Our Teachers

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I was first introduced to yoga 10 years ago and did it occasionally  or in bursts of interest that changed with life’s varied transitions.  When I began a more regular practice, I fully realized the physical,  mental, emotional and spiritual benefits yoga provides. The more  consistent my practice…the better I feel! Committing to a daily yoga  practice lead me to pursue yoga teacher training—I completed my RYT-200  training summer 2017. I am so grateful for all my teachers along the  way, the teachings, the yoga community and the opportunity to share this  ancient practice with others. Off my yoga mat I’m sharing life with my  husband Seth, our son Luke, our daughter Langdon and two goofy yellow  labs. A native of Raleigh, I’ve now called Clayton home for nearly 20  years.  

My yoga journey started back in 2004 where I found the physical challenges of practicing yoga interesting and fun as they reminded me of gymnastics. Along the journey I found Mindfulness interesting and have been exploring this in several workshops and trainings. In my classes, I intend to invite mindfulness and awareness to the practice for a holistic mind-body experience. I am humble and curious to continue my yoga journey teaching, learning and enjoying. I am from Denmark and have been living in Clayton since August 2016 with by husband, our two children and our cat. We love to take trips to the mountains or the sea. My professional path is within the Tourism and Hospitality industry where I primarily have been working in sales and marketing and also I have had the great opportunity to teach international students as an Assistant Professor at Zealand Institute of Business and Technology in Denmark. 

I first practiced yoga about 4 years ago. I started practicing regularly at a very stressful time in my life.  I have always been active and enjoy training and working out.  Nothing was as inclusive and functional as yoga has been for me.   It has been a balancing force in my life, making me a calmer, happier person.  After practicing and seeing first hand the benefits of yoga, I got my RYT-200 and have been teaching since January of 2017.  I also received my teaching certification in Stand Up Paddleboard Yoga in April of 2017.  I am also certified in prenatal yoga.  I am reminded daily of all the benefits of a continuous yoga practice and am excited to get to share it with my students.  Outside of the studio, I share my time with my wonderful husband, two lovely children and dog. I love to metalsmith, can, quilt and generally be creative.  

I have been practicing yoga on and off for about 5 years, then in the Fall of 2017 took the plunge and did my instructor training through Holy Yoga, a Christian faith based yoga school. I quickly followed that with additional training to complete my  Masters program with Holy Yoga  (RYI-500).  I love the mindfulness that yoga inspires, which transfers over to my daily life in surprising ways, making me a much calmer, self-aware person. Yoga has changed how I live my life: from how I stand to how I sleep, and from how I connect with God to how I connect with people.  My favorite part of teaching yoga is sharing some of the alignment intricacies of poses that have changed my own practice. I live in Clayton with my husband, Tom, and our two adorable and hilarious pups.

I live in Clayton, North Carolina with my two  sons and my husband. I'm glad to be joining the Glow Yoga family and  bringing Buti Yoga to our community. I first started  practicing yoga in the early 2000's and my practice consisted mostly of a  home practice. Two and a half years ago I was introduced to Buti Yoga  and my world changed immediately. I became certified as a Buti Yoga  Instructor in August of 2017. Through Buti Yoga, I found more body  confidence, more freedom to move and express myself and a better sense  of who I am. Also through Buti Yoga, I found female friends minus the  judgement and competion. In my classroom,  you will never find  competition or catty behavior, only Soulful camaraderie. Through Buti Yoga, we draw on Primal energy and movement to nurture our bodies and thrive.  Buti  is unwavering in its commitment to demanding support and connection  among students. I want to empower our community to form these  connections and support each other in our pursuit of health and  happiness. Join our Clayton Buti Tribe today and let's sweat with  intention.  I also recently completed my RYT-200 at Glow Yoga and am excited to continue growing with our tribe! 

Melissa is a yoga instructor, cyclist, and fitness enthusiast.  She loves and appreciates the dichotomy of yoga:  the stark contrast between strength and power compared to grace and surrender.  Melissa yearned to add balance to her cardio driven workouts.  Yoga would provide the mental clarity, as well as the fluidity her body needed.  She soon found herself immersed in a 200 hour yoga teacher training program.  Melissa  holds certifications with Yoga Alliance, including Kids Yoga and  specialty experience in Senior Yoga and chair-based yoga. 
When  she isn’t teaching, Melissa can be found climbing rock walls, snow  skiing, paddle boarding.....and most importantly, spoiling her 3lb.  chihuahua, STELLA. 
Melissa welcomes you to share her practice of Bending, Breathing, and Believing.  She will lead you through fundamentals, dynamic movement, and mindful breathing. 
Come to explore. Leave with clarity.  NAMASTE 

Coming soon!

I came to yoga almost 15 years ago as a college senior looking for spiritual fulfillment. After that first class, I was hooked and not long after graduation became a regular face at the new studio in my hometown on Long Island. In yoga I found a place to strengthen my body, quiet my mind, and fill my soul. After moving to North Carolina I took classes locally, and cultivated a regular home practice that lasted until having my first child in June 2016. I was introduced to Glow shortly after the doors opened and have never left, becoming one of the studio’s first yoga teacher training graduates. I love using all the props and regularly incorporate them into my practice. Through teacher training, I developed a regular meditation practice in addition to my asana practice. I plan expand professionally by taking an 85-hour prenatal yoga training in hopes of helping pre and postnatal mothers. My classes often include the use of props to deepen and support our experience of yoga!  Before becoming a yoga teacher, I worked as a journalist, news writer, and freelance content writer. I enjoy being outside with my nature-loving toddler, reading books (mostly nonfiction), and listening to podcasts. 

I have practiced yoga off for about 9 years, but have had a more consistent, committed practice for the past two years. These past two years I have come to develop a true passion for yoga, as I have found it to quiet my mind, calm my nerves, and soothe my soul even in the noisiest, busiest seasons of life. I love the spiritual element that comes with yoga. The desire to deepen my own practice and gain the knowledge and confidence to share it with others is what inspired me to pursue my RYT-200. I am excited to meet new people and share my passion with others! I hope my yoga classes help people in the same way that yoga has helped me. I love spending time with my husband and three dogs, long walks/hikes (not on the beach, but pretty much everywhere else), enjoying good food and wine, live music and musical theatre, watching movies (especially all of the Star Wars movies- the Empire Strikes back is the best), all things related to Harry Potter, online shopping, reading, and traveling. My dream vacation would be a trip to Europe full of good food and good drink. I'm excited to connect with our community as a teacher and continue learning!