Staff
Theresa May – Owner / Director, E-RYT 500, Mindfulness & Meditation Teacher
Hometown: Detroit MI
Birthday date: August 24th (Virgo, was there any doubt!)
Training/education: RYT 200 & E-RYT 500 with Michael Johnson of Asheville, NC, Reiki Master with Gina Ambrosia and countless workshops & retreats over the many years with the most amazing teachers on the most amazing topics.
Mentor(s): My teachers past, the teachers of Santosha Yoga and anyone who has walked through the doors of Santosha Yoga.
Favorite Prop: Blocks & Walls
What pose do you love to teach? It depends on what day it is.
What is your favorite pose? Ardha Chandrasana (half-moon), doesn’t matter what day it is.
What is your least favorite pose? Hmmm, again it depends on what day it is.
What is your favorite season of the year? Fall with spring being a close second.
MAC or PC? PC of course, the only one that’s allowed in the house.
Favorite Dessert: Crème Brulee
Favorite Fruit: Watermelon for sure.
Where/when did you take your first yoga class? Almost 19 years ago in a small rec center in Macomb MI, by a sweet gal named Desiree that taught us as she flipped through pages of a book. But it stuck!
Interests outside of Yoga: Reading, thinking of crazy things to do with my grandkids, bike riding very fast.
Christie Cairo – E-RYT 200
Hometown: Uniontown, Ohio
Birthday date: January 12th
Training/education: ACE Certified Personal Trainer, YACEP, E-RYT 200, Reiki Master
Mentor(s): Michael Johnson, Alan Haras, Lama Marut, Christopher “Hareesh” Wallis, my friends, and especially my enemies who teach me to acquire any honorable attribute to handle the given stress
Favorite Prop: Blocks
What pose do you love to teach? Bird of Paradise
What is your favorite pose? Utthita parsvakonasana (extended side angle)
What is your least favorite pose? Headstand
What is your favorite season of the year? Fall
MAC or PC? I don’t really care (PC if I must choose)
Favorite Dessert: Chocolate cake with Buttercream frosting
Favorite Fruit: Raspberries
Where/when did you take your first yoga class? Center of Yoga with Brian Grenader 2006
Interests outside of Yoga: Hiking, Gardening and flowers, Spending time with my family, listening to music, and of course – laughing and an irrational love of horror movies.
Grace Buffa – E-RYT 200
Hometown: Fraser, MI
Birthday date: October 29th
Training/Education: Physical Therapist Assistant since 1999 Graduate of Baker College Flint; Yoga teacher ERYT since 2009 Graduate of Red Lotus School of Yoga Teacher, Brian Granader; Dragon time kids yoga teacher training 2011 Teacher, Jody Cleaver; Reiki Master Level 2 2017 Teacher, Gina Ambrosia
Mentors: Maureen Kozicki & Gayle Vettese (These women inspired and shaped me early on…); Abraham Hicks teachings; Dr. Nancy Dossin; Alan Harris; Max Strom; Dr Wayne Dyer; Radhanath Swami……These people have shaped and inspired me in a huge way through out my teaching career.
Favorite Prop: Block
What pose do you like to teach? Blossoming Lotus, everyone can usually do it and it looks fancier and harder than it is
What is my favorite pose? Bakasana (crow pose) and side crow
What is your least favorite pose? Wide leg forward fold
What is your favorite season of the year? Summer and fall
Mac or PC? PC
Favorite dessert: tough… LOL, cheesecake, Coconut macaroons, hot apple pie
Favorite fruit: Prickle Pear
Where/When did you take your first yoga class? Ferndale when I was 19/20 years old
Debbie Kowalski – RYT 200, PT, CPI
Hometown: Sterling Heights, MI
Birthday date: Dec 29th
Training: YogaFit L1-3 & YogaSweat, Vinyasa 200 hr, Pilates Certification, Physical Therapist
Mentors: Have learned from many awesome teachers
Favorite Prop: Block
What pose do you love to teach? Warrior II
What is your favorite pose? Triangle
What is your least favorite pose? Splits
What is your favorite season? Spring
MAC or PC? PC
Favorite Dessert: Brownies
Favorite Fruit: Grapes
Where/When did you take first yoga class? Milford 2005
Interest outside of Yoga: Lifelong learning; Volunteering; Walking
Cindy Chase – E-RYT 200 / RYT 500
Hometown: Detroit MI
Birthday date: November 14th
Training/education: 200 and 300 RYT Certification-Santosha Yoga Studio, Reiki Levels I and II
Mentor(s): Theresa, my Mom, Jessica and Christopher
Favorite Prop: Blocks, always blocks you can use them in so many poses
What pose do you love to teach? Utthita Trikonasana, Extended Triangle Pose, Delightful
What is your favorite pose? Ardha Chandrasana, Half Moon
What is your least favorite pose? Arm balances – UGH!
What is your favorite season of the year? Summer
MAC or PC? PC
Favorite Dessert: Lemon Meringue Pie, preferably made by my Mom. 😊
Favorite Fruit: Raspberries
Where/when did you take your first yoga class? 1998 at the L’Anse Creuse Community Center with Tom King
Interests outside of Yoga: Traveling, Cooking, Reading, Gardening
Penny Carroll – E-RYT 200 / RYT 500, ABMP Certified Massage Therapist
Hometown: Byers, Colorado
Birthday date: April 1st
Training/education: RYT-500 with Santosha Yoga; Warriors at Ease, Yoga for 12-Step Recovery; Yoga Nidra, Yoga Fit 1 & 2; Licensed Massage Therapist; Reiki Level 2; B.S. Early Childhood Education; B.S., Communications; Masters Certificate Servant Leadership
Mentor(s): Theresa May, Karen Soltes; Nicki Myers
Favorite Prop: Block
What pose do you love to teach? Ardha Chandrasana (half moon)
What is your favorite pose? Anjanayasana (low lunge pose)
What is your least favorite pose? Parvritta Utkatasana (revolved chair pose)
What is your favorite season of the year? Autumn
MAC or PC? depends on what I’m doing!
Favorite Dessert: Strawberry shortcake
Favorite Fruit: strawberries
Where/when did you take your first yoga class? Watching Lilias Folan on PBS when I was in grade school; to practicing with Steve Ross and Yoga with Denise Austin on TV when I was pregnant in 2000
Interests outside of Yoga: Reading, camping, cooking, gardening, long baths.
Amanda Hodge – RYT 200
Hometown: Petoskey, MI
Birthday date: September 10th – Virgo all the way
Training: RYT 200 from Santosha Yoga 2013, CCYT (Certified Chair Yoga Teacher)
Mentors: Theresa May & all of my students
Favorite Prop: Chair
What pose do you love to teach? Warrior II
What is your favorite pose? Side Angle Pose
What is your least favorite pose? None
What is your favorite season? Fall
MAC or PC? Neither! I’m technically challenged that’s my hubby’s department!
Favorite Dessert: Coffee with Grandmas Xmas Cookies
Favorite Fruit: Strawberries & Honeydew Melon
Where/When did you take first yoga class? At Santosha Yoga on Sunday April 3, 2011
Interest outside of Yoga: Watching my kids play sports, Rooting on the Detroit Tigers, walking, listening to audio books & travel
Jill Mazure – RYT 200
Hometown: Mt. Clemens MI
Birthday date: March 30th
Training/education: RYT200, Reiki Master, AFFA Group Fitness Certified, CPR, Certified Aromatherapist Level 1
Mentor(s): Wayne Dyer, BKS Iyengar, my students are my daily teachers, I try to absorb all I can from every teacher I take a class from.
Favorite Prop: Block
What pose do you love to teach? Head to Knee (Janu Sirsasana)
What is your favorite pose? revolved crescent lunge (parivritta anjaneyasana)
What is your least favorite pose? pigeon
What is your favorite season of the year? Fall
MAC or PC? Mac
Favorite Dessert: Dutch Apple Pie
Favorite Fruit: Apples
Where/when did you take your first yoga class? From Theresa May in the gym that was next to the dance studio by Walmart about 10 years ago.
Interests outside of Yoga: being in nature, golfing and boating with my husband and kids
Jennifer Martin – RYT 200
Hometown: Madison Heights, Michigan
Birthday date: December 13th
Training/education: 200 Hr. at Hamsa Yoga with Alan Haras. Additional 200 Hr. with Mark Whitwell (Heart of Yoga Certification). I’m a perpetual student and love taking additional trainings such as Yoga Therapy with Doug Keller, Vedic Chanting with Sruti Yoga (online), Pranayama with Gary Kraftsow, and Tantrik Yoga studies with Christopher Hareesh Wallis.
Mentor: Mark Whitwell
Favorite Prop: None, really. Most used would definitely be blocks though.
What pose do you love to teach? Virabhadrasana I (warrior I )(always)!
What is your favorite pose? Virabhadrasana III (Warrior III)
What is your least favorite pose? Chaturanga Dandasana (lowering from Plank pose)
What is your favorite season of the year? Absolute tie between Summer and Fall.
MAC or PC? I can easily destroy them both.
Favorite Dessert: Currently obsessed with Trader Joe’s Mango Sorbet.
Favorite Fruit: Cherries
Where/when did you take your first yoga class? First non-DVD class outside of my living room?! The University of Chicago student center with Suddha Weixler. A lifetime ago.
Interests outside of Yoga: Traveling, learning languages, spending time with my boys (3 Sons + Husband), watching movies (the more independent and artsy the better), and I have also been known to “binge play” the occasional Lego video game on PlayStation (remember, I DO have 3 boys!).
Kathy Sweeney – E-RYT 200
Hometown: Hamtramck, MI
Birthday date: December 8th
Training/education: 200 RYT with Theresa May; Yin Yoga teacher training with yin founder, Paulie Zink; Reiki Master; Fundamentals of teaching chair yoga through Yoga Vista Academy
Mentor(s): The entire universe is my teacher.
Favorite Prop: yoga blocks
What pose do you love to teach? Trikonasana (triangle)
What is your favorite pose? Ardha Chandrasana (half moon)
What is your least favorite pose? Malasana (squat)
What is your favorite season of the year? Autumn
MAC or PC? either
Favorite Dessert: peanut butter cookie
Favorite Fruit: berries (blueberry, blackberry, strawberry, raspberry)
Where/when did you take your first yoga class? First practiced to an album by Richard Hittleman. First class available to me close to home was through the YMCA. Class was at the GM Tech Center in Warren, MI.
Interests outside of Yoga: 1000-piece puzzles, sudoku, reading
Amy Kayy – RYT 200
Hometown: Clinton Township, MI
Birthday date: December 16th
Training/education: RYT200 – Santosha Teacher Training, Advanced Pranic Healing Practitioner
Mentor(s): Theresa May, Cindy Chase and My Parents!
Favorite Prop: Wall
What pose do you love to teach? Tree Pose (Vrksasana)
What is your favorite pose? Intense Side Stretch (Parsvottanasana) & Warrior 3 (Virabhadrasana III)
What is your least favorite pose? Camel (Ustrasana)
What is your favorite season of the year? Fall
MAC or PC? MAC
Favorite Dessert: Crème Brulee
Favorite Fruit: Watermelon
Where/when did you take your first yoga class? Santosha Yoga – January 2016
Interests outside of Yoga: Pranic Healing. Meditation. Reading. Writing. Volleyball. Space. Nature. Being by Water
Gail Sobczak – ABMP Certified Massage Therapist, RYT 200
Licensed Massage Therapist and member of the ABMP. Graduated from Irene’s Myomassology Institute in 1999.
Gail’s experience ranges from physical therapy and in-patient hospital care to working in a full service spa.
Her mission is to help relax and de-stress her clients, whether it be from an injury or day to day stress. Nothing is impossible.
Gail is available Monday through Sunday by online booking, calling or texting @ 586-242-2424.
Marlena Fraser – ABMP Certified Massage Therapist
Marlena is a licensed, ABMP Certified Massage Therapist and a 2012 graduate of Healing Hands Holistic Health Center School of Massage. While knowledgeable in several techniques, her style is an intuitive fusion of Swedish, Trigger Point Therapy, Myofascial Release, and Reiki. She is a firm believer in the healing process that massage and energy modalities can offer when combined! They work to bring balance & harmony to mind, body, spirit!
She is experienced in Swedish Massage, Deep Tissue, Trigger Point Therapy, Shiatsu, Myofascial Release, Warm Bamboo Fusion, Cranial SacraI, and Reiki. She continues to pursue her education in the holistic field to keep her skills and knowledge fresh.
Marlena is available Monday through Saturday by online booking, calling or texting @ 586-801-3571.
Dani Wade – ABMP Certified Massage Therapist
ABMP Certified Massage Therapist since 2013. Graduated from “The Ann Arbor Institute of Massage Therapy,” a COMPTA accredited school. The 800 hour program consisted of training in many different modalities, but focused mainly on Neuromuscular Therapy and Myofascial Release.
Dani’s goal is to help you with your chronic pain patterns or through an injury. Using a combination of techniques, she will tailor the massage to your specific needs. Dani has worked with clients who sought out massage therapy as an alternative to medication or surgery. She has also worked with clients before and after surgery to promote a quicker and healthier healing process.
She is dedicated to helping others understand more about their own bodies and believes this knowledge will lead to healthier future generations.
Dani is available Monday’s by online booking, calling or texting @ 586-744-1991.
