Meet Our
Faculty, Staff, and Mentors
Your Essential Yoga Therapy instructors each bring a complex combination of academic training and experience from specific health-care fields in addition to their knowledge of therapeutic yoga.
The collaboration of these yoga therapists ensures you will receive a uniquely rich exposure to the various applications of yoga therapy in the areas of physical, physiologic and emotional health. With their guidance you will enter the field confident of your scope of practice and empowered to network with health professionals from both Western and complementary medical traditions.
Robin Rothenberg, C-IAYT, EYT Program Director
As Program Director for the E.Y.T. Therapist Training, Robin is responsible for teaching the theory and application of yoga therapy and ensuring the overall structure of the program is streamlined. Robin has a unique gift for creating, safe, challenging and rich educational trainings through which students and teachers deepen into greater awareness of themselves. Robin has been training yoga teachers for nearly twenty-years as head of an RYS 500. She founded the EYT Therapist Training Program in 2011, which was Accredited in 2013. Robin serves as lead teacher for Foundations, teaching the primary content for all the modules. In Applications, she serves as the weaver, returning students to the basic philosophical precepts of yoga, as adjunct faculty introduce western scientific and ayurvedic modalities into the curriculum. Read Robin’s full bio.
Our Bio-medical and Psycho-emotional Team:
Dr. Jill Massengill, D.C., C-IAYT, Assistant Program Director, Primary Mentor for Applications
Dr. Jill is a C-IAYT, trained by Essential Yoga Therapy since 1999. She studied extensively with Robin Rothenberg and has taught the Anatomy and Physiology portions of EYT for over 15 years. As a chiropractor, Jill brings a rich array of tools and understanding about how to support clients in health through diet, positional release and movement therapy. She weaves her extensive knowledge into the didactic and experiential processes she leads with the EYT students. As a yoga teacher and chiropractor, Jill brings a keen awareness and understanding of body balance to her teaching. combining the work of: Thomas Myers, Anatomy Trains; Dr. James Chestnut, The Wellness Practice; and Shirley Sahrmann, P.T., Movement Impairment Syndrome. Her unique and diversified approach emphasizes applied anatomy and the way interconnected pathways in the body relate to one another. Jill will facilitate EYT students in developing an in-depth understanding of functional anatomy, the physiologic systems and pathology from a functional medicine perspective. She leads students in explorative processes to understand how and why movement effects the nervous system, and discovering how to stimulate brain function through movement and healthy living through diet and nutrition.
Jill is also trained as a Buteyko Breathing Educator and offers therapeutic yoga at her place of business, Park St. Healing Arts Center. As a business woman, Jill has worked hard to develop marketing and networking skills. She offers great tips for how to develop relationships with other medical professionals and cultivate a clientele network.
Sierra Rediger RN, BSN, C-IAYT
In keeping with her EYT lineage, Sierra utilizes the science of Western medicine to compliment and validate the ancient teaching of yoga. During the first 10 years of her career as a nurse, while working in ICU, Sierra had extensive experience explaining the mysterious workings of the body to the (often very stressed) layperson, so she had to develop simple and compassionate explanations. During that time, she also functioned as an Advanced Cardiac Life Support instructor, where I had the honor of coaching fellow staff members on best practices for resuscitation practice, team dynamics and communication. For the last 10 years Sierra has worked part-time as a recovery room nurse in the outpatient surgery setting, teaching patients about their discharge and recovery process.
Her personal practice of yoga has helped to balance her stressful job, and her insatiable need to "know more" resulted in over 2,000 hours of yoga training. Explorations of other movement based practices, such as CrossFit, power lifting and kickboxing, have also helped to expand her understanding of the connection between body and mind. Additionally, as a person with health challenges, she has learned to appreciate the power of alternative and complementary medicine. As a yoga therapist she sees clients both virtually and in-person.
Sierra is a graduate of the Essential Yoga Therapy 500 hour Training, Essential Low Back Program and the 1,00 hour Yoga Therapy Applications Program. Sierra will be teaching portions of the physiology section of the EYT training. Her expertise in translating complex functions of the body into easy to understand lay-terms supports learning, making the study accessible and fun. She is married and homeschools her two boys, ages 11 & 9.
Dr. B Grace Bullock, PhD, E-RYT 500, YACEP
Dr. B Grace Bullock is a psychologist, organizational consultant, research scientist, educator, author and motivational speaker. She has spent the past two decades teaching and studying physiological and psychological interventions that foster resilience and mental health and support healthy relationships and systems, and is the author of the acclaimed book, Mindful Relationships: 7 Skills for Success - Integrating the science of mind, body & brain. Grace is Founder and Principal Consultant of the International Science & Education Alliance, a consulting firm devoted to the strategic planning, design, development, training and evaluation of mindfulness-informed offerings that promote personal, interpersonal and systemic well-being, effective leadership, decision-making and social change. An educator at heart, she offers therapeutic yoga classes to adults of all ages, and courses and workshops on mindfulness, interpersonal relationships, stress resilience, and clinical psychology and practice at colleges, universities, professional schools, school districts and organizations across the USA and internationally. For more information see www.bgracebullock.com
Ken Kraybill, MSW
Ken will be leading sessions focused on Motivational Interviewing (MI), a “collaborative conversation style for strengthening a person’s own motivation and commitment to change.” MI is an evidence-based approach that embodies the values of yoga therapy and provides practical skills for engaging people in change conversations about their health and well-being. These interactive sessions will provide an overview of the spirit, methods, and skills of this approach and will include ample practice opportunities.
Ken has worked at the intersection of healthcare, behavioral health, homelessness, and housing for more than 35 years. He is a Senior Trainer at C4 Innovations and is dedicated to improving the quality of care provided to marginalized and vulnerable people. Ken develops curricula and facilitates trainings nationally on motivational interviewing, trauma-informed practice, trauma-informed supervision, outreach and engagement, recovery support, and resiliency and renewal for care providers. Ken has a Master of Social Work from the University of Washington in Seattle. He is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT).
Nikki Meyers, C-IAYT
Nikki will be running a 2-day immersion in understanding and working with Addictions from a yoga therapy perspective in Module 4 of Applications.
Nikki Myers is the founder and director of Yoga of 12-Step Recovery (Y12SR), a program she developed in 2004. She is an accomplished yoga therapist, teacher and somatic experiencing practitioner. Nikki is also the founder of CITYOGA School of Yoga and Health Indianapolis, IN. Nikki is a graduate of the American Viniyoga Institute and teaches her recovery program all around the country. She has been featured in multiple publications, presented at Harvard Integrative Medical Symposium and has received wide acclaim her powerful cutting edge approach to working with addictions.
Our Ayurvedic Team Members:
Taran Collis C-IAYT, AWC, RYT
Taran Collis, C-IAYT, AWC, is a Certified Yoga Therapist, Ayurveda Wellness Counselor and is currently on faculty for Essential Yoga Therapy as a teacher trainer in Ayurveda. Taran infuses evidence based Yoga Therapy practices, multi-cultural wellness tools and the science of Ayurveda into private and group classes. This wholistic approach to self-healing honors the micro/macro connection to nature supporting lifestyle, diet, and sleep which helps return the system to homeostasis. Taran has studied the latest in physiology, breath and respiratory health, and offers wellness tools for trauma and post traumatic growth. She currently offers in-person and zoom group classes, private consultations, and retreats to help bring resiliency and joy into our community and the world.
Dhaval Dhru, MD
Dr. Dhru will be providing the fundamentals of Ayurvedic Physiology for Applications, Module 3.
Dhaval Dhru is chair of the Department of Ayurvedic Sciences in the School of Traditional World Medicines. He is also a practitioner of ayurvedic medicine and a yoga teacher at Three Trees Yoga and Healing Arts in Federal Way, Washington. He trained at Medical College Baroda, M.S. University of Baroda, India, did his Residency in Otolaryngology at Queen’s University and Kingston General Hospital, Kingston, Ontario, Canada, 1974-1977. He completed his ayurvedic studies (ASP levels 1 and 2) at the Ayurvedic Institute, 2005. Since then he teaches Ayurvedic sciences: Fundamentals of Ayurveda, Ayurvedic Clinical assessments, Ayurvedic yoga therapy, Medical Sanskrit. Dr. Dhru previously practiced as an ear-nose-throat surgeon in private practice and at Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound. He is a board member of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association and a faculty member at the Harmony Hill retreat center for cancer survivors.
Bill Dean, MD AD
Dr Dean shares a unique perspective which brings a blend of his allopathic(molecular science) training which he used in his 40 year urology practice and his energy science approach using the ancient discipline of Ayurveda. This blend of a matter and energy science traditions to deal with contemporary disease creates a practical balanced approach to 21st century healing.
While using Ayurveda in his urologic practice he became enthused in using Ayurvedic nutrition which led to his published work Foods Heal: Why Certain Foods Help You Feel Better Your Best.
As in the yoga asana tradition there are many lineages or perspectives as to how to implement the principles of the tradition and Ayurveda is not any different. Through his academic travels he has come to embrace the Ayurvedic lineage of SVA(Shaka Vansiya Ayurveda) which is an ancient dermatological tradition that goes back thousands of years.
The nutritional approach to cooking and foods as a tool in healing is not unique to SVA but in his opinion how it views food and the use of spices as a healing modality takes Ayurveda nutrition to another level.
The SVA tradition also incorporates the use of marma(Ayurvedic acupuncture) in the management of disease but it expands on the often used Sushrut marma classification making it highly effective. Its fundamental gift in this regard is in the marriage of the use of transdermal creams(TDC) and yoga therapy which can accelerate recovery from injury while at the same time using yoga therapy and other Ayurvedic tools.
Dr Dean has found yoga therapy to be an invaluable asset in his Ayurvedic practice after completing a 500 hour yoga teacher training in 2005. And for him this combination of yoga asana knowledge and Ayurveda has helped him immensely. Over the years of his incarnation he has sustained significant major injuries which have taught him many valuable lessons about rehabilitation. The use of TDC in conjunction with his yoga rehabilitation experience have shown him how the combination of Ayurveda with yoga therapy’s knowledge can accelerate complete recovery from injury.
Aria Peterman
Aria Peterman is an integral part of our Therapist Training faculty. She educates us directly about Food as Medicine by providing beautifully balanced Ayurvedic meals that fuel our agni and keep our minds bright and alert for learning. Aria has been nurturing people from the kitchen for over 20 years. Her first culinary flourishes were from the Galley of commercial fishing boats and small charters in Southeast Alaska. Her love for food is inspired by local farmers and global cuisine.
Today, she is a Yoga Therapist, graduate of Essential Yoga Therapy, and an Ayurvedic Chef. She lives on Whidbey Island, where she prepares food for retreat groups at The Yoga Lodge and Aldermarsh under her catering business, The Elephant’s Kitchen. When she’s not cooking, she recharges by getting grubby hiking through the PNW, or with an elegant flare, dancing the night away on the Tango floor.
Aria believes Yoga and Ayurveda meet us exactly where we are. By nurturing our relationship to nature (Ayurveda) and the connection to all the layers of Self (Yoga) we come back in line with our highest potential. Passionate about creating health and resiliency by nourishing our roots, she'd love to join you on your journey. Learn more about Aria and the Elephant’s Kitchen at: https://elephantskitchen.com/.
Additional EYT Mentors:
Margo Peña, E-RYT 500
Margo has enjoyed learning with many different teachers from Iyengar, Ashtanga, and Viniyoga traditions - developing her own practice for nearly two decades. She studied with Amelia Moore (a student of Annie Carpenter) for her 200-hour teacher training in 2014, and completed her 500-hour training with Robin Rothenberg and EYT in 2017. Currently, she is completing her final hours of training to become a certified yoga therapist.
In addition to continuous in-depth studies of functional anatomy, breath work and meditation to enhance her work with folks on the mat, she also studies the philosophies and methodologies of the Yoga Sutras and Hatha Yoga Pradipika so that she can offer you more off the mat as well. She aims to provide a holistic experience to benefit not just the muscular-skeletal system, but also the nervous system and psycho-emotional health as well, for a fuller mind-body-spirit experience.
Margo is the owner of Your Yoga Pacific Northwest, LLC (www.YourYogaPNW.com).
Melissa Campagnolo, C-IAYT
Melissa became a kundalini yoga teacher in 2000 in Austin, TX. During a practice led by Gary Kraftsow at a yoga conference, she found what felt like “home” in yoga and completed Gary’s 500 hour Viniyoga Teacher Training in 2004. Melissa fell in love with a Canadian and moved to Toronto where she continues to practice Viniyoga with Rosemary Jeannes Antze, a long time student of TKV Desikachar. Melissa became a Certified Yoga Therapist through EYT in 2015. She has completed the Essential Low Back Program with Robin and trained with Patrick McKeown to become a certified Buteyko Breathing Educator. Melissa is also a mentor for EYT’s Restore Your Prana Professional Certification Program. Melissa teaches yoga and meditation as part of the Mindful Moments program at the University of Toronto and sees clients in person and online.
Andrea Carvalho, C-IAYT, YA-500
Andrea Carvalho is a RYT-500 yoga teacher and a C-IAYT yoga therapist at Helena Yoga Therapy in Helena, MT. She seeks to meet people where they are and help connect them with the sacredness of life. She has additional training as a Reiki Master, Shamanic Minister, Shamanic Breathwork Facilitator and in Marma Point Therapy. She has been working as a Yoga Therapist since September of 2022. You can learn more at: www.HelenaYogaTherapy.com.
LLewellyne Arden, RYT 500
Llewellyne is currently a Mentor for the Essential Yoga Therapy Foundations Advanced Teacher Training, Yoga Therapist training, Essential Low Back Care Program and Restoring Prana certifications. She began her practice and studies of yoga in 1998 with senior teachers in the Iyengar tradition. In the 20 years of learning and teaching in that tradition she completed her prenatal yoga training (2002), 200 hour yoga teacher training certificate (2007), along with apprenticeships and intensives. Most notably she completed teacher trainings for Anatomy in Movement (Gudmestad 2009), Chakras for Healing (Freidrichson 2013), Yoga for Scoliosis (Browning-Miller 2014) and Yoga for Parkinson’s (NW Parkinson’s Foundation 2018).
Llewellyne then took steps to become a yoga therapist by completing the 500-hour-Advanced teacher training (2018), the Essential Low Back Care Program (2019) and finally completed the yoga therapist training (2022) with Essential Yoga Therapy. Also during this time, she earned a Buteyko Breathing Instructor certification from Patrick Mckeown of Buteyko Clinic International. Most recently, Llewellyne earned a certification as a birth doula from the Simkin Center at Bastyr University (2023) to provide continuous care for her prenatal clients as a prenatal yoga teacher, preparation for birth coach, birth doula and postpartum care provider.
With a passion to help others realize their full potential through the powerful practices of movement and the breath she is always learning. Her most recent endeavor is towards a Somatic Movement Instructor certification to round out her spectrum of offerings for her clients.You can find Llewellyne in her peaceful home of Lopez Island, WA where she offers individual and group yoga therapy classes, workshops, retreats and community classes. When not teaching Llewellyne is gardening, kayaking, hiking and cooking yummy ayurvedic meals!
You can find more about Llewellyne and Vitality Yoga Therapy at www.vitalityyogatherapy.com.