Meet our Instructors

“People who practice and teach yoga are good.”

“There is a curiosity about our inner and outer worlds and a desire to grow in our compassionate connections to self, to others and to the Universe. At Yoga Sanctuary, our teachers and students breathe this in their lives and I think it fills and deeply nourishes all of us. ”

– Shelley, YS Founder & Curator

Founder & Curator, Instructor, Teacher Trainer
I cautiously walked into my first yoga class in 1999. I walked out with a sense of curiosity about the awakening I felt in my body and in my mind and spirit. While struggling with endometriosis and infertility, yoga became a compatible partner on my road toward holistic health. I am grateful for my challenges and count them among my greatest teachers.
Curiosity, and a deep desire for holistic wellness, inspire me to teach intentional yoga with space to explore deeper physical (asana), breath (pranayama) and mindfulness practices as we journey personally and collectively toward self-awareness and re-membering our wholeness. I have been teaching yoga since 2007, and received my training at White Lotus Foundation (Santa Barbara) in 2011 prior to opening Yoga Sanctuary in 2012. I completed an Intensive 9-month Tantra Yoga Studies program with Ben Vincent in May 2017 and recently completed 300hr Yoga Psychology with Ashley Turner. I am thrilled to collaborate with fellow YS Teacher and friend, Tracy Vacura, in the creation and implementation of Yoga Sanctuary’s 230-hour Holistic Yoga Teacher Training & Personal Transformation. My heart beats a little faster when we have the opportunity to teach future yoga instructors the art & science of teaching trauma aware, mindful yoga to ALL BODIES, allowing the breath to guide us at each moment, finding compassion and joy along the way.
I carry the belief that our bodies, minds, emotions and spirits are essentially connected and that everything inside and outside of us is related to our well-being, and yet, we often feel isolated, disconnected, and separate. I am honored to partner with you on your journey toward self-love and empowered living.
Instructor, Teacher Trainer, Studio Manager
I believe yoga is a time for deep connectedness—body, mind, spirt, and universe all in one. I spent decades teaching dance, which means that I love fully-embodied movement and also feel passionate about understanding anatomy and alignment. I enjoy working with people to center, find what is truly important, and then magnify their own unique gifts in the world.
Currently, I am a Certified Healing Touch Practitioner through Healing Beyond Borders, and awareness of the energetic body informs my teaching greatly. I earned my 500 RYT at Devanadi, so my teaching style is influenced by Tanya Bogenzhein’s unique blending of ancient yogic wisdom, energy healing and Ayurvedic therapy. In 2017, I completed a 9 month program of intensive Yoga Studies with Ben Vincent and continue to seek out his calm wisdom. I also undertook an amazing week-long anatomy intensive with Judith Lasater in 2019.
Partnering with Shelley to create the Holistic Yoga Teacher Training and Personal Transformation program has been an amazingly fulfilling experience. As a teacher, I love to help people find tools to feel and live better—through breathing techniques, tapping into our own wisdom, smart alignment, and just changing our perspectives. The community and energy at Yoga Sanctuary are saturated with kindness and I love being part of it!