Pulsation Yoga- Arlington Heights Staff Bios, Arlington Heights, IL | Yoga Studio near me in Arlington Heights, IL

Devin

Atha

My best friend Linda introduced me to yoga in 1994. Although I enjoyed it, my monkey mind didn’t allow me to be fully immersed in a regular yoga practice until the birth of my first son Michael. Serving as a Director of Human Resources for a few decades years while being actively involved with my sons lives, community and social activities, I craved yoga. I dedicated early mornings to my home practice. I travel with a mat in my car “just in case” there’s a class I can attend spontaneously ie: between games at a baseball or basketball tournament or on my home from work. In 2016 I organized a wellness month at the resort where I served as a Human Resources Director. I led an outdoor “stretching” routine for my colleagues. The routine included several yoga asanas I had learned throughout the years. My boss received multiple emails from attendees who felt the benefits of my class. They reported felling invigorated, focused, energized, and great. When he shared the feedback, the seed of “Hatha with Atha” was officially planted. At the urging of fellow yogini and Pilates guru, Laura Cison I enrolled at Pulsation studio to receive formal Anusara Yoga certification training. The training was amazing. I am honored to be joining the “kula” that Jim and Kathy Simonik have created and look forward to contributions my classes will be able to make to the community. My style is a flow sequence highlighting the 3 A’s action, attitude, and alignment. I chuckle when people tell me that they are too “hyper” for yoga or too stiff or worried about the way they will look. That’s how I sounded in 1994, now I’m limber, calm and look like a yogini. It’s a new chapter to a great story.

Kathryn

Kathryn completed her 200-hour teacher training with Kathy Simonik in June of 2018. Kathryn comes to Pulsation with an extensive background in teaching movement of various kinds, including dance, group exercise, and other physical activities geared toward a diverse population of students. She has taught dance to special needs children and adults, singers/performers, gymnasts, and even wedding parties. Additionally, Kathryn specializes in adapting movement and exercise for adults with cognitive, emotional, and physical challenges. Progressing from these disciplines into Yoga presented itself as a natural transition for Kathryn, when she started taking classes at Pulsation in early 2017. “I fell in love with the discipline and after years of limited activity, I felt like my body liked me again!” Kathryn notes that her strength as a teacher lies in her ability to make movement accessible to all individuals and in her ability to communicate instructions clearly, in a language that is easy to follow and understand. Alignment and injury prevention are key components to her style of teaching, and the use of the breath and mindfulness both bring a therapeutic aspect to her classes, which has shown itself to be especially beneficial to her clients in the mental health field. “Depression and anxiety can be greatly alleviated by practices such as Yoga, meditation, and movement. I’ve seen it in my professional work and have experienced it in my own life as well.” Finally, fun and humor are ever-present elements in Kathryn’s classes, where she encourages people to “leave judgment at the door and just enjoy being you!”

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Susan

Susan is a graduate of Kathy’s 200 hour teaching training, and has been practicing yoga for over a decade. Susan’s practice originally started as a supplement to her distance running as a “stretch and strengthen” exercise. But over the years she realized she got much more from yoga than simply stretching and strengthening, and it has become her central focus. Yoga is how she connects with herself, as a way to look inward without judgment, to reflect on the good, the bad and everything in between in a peaceful and respectful way. She works to carry that peace and reflection to better herself both on and off the mat.

Susan teaches a flowing practice suited to her students' needs while pushing them to their highest potential.

Saturday

9:45

–

10:45

AM In Person Arl Hts Level 1

Dana

Dana began her yoga practice about a decade ago and has been practicing consistently for the last few years. She decided to complete YTT 200 at Pulsation in the fall of 2018 to not only further her growth as a yoga student but also to assist others in advancing their own practice and overall well being. The benefits of Yoga and the philosophy behind it nicely complements her current practice as a social worker, and Dana would like to continue to explore how she can combine social work and yoga to foster student growth both inside and outside of the studio.

Saturday

8:30

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9:30

AM In Person Arl Hts Level 1-2

Wade

Sarah

Alison

Alison began practicing yoga about four years ago. Recently receiving her 200 RYT in 2017 she is thrilled to be joining the Pulsation Yoga community and teaching the wonderful group of people that practice there.

She started to practice simply as a way to get exercise, but as time went on yoga became critical in helping to deal with her General Anxiety Disorder. Now as a teacher, Alison strives to help students feel and see the benefits yoga offers the mind, our self-confidence, and how it can become a part of our lives even when we step off the mat. Her teaching style is vinyasa flow and in the style of Anusara™. She believes it is important to build strength, flexibility, and balance through proper alignment. She tries to inspire a sense of community that creates a fun, rejuvenating, and relaxing environment.

Sunday

8:30

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10:00

AM Arl Hts Level 2

Cary

Cary added yoga to her fitness routine in 2003 quickly finding relief from minor lower back pain and loving the new athletic challenge yoga brought to her life. After practicing over 11 years she completed her 200 hour RYT with Pulsation Yoga in 2015. She prefers an alignment based yoga, feeling it keeps your mind present and connected to your body throughout practice.

Cary teaches an athletic style class with a sense of playfulness, encouraging students to explore their edge physically and mentally through poses and thoughtful themes while reminding them to listen to their bodies and providing modifications when necessary. By the end of class she hopes each student feels improvement in their mind and body, walking out the door with a new sense of strength, empowerment and a lightness in their heart.

Desiree

Eve

The physicality of yoga sparked Eve’s interest long ago, but her practice blossomed when she began to experience yoga’s holistic benefits for body, mind and spirit. Fascinated by what yoga has done for her in terms of stress reduction, increased awareness, balance, strength and flexibility, Eve has found a passion in trying to help others.

Eve’s classes will always offer a physical challenge but her focus is the search for meaningful individual accomplishments rather than competing with an idealistic standard. Eve incorporates breathing and meditation techniques into each session to improve focus and mindfulness on and off the mat. She has a special love for the yin element of any pose.

Eve completed Pulsation Yoga’s Teacher Training Class in 2015. She is forever challenging herself to learn more, to relax and to accept.

Gabriel

Katherine

Kat turned to yoga in 2009 as a way to connect with community and move her body. She soon realized that there was so much more to learn than the physical asana practice and has been a devoted student ever since.

She enrolled in the 200 RYT program through Pulsation Yoga and completed it in 2015.

In addition to practicing and teaching at Pulsation Yoga, Kat regularly attends workshops and classes to expand upon her training. She has practiced and studied various styles of yoga including Anusara, Iyengar, vinyasa flow, alignment based, restorative, and yin.

She focuses her teaching on finding the right combination of flow, alignment, breath, and meditation. She strives to create a welcoming atmosphere for all in her classes and hopes to inspire others to find mindfulness outside of the classroom and in their daily lives.

In addition to practicing and teaching at Pulsation Yoga, Kat regularly attends workshops and classes to expand upon her training and she continues to study the theory and practice of yoga developed by B.K.S. Iyengar. She focuses her teaching on finding the right combination of flow, alignment, balance, and meditation.
She strives to create a welcoming, dynamic, and fun atmosphere in her classes

Laura

Saturday

11:00

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12:00

PM In Person AH Basics

Linda

Linda comes from a dance background and grew up studying at her mother's dance studio in Grand Haven, Michigan. After moving to Chicago she became a member of the Joel Hall Dancers, a professional jazz dance company.

Linda's first experience with yoga was taking Ashtanga yoga classes at Chicago School of Yoga (formerly NU Yoga). She later moved to the northwest suburbs and began taking classes with Jim and Kathy Simonik. Linda completed the teacher training program at Pulsation Yoga in 2015 earning her 200 RYT. Linda has been practicing yoga for close to 20 years. She currently teaches at both studios.

Marian

Megan

A teacher since 2008, Megan has 200 hour RYT certifications in Forrest and Anusara Yoga and is wrapping up a 500 RYT Iyengar Influenced Advanced Teacher Training, and is is certified in Levels 1 & 2 Yoga for Golfers.

Megan’s classes are uplifting and energetic, yet embrace calmer, reflective moments too. Each class is themed and interlaced with breath work, philosophy, creative, progressive sequencing leading to an apex pose, the use of props therapeutically and as tools to make postures more accessible, playlists that are an eclectic mix.

Megan works to help students personalize their practices by modifying poses and mindfully progressing to deeper and more challenging poses when they’re ready. Rooted in alignment principles, she wants to help students develop wise, knowledgeable, instinctual practices and find balance, harmony, and peace on and off the mat.

Monday

9:30

–

10:30

AM In Person Arl Hts Level 1-2

Friday

9:30

–

10:45

AM In Person Arl Hts Level 1-2

Nadiya

Nadiya has been a student for many years and continues to learn. She started out in the Astanga style. Nadiya completed her 200 Hour Anusara Teacher Training in 2003. Nadiya frequently incorporates breathing techniques to enhance the class. She has been teaching for Pulsation Yoga since we opened our doors in Arlington Heights.

Wednesday

6:45

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8:00

PM In Person Arl Hts Level 1-2

Sandy

Sandy Smith is an Anusara Inspired RYT 500 teacher. She primarily teaches Basics, Level 1 and Private classes for the studio, as well as managing workshops and the front desk staff. A graduate of Kathy's training program, Sandy has been assisting those new to yoga to build a regular yoga practice by focusing on the foundations of poses and alignment. As a Wellness and Weight Loss Coach, many of Sandy's clients have discovered the benefits of yoga for the development of strength, breath/body connection, and appreciation of their bodies regardless of where they are on their journey

Tina

Val

My curiosity about yoga sparked my, on and off, relationship with it. I have practiced different types of yoga and have been always drawn to the philosophy and spiritual aspect of it. I came to Pulsation Yoga after joining 20 people, I have never met before, on a trip to Sedona 3 years ago and everything unfolded from there. I have developed a consistent personal yoga and meditation practice that have enabled me to improve my life in many ways. I took the 200-hour RYT at Pulsation in the Anusara curriculum and graduated in 2017. I am grateful for having the opportunity to teach at Pulsation yoga. I enjoy practicing and teaching classes that are mindful, playful and ones that open and challenge the heart, mind and body. I am, and always will be, a humble student as I strive to learn, expand and share the beauty and wisdom of yoga

Various

Saturday

12:30

–

1:30

PM October Yoga 101 - Arlington Heights 4-Week Series

Pulsation Yoga- Arlington Heights

Yoga Studio in Arlington Heights , IL