs regularly.

Teacher Training

Rachel is the Director of Teacher Training for YYoga.  In addition to chairing the department, she conceived, structured and wrote YYoga’s 200-hour Teaching Training Program.   Rachel is passionate about teacher education; she was previously certified as a teacher trainer for Yoga Works in the States and developed and led Semperviva‘s mentorship program in Vancouver.  She was formerly the Studio Director for YYoga’s Yaletown location and the Teacher Manager for Be Yoga and Yoga Works in New York City.

Breathe.  Move.  Feel.  Better.  It’s that simple.

Certifications and Trainings

ISHTA 500-Hour Teacher Training (YA), New York, NY, September 2003-January 2005

Yoga Works 500-Hour Certification (YA), Los Angeles, CA, September 2008

Restorative Teacher Training, Jillian Pransky, New York

The Art of Energetic Alignment (YA) with Twee Merrigan, Vancouver

Ashtanga Yoga Vancouver, Apprenticeship, Vancouver,  January-March 2009

Anusara Immersions and Teacher Trainings, Chris Chavez, Vancouver 2010-2011

Therapeutics, Susi Hately Aldous, Victoria, March 2011

Therapeutics, Jonas Westring, Vancouver, August 2011

Further studies include workshops with world-renowned yogis such as Shiva Rea, Sean Corne, Rolf Gates, Mark Whitwell, John Scott, Aadil Palkivala, Judith Lasater, John Friend, Carlos Pomeda, Anodea Judith, Martin Kirk, and David Swenson.

Testimonials.