Be The Change Yoga

Yoga is Amanda’s perpetual muse since 1998. Her passion for the practice started as a reprieve from the fast pace of NYC and became her spiritual ground to leap through daily flux. After zigzagging across the country and starting a family, Amanda earned teaching certification through Yoga Works in 2012. Her continuing studies (400+ hours) have evolved into a guide style that helps people move with intelligence and respect for their individual structures. For Amanda, self-care is as important as movement. She holds a certification in Yoga Tune Up ®, a mysofascial release modality. Amanda offers alignment from her palpable interest in functional anatomy. She also enjoys deep dives into yogic philosophy and Sanskrit language. Amanda has done in depth philosophy course work with her long-term teacher and official mentor, Erika Burkhalter (YW, 150 hours). For Amanda, practice incorporates many styles of asana: ashtanga, flow, yin, and restoratives. Asana choices are deliberate with options offered to keep everyone in the room connected to his or her breath. Light chanting, philosophy, and the occasional “aha” moment make into the room. “Yoga to You” is her motto.

Off the mat, Amanda is at the beach as often as possible. She is mom to a human teenager and canine tween.

Allison Prince ERYT-500, CMT is a co-founder of Be The Change Yoga and is the Director of The 200 hour Teacher Training Program. Allison has a Bachelors degree in Kinesiology and is a Certified Massage Therapist. She completed her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training in 2003 with Cloud Nine Yoga and her 500-hour certification in 2009. Her classes combine the strength and focus of an upper-level practice, while bringing in the more subtle aspects of yoga such as meditation and reflection. She also completed a 200-hour Kundalini training, focusing on the energetic aspects of Yoga. She has been leading Yoga Teacher Training Programs since 2010.

Amy Harper RYT-500, Yoga Therapist C-IAYT

In a water sport accident in August of 1997, Amy Harper fractured her spine in several places. It was uncertain if she would ever walk again. Literally and metaphorically flipped on her back, she was forced to dig deep to find hidden reservoirs of strength, and through soul searching, Mindfulness, Breath work, Ayurveda,Yoga therapy, healed herself. In near unbearable circumstances, Amy discovered the gift of a renewed life purpose, and is dedicating herself and her therapeutic training to help others find peace, healing, and support during difficult times.

Amy has been teaching since 2001, and a private yoga therapy practice since 2011. She specializes in trauma therapy. Her therapeutic work includes clients with MS, Muscular Dystrophy, cancer, nervous system issues, anxiety, depression, Bi-Polar II, sensory integration issues, TBI and PTS and trauma support, and last stages of life. Her mission is to help people gain clarity, confidence, and transform patterns of suffering.  Whatever challenges her clients are facing, Amy accepts them as they are, and uses a tool box of approaches like yoga, meditation, breathwork, energy healing and transformational and spiritual coaching. Moving the individual in the direction to realize their full potential, and live the life of their design.

She has been a member of International Yoga Therapists Association since 2016 and received national recognition of C-IAYT certification in May 2017. She speaks publicly on yoga and yoga therapy, and conducts teacher trainings and mentoring for yoga teachers. 

Ashley Arroliga, C-IAYT, RYT-500, is a Lead Teacher Trainer at Be the Change Yoga. She completed her 200 HR, 300 HR, and Yoga Therapist trainings here beginning in 2015, and views yoga as a healing art. Ashley has a Bachelor’s in Psychology from Thomas Edison State University, and loves combining this background with the Yoga Sutras in practice. Ashley teaches all levels of yoga, from therapeutic practices to intermediate vinyasa and hatha flow classes. She specializes in yoga for anxiety and stress management, has designed programs for first responders, children, and seniors, and is passionate about working with pregnant mothers. She has been leading Yoga Teacher Training Programs since 2016.

Katie Allen, MPH, C-IAYT co-founded Be The Change Yoga, a studio and Center for Higher Education in Orange County, CA. The studio is deeply rooted in the philosophical foundations of yoga and understanding of yoga as a therapeutic modality. The studio offers Orange County's only Yoga Therapist Training program.

Katie is the Founder and School Director of AlcheMe Yoga Therapy; a yoga therapy company that offers professional training, comprehensive clinical programs, research and outreach initiatives. She received her Masters in Public Health from Tulane University and wrote her thesis on Yoga's ability to prevent and treat chronic disease. She has built successful community-based relationships with hospitals, health systems and clinics to integrate yoga therapy services into their offerings.

She has presented at SYTAR on 'How to develop and market comprehensive yoga therapy programs within clinical settings using a public health perspective' and 'Yoga Therapy as a Health Promotion Strategy for Underserved Communities'.

She is currently the Yoga Therapy Program Manager for UCI Health Susuan Samueli Integrative Health Institute and is on faculty at UCI Medical School lecturing on yoga therapy.

Katie is also passionate about bringing yoga to under-served communities and has implemented and directs yoga therapy programs at Hoag Hospital, Serve The People Clinic and Korean Community Services Clinic. She's currently building out a Yoga Promotores Program to train Spanish-speaking students to become yoga teachers to spread healthy living practices throughout various community organizations.

Stacey is a passionate Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher and educator at the advanced 500 hr level (ERYT 500), an Ayurvedic Health Counselor in training, with a background in Positive Psychology from Concordia University. She’s taught yoga & meditation classes since 2014, and she shares specialty workshops about yoga, meditation, breathwork, Ayurveda, herbal medicine, and more. Stacey believes that yoga and Ayurveda are keys in which we can unlock the inner healer within us ALL. She holds these ancient and powerful practices with honor in her heart, and it is a true joy for her to share these gifts with her community. Current offerings: group classes, private yoga sessions, and private Ayurvedic health counseling sessions. Students have said working with Stacey is like “a comforting hug for the soul”

Megan McCarver, C-IAYT, M.A., is delighted to be a mind/body care provider for over 30 years, specializing in yoga therapy; the application of yoga principles and practices to achieve personalized physical, emotional, and spiritual goals. This biopsychosocial-spiritual approach supports her clients to discover relief from symptoms of health conditions that are troubling them. With kindness, skillful actions, and acquired wisdom, Megan helps her clients learn customized self-care routines and lifestyles which bring them greater sustainable gratitude and joy.