OUR TEACHERS
Kelly Dougherty
Kelly promotes a calm, comfortable aura through her teaching. Her class provides the space where your lists and outside responsibilities are not invited. This is your time to find relaxation and rejuvenation. She teaches alignment-based, flow, and restorative classes that strengthen and challenge both the body and mind. Her classes are appropriate from beginner students to experienced yoga practitioners. Her use of various props, assist the student in gaining the most benefit from each pose.
Kelly's classes teach you to calm the mind while bringing awareness to the body.
Along with her 200 hr RYT certification, she completed curriculum training with the Mindful Schools Program and works with both adults and children teaching mindfulness techniques and practices.
Kelly Dougherty is a vibrant young woman who is trying to help ground others in wholesome disciplines. A free yoga class at college was her first experience with yoga. After college she found herself developing a personal practice while living in Nicaragua for 2 years. During that time she continuously shared yoga with many of her friends and neighbors. Since moving to North Carolina she wanted to deepen her knowledge and experience with yoga. She found her opportunity in a 200 hr Yoga teacher training at Sunrise Yoga Studio in Clemmons, NC. Since then she has found herself ever more grounded in Yoga and its enrichment.
Kelly also runs Lavender Anne's Herb Farm (www.lavenderannes.com) and lives in a tiny home with her husband and two kids on their land in Dobson. They have a homestead where they grow their own food and herbs for their business. One day she hope to have a Yoga pavilion on their land and offer outdoor classes & farm meals! Kelly loves connecting her study of the mind and body with they study of the earth. She believes taking care of our own bodies, each other and the earth is the way to health.
Becca Bonagura
Yoga is the union between our bodies, mind, and breath. Yoga is a practice that continues to give back not only physically but mentally. Yoga has been a part of my life for over 8 years. After my first yoga class, I quickly learned that yoga is much more than postures. I was inspired to live each moment more mindfully and deepen my practice. I completed my 200-hour YTT at K10 Studio in Winston-Salem. I have specialized in Yin Yoga from a trauma-informed perspective. I believe in seeing the humanity in each person and holding a space where they can feel safe and work on healing the body and mind. I want to help others feel a sense of calmness and ease in their yoga postures so that they are inspired to continue their practice and thrive in life by nurturing body, mind, and soul with yoga. When I’m not teaching yoga or group exercise classes at the Yadkin YMCA, I’m lifting weights, playing with my two kids, or slowly making my house into a home! I graduated from Elkin High School in 2008 so I’m thrilled to bring yoga to my favorite small town.
Sheila Lehman
Sheila is a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT200) through SmartFlow Yoga under Annie Carpenter and RYT500 through Shanti Yoga. She is also a Reiki Master, Certified Aromatherapist, Folk Herbalist, as well as being certified in Yoga for All, Trauma-Informed Yoga, WildCore movement, and Expressive Yoga Dance. Besides training with Annie Carpenter, she has taken workshops with master teachers, such as Shiva Rea, Rodney Yee, Seane Corn, Aadil Palkhivala, and Dharma Mittra. Sheila has been practicing yoga for over 25 years. She came to yoga in an attempt to find relief from herniated and prolapsed discs in her lower spine. The slow mindful movements provided by yoga resulted in her finding connection, space, relief, and eventually healing.
For Sheila yoga is a way of life, not just on the mat but also off of it. She believes there is no proverbial “yoga body” but rather that yoga is for “every body” regardless of age, size, gender, or physical ability. It is a dance between breath and movement that allows the individual to bring these two things together in harmony. With proper alignment, modifications, and props every body and everybody can move into that “perfect” pose.
Erin is a native Texan, mother of two, Navy Veteran, and prior physician practice manager in Virginia.
After many years of running, spinning, aerobics and other exercise endeavors, she was inspired to create her own long-term, heart/mind wellness lifestyle and sought the philosophical and physical practice of yoga. In 2022, Erin embarked on the intensive 200 hr Iyengar Yoga program with Valerie Kiser in Clemmons, NC and is enjoying the mental and physical challenge of learning to be mindful and healthful for life. Her next goal is to complete the full 500 hour certified yoga instructor program and share the yoga journey with others seeking the same balance.
Erin is an avid hiker, biker, gardener, yogi, newly discovered equine lover and small farm owner in State Road, NC.
Erin Shiner
Melissa Ameika
Hua! My name is Melissa Ameika and my calling is to be the light and to be of service in our community. I have been practicing Reiki since 2005 and was certified as a Reiki Master/Teacher in 2009. As a life long lover of music and its healing power, I was trained in Sound Healing in 2019. I have had the pleasure of studying indigenous healing techniques and ceremony with various medicine men/women since 2009 and my desire is to share that knowledge and healing.
Some of my greatest joy is giving Reiki to animals such as dogs, cats, horses, cows, pigs, birds, etc.
I have spent many years volunteering at cancer centers and had the pleasure of participating in Reiki research. I also volunteered with the Trauma Intervention Program (TIP) in Las Vegas, NV, where I responded to scenes of tragedy with First Responders to provide practical and emotional support to survivors, witnesses and first responders.
Website: www.healingfrommedicaltrauma.weebly.com
Email: melissa.ameika@gmail.com
Natalie Lopez Williams
Natalie ( Nat), was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She is the daughter of a musician and teacher and was raised with music. Her passion for the arts continued when she discovered her talent for dancing, acting and singing during her high school years.
She played viola for 10 years. Went to InterAmerican University of Puerto Rico were she obtain her BSN (Bachelor in Science of Nursing), Participated on Army ROTC for 2 years and become an MVP cadet. Also, participated all thru her college journey as a Symphony Orchestra and choir member.
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She has danced Salsa for 5 years under the coaching of Tito Ortos, Michelle Rodriguez and Norma Rivera. As well as participated in Puerto Rico Salsa Congress two years in a row (2015,2016) for exhibition and teaching purposes only. Now she’s a mother of a 8 year old boy and a one year old girl. Pursuing her Nursing career in North Carolina, she still wanted to stay connected to dancing and music so she got her certification as a Zumba Instructor and AFFA-GFI (Group Fitness Instructor) and teaches hip hop and salsa in Rhythm Dance Studio at Sparta, NC and Zumba and salsa at Yoga On Main Elkin, NC since 2018.
My journey with yoga and mindfulness began while I was in college at UNC Wilmington. While studying biology, I took a yoga class to fill my physical education requirement and fell in love with the practice. Soon thereafter, UNCW became the second university in the US to offer a yoga studies minor, granting each student a 200-hour yoga teacher certification through Yoga Alliance upon completion, and I jumped at the opportunity. After completing my certification in April of 2021, I began teaching at the senior center in Wilmington, as well as local parks and community fitness centers. I enjoyed connecting with members of the community, from various walks of life, through yoga. After a little over one year of teaching, I graduated from UNCW with a bachelor’s in biology, and moved closer to home to have my son. Since having my son in October of 2022, I took a break from teaching but continued my yoga practice, embracing and finding beauty in the fact that it looks much different nowadays than it used to. Since becoming a mom, it’s been difficult to find time to get on my mat, but yoga is so much more than asana, or postures. I’ve been able to continue my practice through following the other limbs of yoga, such as the yamas, niyamas, and pranayama and including Ayurvedic practices in my daily life.
I’m excited to get back to the front of the room to guide others through mindfulness-based movement and breathing practices. I believe that yoga is a lifestyle that anyone can practice and benefit from. The principles of yoga promote mental and physical healing and wellbeing, which is why I was drawn to this practice in the first place. My goal is to serve others by creating a space where everyone can harness this healing energy and feel welcomed, loved, and honored. I enjoy using props and providing modifications so that each and every individual feels comfortable and confident in their practice. I encourage students to listen to their bodies and remind them that this is their practice, and I am just here to guide them and hold space for them.
RAVEN COATES
Hi! I’m Michelle. I’m originally from Fuquay Varina, NC. I attended Appalachian State University to study education and felt at home in the mountains. I love all this area of the state has to offer! I completed my 200-hour yoga teacher training through My Vinyasa Practice. I am currently continuing my education to become a 500-hour certified yoga teacher. When I’m not teaching yoga, you can find me at my day job teaching high school special education, reading, or somewhere outside hiking or playing tennis. Thank you for sharing your practice with me and allowing me to hold space for you! Namaste.