Caroline has found through a string of life events that her passion is to hold space for other people. She is very inspiried to be building a safe, fun and free flowing space for teachers, students and the community to come and enjoy. Caroline has a big vision for what Bend Studio, Brew Cafe & the Wilcox Wellness Tavern will become over the next few years. While her dream of becoming a mom is coming to frutation, work life balance is something she holds close while finding true joy in building a team of inspirational people to help her dream come to life. Comminity is key, inside and out. Come on in and enjoy the ride & the vibe of a growing small business, with a big hearted community inside.

Emily has been in the fitness industry since 2005 after leaving the financial world and starting a family. With her passion for health and helping others she has become a Certified Personal Trainer who also hold certifications in Pilates, Barre, Spin, Boxing and Fitness Instruction. She is a Certified Nutrition Coach, Owner of her own outdoor boot camp and a 500hr certified Yoga Instructor. She and her husband Paul have four children together and a (very spoiled) dog. Hobbies include paddle boarding, hiking, and being with her family. Blessed to love what she does, she is often heard calling Bend Studio, her happy place.

Michelle Swain began her yoga journey over a decade ago as a personal and therapeutic way to counter a very fast-paced career in entertainment marketing and tour management. In 2019, she obtained her RYT-200 in the Viniyoga modality from Breathing Time Yoga in Pawtucket, RI and she has been working at furthering her wellness education since.

She is a certified Holistic Nutritionist (American Fitness Professionals & Associates), Restorative Yoga Teacher (Online Yoga School), Prenatal and Fertility Yoga specialist (Bliss Baby Yoga) and Master Level Energy Healer (Lisa Powers). She believes in embracing what makes one individual different from another and incorporating that into a tailored yoga practice that meets her students where they are. Michelle hopes to help her students feel motivated, inspired, and strong in their bodies.

Aside from teaching at Bend, you will likely catch Michelle photographing our classes, as she handles all of our marketing efforts! When she’s not working, she loves spending time at home with her husband, dog, cat & turtle.

Amber has a passion for whole-body wellness, working as a registered dietitian and teaching a variety of fitness classes. For the past 10 years, Amber has fallen in love with the community a fun and inviting fitness experience creates, and uses the motivation of music and purpose to lead her workouts. Here at Bend, she has been an avid yogi since we opened, and is so excited to guide you in becoming the best version of yourself.

Discovering the power of yoga in 2015, Ayla dived deep into the community in pursuit of healing herself, and those around her. In the spring of 2017, she took the next step and became a 200hr registered yoga teacher. She loves to incorporate Reiki, music, essential oils, and incense in her yoga practice - her goal is to strengthen the mind and body, and their connection with each other in a therapeutic environment.

Lindsey is our Events Manager, but you will also catch her teaching workshops! She found yoga over a decade ago as a way to calm her mind and connect to body. She is currently in the 200 hour yoga training course while working on her intuitive coaching business. Lindsey is passionate about holistic healing and self development. She began reading oracle cards as a teen and then evolved into a certified Reiki and Integrated Energy Therapy (IET) practitioner in adulthood. Lindsey also holds a degree in social work and environmental science. This allows her to incorporate her educational background, real life experience and holistic tool kit within each session. She loves hosting workshops and truly believes healing ourselves will heal the world.

You can find her on IG: @alignedliving_

As a new yoga teacher, I am excited to share my passion for a practice that has deeply impacted my life. Yoga has provided me with a profound connection to my body and mind and I am eager to help others experience positivty and happiness in the present moment in a down-to-earth and approachable manner. My goal is to guide students in finding their own sense of balance and inner peace. With a foundation built on mindfulness, I aim to create a welcoming space for personal growth and self-discovery.

Amanda has developed her expertise in working with a diverse clientele starting with Miami in 2008, moving to NYC in 2009 and California in 2014. She is now establishing roots in Westerly, RI with her family.

Amanda has a BA in Psychology and has continued her education achieving a 500hr Yoga training from Soul of Yoga in San Diego. She is an RYT E-500 Yoga instructor, a Certified Personal Trainer, and Corrective Exercise specialist through NASM dedicating her work to exercise programming for individuals with chronic pain or structural limitation.

Amanda has a passion for natural remedies, exercise physiology, tennis, snowboarding and spending time with her husband, son, and daughter.

Amanda uses her own method influenced by the Chakra system. Using mind/body techniques that break down barriers that limit success in her clients. Amanda leads with her heart and appreciates mindful connections with fellow colleagues and students.

Amy has been a personal trainer for over 20 years, directing programs for United Technologies and its sister companies in Hartford and then creating her own personal training business in the Farmington Valley. When she discovered Baptiste inspired power yoga during a summer in RI, she connected the fitness that she loves with physical and mental rejuvenation. Her classes are filled with curated music, heat, playful flow, core work, and deep tissue strength and stretch. She tries to inspire her practitioners in the studio by helping them recognize that every day is different. There are times to challenge with balance and backbends and times to simply stretch and slow the mind- the practice helps students on and off the mat. In addition to her yoga and personal training certifications, Amy is a RI and CT realtor who also helps create inspired homes with her husband. She is the mother of two grown boys and one spoiled dog.

Andrea came to and continues her yoga practice to come home to herself. She hopes to inspire her students to nourish their minds, bodies, and souls on the mat and out in the world. Living in South County with her husband and two children, she is inspired by the natural world, loving to spend time outdoors and adventuring. Andrea is a 200hr RYT, completing her teacher training with Coral Brown at Island Heron Yoga is Jamestown, RI. Her training is in Integrative Vinyasa, a combination of Vinyasa flow, embodiment practices, yoga philosophy, and aims to teach a safe, inspired, and effective class for all of her students. Yoga is a life-long journey of learning and growing, and she would love to have you join her for this wild trip.

When I first started taking Kundalini Yoga classes consistently, I felt like I was receiving the benefits of going to therapy. I was living more in my heart than my head, and it seemed like I had a sort of magical shield around me. I was less reactive. I could handle challenges with more ease and grace. I was more of a warrior, more empowered, more connected.

I completed my 200-hour Vinyasa Yoga teacher training with Raffa Yoga and trained with Ra Ma Institute as a Kundalini Yoga Teacher. 

I am honored to have the opportunity to guide students through the power, mystery, and vitality-enhancing practice of Kundalini Yoga. It’s also very special for me to teach at Caroline’s studio, as she was one of my first beloved yoga students who became a great friend.

Here’s to exploring the true power that lies within.

In 2020, Anja achieved her RYT 200 certification under the guidance of Sara Kimball. Additionally, she holds certifications as a NASM Certified Personal Trainer and Meditation Coach. A staunch believer in the profound connection between the mind and body, Anja is dedicated to promoting the idea that a healthy body fosters a healthy mind. With enthusiasm, she imparts her holistic approach, providing a distinctive perspective in all her fitness classes.

Currently, Anja is undertaking her RYT 500 hour certification with Jason Crandell, expected to graduate in December 2023.

Beyond her role as a fitness instructor, she engages in social media management for her own agency, DeVo Media. Her agency serves businesses in both the United States and her native Germany, showcasing her international reach and diverse skill set.

Deb’s passion for yoga began almost 18 years ago. Being a mom of four and working as a full-time manager with a very busy schedule, yoga became her sanctuary. She quickly realized that allowing herself the opportunity to practice self-care was not being selfish, but a necessary part of her well-being. Yoga has made a profound difference in how she views herself and her life and she is passionate about guiding her students as they explore their unique yogic journeys.

In the spring of 2019, she completed her 200hr Kripalu based Pranotthan Yoga Teacher Training through All That Matters in Wakefield, RI. This was one of the best gifts she has ever given herself! Her love of learning left her wanting more, so she went on to complete the Level I Restorative Teacher Training with Sudha Carolyn Lundeen and both the Level I & II USUI/Holy Fire III Reiki certifications with Myra Partyka. She continues to enrich her knowledge and skills by attending workshops and trainings and recently became certified as a Five Element Yoga teacher. She uses guided imagery, mindful cueing, breathwork, mudras and mantras to allow her students to feel the pose physically, mentally, and spiritually. Her classes explore yoga through the Kosha’s, the Five Elements, Ayurveda, and include meditation, music and readings. She believes in this busy world we don’t take the opportunity to slow down, to notice and just be. The magic happens in the pauses, in the quiet moments, with so much benefit to be gained.

Deb offers a calming and supportive practice that she hopes leaves her students feeling confident, rejuvenated, and whole.

After over a decade in construction, namely concrete work, Domenic was amazed to find the meditative benefits gained through the sacred science of Yoga. Once it had begun healing his internal struggles he dropped everything to dedicate his life to the practice. Since then he has become an E-RYT500 and attempts to reinforce the philosophical and psychological lessons behind the physical movements. Ranging from the restorative and meditative practices to the strength inducing powerful flows, Domenic caters to each individual in the class to ensure a structurally sound and safe practice. He Loves yoga and hopes to share his passion for the practice with as many people as possible, along with all its amazing benefits.

Elizabeth’s teaching highlight the power of positive thinking, sharing her leading edge perspective on how we can heal our minds and heal our bodies. Elizabeth combines her experience and yoga, mindfulness, education, and training with clinical intervention. Elizabeth has been teaching for several years and Is the founder of Love Healing & Spiritual Growth Which authors, workshops, seminars, classes, and one on one sessions based on the mind body connection.

Elizabeth Gooding has been teaching yoga since 2010 when she received her 200-hour CYT through Mystic Yoga Shala. Over the last 13 years, she has taught diverse student's groups, young and old, welcoming everyBody to the mat. She has devoted herself to community-based programs, with the vision to make yoga accessible to all.

While she loves to teach a vigorous heated vinyasa class, she does so in a way that makes students feel nurtured and held throughout practice. The goal is to create solace during the time on the mat that will spill over into daily life.

Her classes will offer a fun playful playlist with inspiring words of wisdom to begin your week.

Elizabeth is a 911 first responder, working as an EMT for Westerly ambulance, and is working towards completing her Nursing degree at CCRI. She has been a certified Herbalist since 2009 and facilitates community style herbal workshops and dream circles

Emily received her RYT 200-hour certification from Kootenay Yoga School in Joshua Tree, California. She attended her first yoga class here at Bend Studio in November 2021, and the experience changed her life forever. Since then, she has been dedicated to her yoga practice, with it being the first thing she thinks about when she wakes up and the last thing before she falls asleep. Emily is Level 1 Reiki certified and has a deep passion for connecting the mind and body, staying present, all while getting a great workout!

When she's not practicing yoga, you can find her hiking in the woods, reading a good book, traveling to somewhere new, or spending time with her closest friends!

Giana Giarrusso, is a yoga & meditation teacher with over 850 hours of Yoga Alliance Certified yoga education, podcast host and massage therapist specializing in injury prevention, maintenance and lymphatic drainage treatment. She is a physical, mental & spiritual health enthusiast! Giana has spent the last 10 years studying yoga, meditation and breathwork. She enjoys teaching others these tools to use in their personal healing toolbox.

Hyla started her yoga journey at 18 years old to help cope with chronic back pain from doing the sport of gymnastics. She quickly fell in love with the spiritual aspect of yoga as well as the physical practice. She decided to complete her RYT-200 certification at West Chester University of Pennsylvania where she was already attending school. Hyla values making yoga accessible to everyone and she enjoys using yoga to help others feel more balanced and at peace. Hyla has a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Geography and she hopes to use that knowledge to help conserve the earth’s natural resources and the life on it as well. 

Off her mat, you can find Hyla crocheting clothing for her small business, swimming in any body of water she can find, or working on a farm. Hyla has a deep respect for the earth and she spends her time appreciating and enjoying nature. 

Through her classes, hopes to help students find a deeper connection to the present moment and to themselves. 

Jessica Wolke (Jai Jot Kaur) received her Level One 200 hour Kundalini Yoga teacher training certificate in 2012. Jessica has received three additional certificates since that time: Conscious Communication (62 hours) , Mind and Meditation (62 hours), and Lifecylces and Lifestyles (62 hours). All as taught through the Kundalini Yoga Research Institute and Yogi Bhajan. Jessica’s classes will challenge the ego- the child of the mind body connection. By challenging the ego, students can acesss their higher selves. . Her classes include a variety of postures, beautiful mantras and meditations. In her spare time Jessica loves to spend time with her family and pets. Her hobbies include cooking, traveling, film photography, paddleboarding, mountain biking, and spending time outside. She is always a student of Kundalini Yoga.

Jill is an RYT 200 who graduated from Intentional Embodiment Yoga in 2023. She loves the awareness that yoga brings to life- on the mat in body, breath, and mind - and off the mat, giving us tools for living more purposefully. She is a member of Yoga Alliance, as well as currently being enrolled in a Yin yoga training. Off the mat, Jill has worked in the local medical community for nearly 20 years. She is a lover of the outdoors, true to her New Hampshire farm girl roots.

Julia Anne began her yoga journey after the birth of her second son with a goal to improve fitness and flexibility. Over time and as her practice progressed, Julia Anne came full circle, developing a passion for mental, spiritual, and physical practice and completed her YTT in 2019 with Coral Brown and later traveled to Rishikesh, India with her on an incredibly spiritual and learning adventure. By embracing a more holistic approach to fitness and wellness, Julia Anne discovered that a yoga practice, combined with some other alternative healing methods, fully transformed her physical and mental health. She attributes her yoga practice to helping reduce stress and anxiety and to promoting overall good health.

She loves the fact that teaching allows her to share the passion she has for her practice with others. When not practicing yoga, this recently retired banker enjoys hiking, biking, traveling, reading, antiquing, tennis and organic gardening and creating healthy vegan (almost) recipes.

Julia Anne lives in Charlestown, RI with her husband, on their property, Rockbriar Farm where she has a small yoga studio (where she runs her own business from) and a
vacation cabin. She has 2 adult sons who visit!

Karen Dillon is a 200 hour certified yoga teacher and has an additional certification in intensati (a mind, body and spirit yoga/exercise class developed by Patricia Moreno). She completed her 200-hour training at Yoga Mountain in New City, NY. She has also studied extensively with Elena Brower as well as Baptiste yoga leader Leah Cullis. Her classes are mindful, she works the muscles of the students' minds to keep them in a place of hope, gratitude and joy while strengthening their bodies and creating a life to love. After her 2019 breast cancer diagnosis she became a health and wellness coach with a specialization in functional nutrition and hopes to help guide her students to their healthiest selves.

Kimberly took her first yoga class twenty plus years ago and fell in love her first time on the mat!

Kimberly’s Yoga practice has helped her: recover from injuries, through big life transitions, and to find balance during long work weeks.

In 2017 Kimberly made the life changing decision to deepen her yoga practice and complete her 200hr Yoga Alliance certification at Raffa Yoga with Christine Raffa and Valerie Knopik. After taking time away from teaching studio classes (during covid) Kimberly was missing the connection and community that is brought together by in person studio classes. To reconnect to her Yoga practice Kimberly enrolled in an additional 200hr Yoga Alliance certification at Island Heron Yoga with Coral Brown. Kimberly is also working towards her 500hr certification with Yoga Medicine.

Kimberly teaches a Vinyasa style class that incorporates sun salutation and sequencing with an emphasis on connecting each breath to movement.

Kristen is a mother of 2, a high school English teacher, short filmmaker and a practicing yogi for the last 15 years. Her light-hearted spirit and playful nature encourages students to find comfort within their own practice and a safe place on their mats. Kristen believe yoga is for everybody and every BODY. She is a 200 hr RYT and dedicated to being a life-long learner she is currently studying for her 500 hr certification.

DescripLisa Jones has been studying wellness and practicing yoga for more than 3 decades. She is an internationally-recognized Conscious Breathing Practitioner since 1998 and an Nia instructor since 2004 and has taught thousands of individuals on 4 continents; supporting their journeys into the body/mind realm. Lisa blends all her trainings: 2 Breathwork Facilitator Certifications, Reiki Master, Shamanism and other energy healing techniques including Gracelight Blessing, into her dynamic private sessions and classes.
She returned in 2023 to the US after leading retreats in Ecuador for six years and is the former studio owner of Nia NH and Yoga. She is excited to be part of the awesome Bend community.tion goes here

Lynne has been practicing yoga for over 20 years, and has been teaching since 2016. She loves a hot, sweaty yoga class and her classes incorporate a powerful Vinyasa flow designed to challenge but not deplete you. The sequencing of her classes will help you build strength, stamina, and balance. During class she will always encourage you to breathe, explore, soften, settle, progress, and adjust the poses to suit your needs.  

Maddy received her yoga teacher certification in 2021 through Core Power Yoga, specializing in Yoga Sculpt and Power Yoga. Her aim is to make yoga more accessible, fun and motivating for everyone who take her class.

When she is not teaching yoga, she is tinkering away in her laboratory as a graduate student at the University of Rhode Island pursuing her PhD in physical chemistry. Maddy initially became interested in yoga as a low impact way to heal from the lasting impacts of her four orthopedic surgeries as a teenager. Since then, yoga has allowed her to reconnect with her body and eliminate chronic pain, while also strengthening her mental health and building confidence along the way.

Studied:

Graham Technique-Hartford Conservatory
Duncan Technique-Smith College
Ballet-Albano Ballet Hartford
Tai Chi-Trinity College Hartford
Malee's School of Tai Chi (Malee coached Olympic Team)
Certified in 24 Yang Style moves
Cheng Ye School of Mystic CT
Master Onassis Parungao
108 Yang Style moves
Sun Style
Yik Sau Kuen

Mark holds a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from the University of Rhode Island. In the past he has worked in the Technology, Mortgage, Restaurant, and currently a Project Manager for a Solar Company. In 2014 Mark came to Yoga for his first class at the tail end of a 40 day juice fast. He immediately was hooked! When the opportunity arose to enter a 200 hr teacher training program; he jumped on it and never looked back. Becoming a yoga teacher was something he wanted to do!

Mark has been practicing for the past 9.5 years and has been teaching since August 2016. His focus in life is health and well-being, and helping others along their path. Alkalize, Detoxify and Regenerate is the route. Expect a powerful heated Baptiste-Influenced Vinyasa Flow for the body, mind and spirit; room temperature 92° to 95°.

Megan is a mother of two growing boys, an artist, a practicing yogi for over fourteen years, and a teacher of vinyasa yoga. Her passion for yoga began as a natural way to fight anxiety and depression and become the best version of herself. Through her yoga practice, regular meditation, and painting, Megan seeks to bring peace and calmness into her life and the lives of others. Megan is a certified registered Yoga Teacher (RYT).

Myra is a Level 1 Certified Iyengar Teacher (CIYT), Yoga Alliance E-RYT500 and Continuing Education Provider (YACEP).

She began her practice in the 1990’s and has since become a forever student. Her love and dedication to the discipline led her from sweeping floors and greeting students to teaching and owning Richmond, VA’s premier yoga studio for 20+ years. There she received her 200hr & 500hr certificate and later taught in partnership with YogaWorks 200hr & 300hr programs.

After studying a variety of yoga practices, the Iyengar method was a coming home. She apprenticed for 6 years at Unity Woods in Bethesda, MD, and studied at the Ramamani Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute (RIMY) in Pune, India. She has attended both national and regional Iyengar conferences as well as Yoga Journal conferences, notably BKS Iyengar’s Light on Life tour.

Myra relocated to RI in 2018 and took a teaching break, but now she’s back! By studying and observing the Self, she encourages her students to develop the sensitivity and intelligence of body, mind and breath as a way to find freedom in their lives.

My path has been anything but straight and narrow, and it has led me here.

After grad school, I moved to France and taught English until hearing the call to do recovery work following the tsunami of 2004. While volunteering in India and Thailand, I was introduced to ancient healing arts and chose to prolong my stay in Southeast Asia to study Yoga, Meditation, Ayurveda, Thai Massage, QiGong and Herbalism. I then moved to Ireland and was certified in Complementary Therapy in 2009.

Two years later, family circumstances led me back to Pennsylvania, where I had a wide range of opportunities to share my knowledge and experience, including working in a health food store and leading educational workshops. When the world slowed down in 2020, I made masks and lotions for healthcare workers and deepened my spiritual practices, subsequently earning Yoga and QiGong instructor credentials.

In 2022, I spent 6 months volunteering on farms and in gardens throughout Ireland, bringing me into even closer communion with the land and connection with myself. Back from Europe, a short visit with my mother in Charlestown turned into almost a year spent living with and caring for her as her health suddenly declined. Since her passing in October I find myself with a renewed sense of purpose, blessed with a community in which I can share the mindfulness and embodiment practices that have been so beneficial to me.

“We are all just walking each other home” - Ram Dass -

Rachel is a passionate and dedicated yoga teacher committed to helping individuals explore the physical practice of yoga, as well as create balance and strength on the mat, and in everyday life, leading students to inner peace. .

With 10 years of experience in yoga practice, a lifetime of playing basketball, and over 5 years of athletic coaching experience, she brings a unique flow blending strength, while restoring, as well as mindfulness, alignment, and breath to her classes. Her teaching style is rooted in the traditional principles of yoga while embracing modern adaptations to suit the needs of every student.

Rachel discovered yoga during a troubling time in her life. It allowed her to leave her anxieties behind during practice and be present. She also noticed the positive physical changes happening in her body. The lengthening and strengthening of the tiny supportive muscles around joints and ligaments was an amazing feeling for a body that had only sustained high endurance activity and weight training.

When attending Rachel’s classes it will be a combination of traditional yoga poses with strength training exercises, cardio elements, and high-energy music to create a dynamic and challenging workout experience.

Whether you're a beginner exploring the foundations of yoga or an experienced practitioner deepening your practice, Rachel’s classes offer a supportive and inclusive space for growth and exploration. Through creative sequencing, gentle adjustments, and compassionate guidance, she aims to empower her students to connect with their bodies, minds, and spirits on and off the mat.

Outside the studio, you will find Rachel at the beach with her husband and 4 kids, running, playing basketball, biking, hiking, deepening her personal yoga practice, restoring old furniture, cooking, snuggling her French Bulldogs, reading, or selling Real Estate!

When I was certified to teach yoga, I made lots of phone calls and visits to try to get a teaching job. Nobody had any “open spots”, but one studio did invite me to come and audition anyway…RIYC…Bend. The owner and founder was Lauren and she said, “Come and teach one of my classes, we’d love to meet you.”

I was especially excited about Bend because I heard it was a unique place with an amazing community...so many different styles and approaches to practice. And because I was just starting out as a teacher, I especially wanted to find a place where I would be comfortable being a beginner, learning to grow in my practice and sharing it with others.

I remember being really nervous driving down to the campus to teach, Lauren would be taking the class herself. What I recall even more vividly about that day was that the moment I walked into the studio, I felt an amazing sense of ease. Not just Lauren and her amazing smile, but everyone there. Just moving around you could feel the peace and joy of what felt like an energy filled with ease.

My first class was anything but flawless and that didn’t seem to matter. I left that day with nothing but thanks and praise.

Today, the studio still exudes the same radiance...thanks to Lauren’s successors, Alyssa, heroic throughout the toughest of times and now Caroline, always the tireless passion. The “ease”, I’ve come to learn, is an incredible young energy that always rises up to meet experienced souls. It bends in so many ways to blend together. It’s awesome.

So that’s really all you need to know about me. I’m Tom, always the beginner teacher and so proud to be a part of your amazing community.

Tricia is a dedicated student and teacher of yoga and living in the flow. Tricia offers a creative, energetic and lighthearted approach to yoga. Tricia has over 30 years of experience in group fitness and 20 years in yoga which she utilizes to provide guidance, encouragement and open space to students for self-exploration and transformation based on their own individual needs. She offers intelligent sequencing for each class that includes easy to follow instructions.

Tricia began her yoga journey when she was into teaching group fitness classes over 30 years ago. While teaching and managing a group fitness program she attended several Yoga Journal Conferences, Fitness Conferences and completed Level Three Yoga Fit Certification trainings. In 2013, Tricia completed her 500 hour certification through All That Matters. Tricia is a 500 RYT certified Prana Vinyasa Flow teacher, created by Shiva Rea. She has also been fortunate to have studied with international teachers such as Sean Corne, Ana Forrest, Bryan Kest, Baron Baptiste, Sri Dharma Mittra, Rodney Yee, Beryl Bender Birch, David Swenson, John Friend and many other well respected teachers

Tricia feels blessed to be able to teach yoga, and help her students grow. May you always live full of life, free from tension, with an open, happy heart!