Hi there, my name is Rachel. I am a full-time Yoga Instructor in Calgary, AB, and have been for more than a decade. I'm a happy, free, and light-hearted gal who LOVES to have fun!! Originally from a small farm town in Ontario, I decided one day to "try something new"! I called my bestie, packed up my little yellow car up, and drove across Canada. Little did I know that those three little words would quickly become my personal mantra and guide me around the world!
How I started...
I had a corporate job in downtown Calgary with a great wage and excellent benefits, but I just couldn't sit still at my desk for the life of me. I was well overweight, had a mind filled with chaos, and needed a change FAST. I saw my future - and it didn't look healthy or fun. A dear friend dragged me to my first yoga class and, considering my mantra and where it had led me so far in Calgary, I said, "Why not?" It took me a few classes, but before I knew it, I was hooked. I started to fall in love- not with the practice but with myself. Soon, things began to change. I started to smile more, danced down the street, and laughed spontaneously. I felt I deserved more. I enrolled in my first Teacher Training at Yoga Passage and graduated in March 2011. However, just before graduation, I made another leap: I quit my cushy corporate job.
What I did....
I started teaching just a few classes here and there, and quickly fell in love with the joy—and sometimes the tears—that yoga brought into the room. With a practice that’s over 4,000 years old, I knew there was more to explore. I wanted to experience more. Practice more. Learn more. Love more. Laugh more. Play more.
So once again, I decided to try something new. That simple choice opened the door to my first backpacking adventure through Nepal and India. I hopped trains, met the most incredible humans, danced with strangers in the streets, and drank more chai than anyone reasonably should. I studied at various ashrams throughout India and completed a 9-month journey that ended with a 500-hour teacher training certification.
Along the way, I studied with three truly inspiring, high-profile teachers who reignited my love for teaching and deepened my respect for the practice. I returned to Calgary with no plan—just a full heart, a fresh perspective, and a whole lot of passion for life.
Where I am now...
I am filled with so much gratitude for this practice, for my students, for this city, and for the incredible teachers I continue to learn from. Since starting my journey, I have taught countless classes, attended numerous workshops, and completed over 1,000 hours of training. My studies continue to evolve, focusing on biomechanics and functional movement, trauma, and nervous system regulation. This allows me to offer thoughtful, up-to-date practices that support mental, emotional, and physical well-being.
Over time, my work has gently and intentionally shifted. Much of my teaching now focuses on trauma-informed yoga, with an emphasis on the nervous system and vagus nerve stimulation. This approach allows the practice to feel safer, slower, and more supportive, especially for those who have experienced stress, trauma, or chronic overwhelm. I’ve had the privilege of learning from some of the world’s leading trauma specialists, such as Ariel Swartz and Bessel van der Kolk. And don't get me wrong, I love a solid, sweaty class! I love strength, flow, and feeling the heart rate climb. But for real nervous system regulation, we need the entire spectrum of movement: the still, the active, the slow, and the pauses in between. All of it matters.
This work that I love doing is about helping people reconnect with their bodies, rebuild trust, and remember what it feels like to be safe within themselves. It is less about pushing or performing and more about listening, choice, and compassion.
I live with an open heart, to the beat of my own drum, with a love for adventure. I travel when I can, get lost often, and escape to the mountains as much as possible. Yoga, to me, is life—not just something we do on the mat, but how we relate to ourselves, to others, and to the world around us. It can be light-hearted and playful, and at the same time deeply healing. It helps us soften, breathe, and come back home to ourselves. I feel honored to hold space for this kind of work, and I truly look forward to practicing with you.
Stay Awesome
xoxo
How I started...
I had a corporate job in downtown Calgary with a great wage and excellent benefits, but I just couldn't sit still at my desk for the life of me. I was well overweight, had a mind filled with chaos, and needed a change FAST. I saw my future - and it didn't look healthy or fun. A dear friend dragged me to my first yoga class and, considering my mantra and where it had led me so far in Calgary, I said, "Why not?" It took me a few classes, but before I knew it, I was hooked. I started to fall in love- not with the practice but with myself. Soon, things began to change. I started to smile more, danced down the street, and laughed spontaneously. I felt I deserved more. I enrolled in my first Teacher Training at Yoga Passage and graduated in March 2011. However, just before graduation, I made another leap: I quit my cushy corporate job.
What I did....
I started teaching just a few classes here and there, and quickly fell in love with the joy—and sometimes the tears—that yoga brought into the room. With a practice that’s over 4,000 years old, I knew there was more to explore. I wanted to experience more. Practice more. Learn more. Love more. Laugh more. Play more.
So once again, I decided to try something new. That simple choice opened the door to my first backpacking adventure through Nepal and India. I hopped trains, met the most incredible humans, danced with strangers in the streets, and drank more chai than anyone reasonably should. I studied at various ashrams throughout India and completed a 9-month journey that ended with a 500-hour teacher training certification.
Along the way, I studied with three truly inspiring, high-profile teachers who reignited my love for teaching and deepened my respect for the practice. I returned to Calgary with no plan—just a full heart, a fresh perspective, and a whole lot of passion for life.
Where I am now...
I am filled with so much gratitude for this practice, for my students, for this city, and for the incredible teachers I continue to learn from. Since starting my journey, I have taught countless classes, attended numerous workshops, and completed over 1,000 hours of training. My studies continue to evolve, focusing on biomechanics and functional movement, trauma, and nervous system regulation. This allows me to offer thoughtful, up-to-date practices that support mental, emotional, and physical well-being.
Over time, my work has gently and intentionally shifted. Much of my teaching now focuses on trauma-informed yoga, with an emphasis on the nervous system and vagus nerve stimulation. This approach allows the practice to feel safer, slower, and more supportive, especially for those who have experienced stress, trauma, or chronic overwhelm. I’ve had the privilege of learning from some of the world’s leading trauma specialists, such as Ariel Swartz and Bessel van der Kolk. And don't get me wrong, I love a solid, sweaty class! I love strength, flow, and feeling the heart rate climb. But for real nervous system regulation, we need the entire spectrum of movement: the still, the active, the slow, and the pauses in between. All of it matters.
This work that I love doing is about helping people reconnect with their bodies, rebuild trust, and remember what it feels like to be safe within themselves. It is less about pushing or performing and more about listening, choice, and compassion.
I live with an open heart, to the beat of my own drum, with a love for adventure. I travel when I can, get lost often, and escape to the mountains as much as possible. Yoga, to me, is life—not just something we do on the mat, but how we relate to ourselves, to others, and to the world around us. It can be light-hearted and playful, and at the same time deeply healing. It helps us soften, breathe, and come back home to ourselves. I feel honored to hold space for this kind of work, and I truly look forward to practicing with you.
Stay Awesome
xoxo
