Melissa has been teaching full time since 2008 and her dedication to the practice and her students is easily felt and understood. Melissa has found a special passion for yin yoga and has been leading Yin Yoga Teacher Training and Weekend Intensives nationwide since 2014. She is also currently co-lead teacher trainer for Yoga Via's 200H Teacher Training program in St George, Utah. Sharing her passion for teaching, she also developed and was co-lead teacher for Spectra School of Yoga's 200 and 300H Teacher Training Program in Costa Mesa, CA from 2015-2020 until they closed in 2020. Contact her for more information on hosting a yin training at your local studio and check out her upcoming training schedule.
Yoga quickly became a way of life for Melissa when she noticed that the most significant impact of her practice was happening off the mat. With a strong desire to find a deeper meaning and more balanced way of life, she delved into the authentic teachings and philosophy behind the science and practice of yoga. Now an E-RYT-500, YACEP Yoga Alliance certified teacher and teacher trainer, having graduated from Yoga Pura’s 500-hour Advanced Studies & Teacher Training program in Phoenix, AZ in 2008, she is devoted to sharing her passion for yoga and the gift this transformational practice offers to all of her students. Her teaching style is balanced between the philosophical and physical offerings of yoga. Using the tools of yoga, married with skillfully selected music and postures, she offers insights and experiments that encourage students to notice unhelpful habits in an effort to find greater joy and peace on and off the mat. Her intention is to challenge both your body and mind - question your perception of reality - leaving you with a profound opportunity for transformation.
Melissa is forever thankful to her teachers Bernie Clark, Paul Grilley, Joe Barnett, Sarah Powers, Nicolai Bachman, Jules Mitchell and Eric Walrabenstein; and her friends for guiding and encouraging her as she continues to deepen her own practice and teachings. She is forever grateful to her yogi husband of over 25 years for supporting and sharing in her yoga journey.