Alex Vu (she/her)

Alex's practice and teaching are based on the fundamental "root to rise" - cultivating a mindful presence with the body and mind before anything else. To her, yoga is the practice of coming home, the inner home within us, where we can be comfortable with our body, thoughts, emotions, and everything else that makes us wholesome. 

When she's not on her mat and not being a homebody, you can find her enjoying a hike or paddling on a lake. 

Farah Nazarali (she/her)

"I came to yoga not knowing that it would totally revolutionize my life. I was looking for more flexibility and some mental calm and instead, yoga transformed me from the inside out!  Yoga continues to offer me peace, happiness, harmony, and the tools to live with ease in my body and in alignment with the natural world.

I continue to be in love with all things yoga- yoga nidra, mantra, sanskrit, and the sacred texts of yoga that offer much needed wisdom for a world out of balance.

In addition to studying yoga in a Lineage-based ashram environment, I have studied Tibetan buddhism, non-violent communication, and conflict resolution. I specialize in teaching workshops and retreats that integrate conflict resolution skills with yogic practices and Buddhist wisdom and bring a somatic approach to communication and conflict.

I love to teach beginners, people new to yoga or people intimidated by the fancy poses in magazines! I offer simple, gentle ways of practicing that use breath and relaxation as the foundation." www.farahnazarali.com

Julia Brobbel (she/her)

Julia Brobbel (RYT-500) is just finishing up the practicum portion of her Yoga Therapy Diploma, and is super excited to bring her expertise to her new class at Kind!

While Julia's classes are therapeutic and slow in nature, she is lively (!) so expect a fun and vibrant practice. You can expect Julia to incorporate the latest scientific research on breath, neuroplasticity, mindfulness, or another of her many fields of interest, and she'll often finish class by reading from a poem or yogic text to nurture our artistic beings.

Julia strives to help you build confidence in the body as well as to give you the skills to develop a therapeutic at-home practice. You'll leave her classes with a smile on your face, and a feeling of empowerment in your body!

Katie Sayers (she/her)

Katie is a passionate and experienced yoga teacher who has been practicing since 2009 and teaching since 2017. She completed her 200-hour RYT through Red Door Yoga and holds certifications in Kids and Youth Yoga through both Red Door Yoga and Rainbow Kids Yoga. Currently on the path toward her 500-hour certification, Katie continues to deepen her practice and teaching.

With training in Hatha, Vinyasa, Restorative, Yin, and Kids & Youth Yoga, Katie brings a well-rounded and heart-centered approach to her classes. Her teaching is rooted in the belief that yoga is accessible to all, and serves as a powerful tool for self-discovery and connection to one’s inner wisdom and truth.   

Yoga has been a grounding and transformative practice for Katie through many life transitions. She describes it as a continual homecoming to Self—a practice of love, presence, and inner strength.  

Her classes are welcoming, inclusive, and inspired by her own personal growth. She invites students to show up exactly as they are, and to explore the richness of yoga both on and off the mat.  Katie often weaves spiritual themes into her classes, offering insights that are both practical and profound.

Katie has a special passion for sharing yoga with children, nurturing their tender hearts and helping them build resilience, confidence, and connection from an early age.

Meg Fyfe Watkins (she/they)

Meg has been teaching yoga since 2012, and practicing for over 20 years. She received her 200-hr certification, followed soon by Pre- and Postnatal Yoga and Restorative Yoga training, in Toronto before moving back to her beloved west coast. Meg is trained to teach in a trauma-informed way, and her passion is finding ways to help every single person feel comfortable and safe attending a community yoga practice. Meg is currently completing her 300-hr teacher training as well as an Accessible Yoga Teacher certification.

Natalie Fay (she/her)

Natalie is a passionate yoga teacher originally from Moncton, New Brunswick, now rooted in Nanaimo and excited to grow community on and off the mat. She completed her 200-hour YTT at Yandara Yoga Institute in Baja, Mexico in 2017, and became a certified breathwork facilitator in 2022.

Natalie's journey with yoga began over a decade ago, igniting a deep love for movement, meditation, and pranayama. She continues to deepen her practice through trainings, workshops, and retreats.

Natalie strives to create a space in her classes that is safe and heart-centered, where students can explore their practice, connect inward, and cultivate presence. While she teaches a variety of modalities, her favourite classes to lead are vinyasa flows—often infused with spiritual elements such as breathwork, meditation, mantra, and sound healing.

Natalie says, "I look forward to sharing practice with you in the studio!"

Sarah Rivest (she/her)

Sarah Rivest is a trauma-informed yoga teacher who is passionate about helping people feel comfortable in their bodies, and meeting her students where they are in their own individual practice.

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In 2009, Sarah was injured in a car accident and began practicing yoga to aid her recovery. After noticing improvements in her neck injury and surprisingly her scoliosis, Sarah decided to deepen her practice with a 20hr Yin Yoga teacher training. She continued her training with an intensive 200hr YTT: Art & Sacred Science of Yoga. This intensive training helped her discover her own breath and uncover deeper traumas that her body was holding onto, which led to her passion for trauma-informed yoga. Sarah has now taken multiple trauma-informed yoga teacher trainings, and states, "trauma informed yoga changed my view on the yoga world. It made me realize how important accessible yoga is. I strive to hold space for my students to find their breath and connect within their own bodies through movement, stillness and breath work. I can’t wait to share this beautiful practice with you!"

Su Pickell (she/her)

Su has been practising for 11 years and teaching for 8 years. She had her own studio in Thailand before moving to Canada where she taught up to 15 classes a week. Her training includes Ashtanga training with David Swenson and she is a Mysore practitioner. She has had training in hatha vinyasa yoga and has had 200 hour training as a certified yoga teacher through the FIT Certification Centre of South-east Asia. She has also taken training courses in Iyengar yoga, therapeutic yoga and anatomy. She continues to teach classes on Zoom and private classes in Nanaimo.

Tamara Dunn (she/her)

Born and raised on Vancouver Island, Tamara is a yoga teacher, sound healer, and Reiki practitioner. She is passionate about guiding students to turn down the mental chatter and tune into the wisdom of the body through mindful movement and sound. Off the mat, you can usually find her exploring with her dog Hazel or hanging out by the ocean.

Taylor Iverson (she/her)

Originally from the shores of Lake of the Woods in Northwestern Ontario, Taylor grew up immersed in nature—an influence that continues to shape her teaching today. Her journey through yoga and healing arts has taken her across four continents and over 1000 hours of yoga teacher training in different styles. She is now rooted on Vancouver Island where she teaches yoga, explores mountains, and works in Supportive Housing.  

Taylor's passion for knowledge and understanding has led her through a degree in creative writing, a certification in Ayurvedic Lifestyle Coaching, and she is currently working towards her Diploma in Yoga Therapy. Taylor integrates elements of these additional trainings, especially Ayurveda, into her classes to support balance, self-awareness, and a deeper connection to the rhythms of the natural world. Her teaching is trauma-informed and emphasizes exploration over perfection, inviting students to attune to their body’s own story rather than a perfect shape.

Varenka Schwarz (she/her)

I am an inclusive and body-neutral yoga teacher. I have taught and practiced yoga for over 15 years and I am extremely passionate about helping people enjoy the benefits of yoga.  I help people discover that yoga is much more than the poses, that it IS an accessible practice to them.

Through my years of practice, yoga trainings, injuries, and body changes, I've developed an ample vocabulary of ways to adapt poses so you are able to connect to your breath and to that moment of quiet. I invite you to take a seat and take a breath with me.

I cannot wait to share this journey with you.