The TYM Team

Jamie Kalynuik
Founder & Director
Yoga Instructor & Doula

Jamie Kalynuik is a certified prenatal and postnatal yoga instructor and received her training with Sarah Longacre, founder of Blooma.  Her passion for yoga and working with women inspired her to found Toronto Yoga Mamas, a local community devoted to the prenatal and postnatal fitness and health of women and their families.  Jamie brings a blend of strengthening and stretching poses into her classes while also focusing on the importance of the breath and relaxation.

Jamie is a trained birth doula through DONA and has supported and comforted many women during their pregnancy and birth journeys.  Both on the mat and during labour, she encourages women to focus on the moment, invite challenges in for exploration, and embrace all experiences with compassion. Jamie takes great joy in leading her classes, is passionate about working with couples as their doula, and loves welcoming babies into their new families.

Jamie prides herself on living a strong, healthy and positive life. She is honoured to be an Ambassador for Genuine Health spreading her love for health and wellness around the world.

April Kowaleski
Doula Coordinator
​ 

I am a trained Birth and Postpartum Doula, Breastfeeding Educator and Holistic Nutritionist, specializing in nourishing the mother.

My career in the healthcare field spans over 25 years, a gathering of experiences which include my work as a Pharmacy Technician at The Hospital for Sick Children,  Doula training at the Aviva Institute for Midwifery, Holistic Nutritionist training at CSNN, and my training and practice as a Jikiden Reiki practitioner.

Although these have influenced my life and work philosophy, it is my early personal experiences that have fed my passion for working with families.  I grew up surrounded by the support of my large family and community.  I have a deep and loving respect for my mother’s approach to raising and running a household of 6,  something that became clear to me, as I approached the new and daunting  task of becoming a mother myself.  

Women are natural caregivers.  So much so, that they often deplete themselves by looking after other’s needs before their own.  I believe that the mother is the centre of the family, and requires support, nurturance and nourishment during the childbearing year.  When the mother’s needs are met and supported by families, friends, community, (and doulas) the whole family flourishes.

I bring compassion, empathy, and energy to my work and I take pride in offering a continuum of care from pregnancy to postpartum.  I provide nourishment through healthy meal preparation for pre and post birth, informational, emotional and physical support for all types of labour & births, in addition to helpful tips on healing of the mother and overall baby care.

Jane Danielson
Teaching Lead
​

Jane is a dancer, Thai Massage practitioner and a teacher of Yoga and dance to all ages.  She is drawn to the healing arts because of her desire to help others improve their quality of life. She enjoys creating an environment of playfulness, joy and calm in her classes, experimenting with a variety of yoga styles. 

Jane found Yoga during her time as a dance student and loved how it helped to bring the body back into balance and heal the traumas of dance training.  She completed her BFA in dance at York University, where her studies included kinesiology and injury treatment /prevention.  In 2006, Jane had the opportunity to travel to India to study Yoga at the Yoga Vidya Gurukul ashram.  She came back to Toronto and began teaching Yoga full time, continuing her training in Pre and Post Natal Yoga, Kids Yoga, Suspension Yoga as well as various advanced teacher trainings.

​Jane is thrilled to come back to work at Toronto Yoga Mamas as Teacher Lead after an incredible year of mat leave. 

Liz Laywine
Community & Operations Manager

Liz Laywine is a yoga practitioner and recent graduate of the University of Toronto Drama Centre. She is a theatre artist who jumps from acting, directing, writing and theatre production.
​In addition to managing the studio, Liz is currently teaching yoga at TYM. She completed her 200 RYT with Karma Teachers in March of 2016, and her Blooma Level 1 Prenatal Training in January 2016. She is excited to continue teaching, and is beginning to develop a 'Yoga for Artists' practice which incorporates performative, expressive and therapeutic techniques aimed toward artists and those living with mental illness.

Kaia Sloley
Community Lead

Kaia is a recent graduate of University of Toronto, where she studied Politics and Health with a focus on health inequity, maternal health, and international development.  She has always had an interest in pregnancy and childbirth seeing it as area of health where there is potential for improvement and change through recognizing this as a special and transformative time in a woman’s life and utilizing practices that empower women and lead to more positive experiences. Kaia completed her Birth Doula Training with Toronto Yoga Mamas in June 2016 and is beginning her Childbirth Educator Training later this year. 

Heather Billings
​​Front Desk Team Member

Idaiane Souza
Front Desk Team Member

Idaiane joins us from Brazil where she earned her degree in Business Administration, and gained her 6 years in financial and administration. She is an enthusiastic yoga practitioner, with a tremendous thirst to not only improve her own Yoga abilities but also learning how to train others. 

Janet Hill
​Front Desk Team Member

 Janet fell in love with the studio after a vinyasa class.  Her own experience with prenatal yoga supporting her through pregnancy and beyond made being a part of this unique community a perfect fit.  A certified yoga instructor, Janet currently teaches private group and individual classes in Toronto. 
​
She comes from a fine art background, and fuses this, a love of beautiful things, with her retail experience as a visual merchandiser in our boutique.  You can find her teaching art classes at the Blue Crow Gallery in Leslieville and freelancing, as well as collaborating on projects with her husband.

Elaine Calvin May
Childcare Team

Elaine Cavin May has over 20 years experience working with new families. She has worked as a Nanny on three continents.  She has taken workshops in Hypnobirthing, Birth trauma and Parenting and has trained as a Birth and Postpartum Doula with both  D.O.N.A. and Bebo Mia and in Breastfeeding Support with IBCLC Lactation Consultant Timea Szalay.  Elaine is currently a student in Douglas College's Prenatal Educator Program, has a B.F.A. in Theatre Production and three quarters of a degree in biology.  She is very happy to be joining the Yoga Mamas team as childcare provider. Elaine is the proud mother of two small children, both born at home.  

Camille Stubel
Yoga Instructor

Camille Stubel is a certified Yoga instructor, an actor and a dancer.  She has taught a variety of Yoga styles to kids and adults, beginner through to advanced.   During the past year she has been immersing herself in intensive Hatha Yoga teacher training in the lineage of Vanda Scaravelli.  The pace of Hatha Yoga is slower, inviting your consciousness to come into the body’s language and to follow it’s innate intelligence.  Being a parent to two young children, Camille is excited to  teach at a Yoga studio that caters to mothers.  She looks forward to offering a class where the clients leave feeling renewed, connected and ready to give more upon returning to the world that awaits outside the studio.

Sandra Brunner
Pilates Instructor

Sandra is a pilates instructor with a warm, inviting manner and a keen sense of humour. STOTT certified since 2002, Sandra has worked with clients from the ages of 20-92! 

Recognizing how important connecting and engaging the core muscles of the body is, Sandra has always worked hard with her clients to make sure they "get it" and keep it! When not teaching, you can find Sandra at the Leslieville farmers market (in season), reading, travelling, connecting with friends in person or on twitter (@wallabina).

Hannah Kent
Yoga Instructor

Hanna comes to yoga from a contemporary dance career and completed her 250-hour Yoga Teacher Training as well as her Pre- and Postnatal Teacher Training at the Yoga Sanctuary. 

She aims to inspire a good mood, healthy body and calm mind through a flowing, grounding, and physically challenging practice. Hanna believes yoga can change life off the mat, and that few things pick you up as much as an active class with a focus on deep, full breath.

Hanna is mama to two beautiful kids, Oskar and Evelyn.

Anastasia Watson
Yoga Instructor

Adrienne Wetherell
Yoga Instructor & Doula 

Joana Peixoto
​Yoga Instructor

Anastasia Watson lives her life under the various and well loved titles of yoga teacher (RYT-500), writer, aunt, workshop facilitator, public speaker, truth-teller and smoothie connoisseur amongst others. She believes in the healing power of words and that metaphors can be medicine to the stories living in the “meat and bones” of our bodies, our breath and our hearts. When a detour of health in early childhood mandated a new “flexitarian” life style adjusting to the ups and downs of living with Epilepsy, Anastasia began to uncover the benefits of radical self-honesty, creative expression and body-centered mindful movement in her pursuit of vibrant health and wellbeing.

She is now thrilled to offer classes which craft inclusive and safe spaces for women where students can uncover, breathe into and celebrate the stories ‘beneath their skin’. A storyteller, natural nurturer and dedicated ‘pause-provider’ since she was old enough to hold both Crayola’s and conversations; Anastasia is grateful to have studied with leaders in both writing and yoga both locally and internationally. She adores weaving the power of the written word into the flow of each of her classes and looks forward to sharing your practice with you in the near future!  

Adrienne is a yoga teacher, birth doula, and proud mama. She found yoga after many years of dance and was inspired to share the healing practice of movement and breath with others. Adrienne has been practicing yoga and meditation for over 10 years and was certified as a Hatha and prenatal yoga teacher in 2005. She has completed pre and postnatal yoga training with Monica Voss, Trauma-Sensitive Yoga training with David Emerson and Bessel van der Kolk, and studied meditation at a residential retreat with Thich Nhat Hanh. As a teacher, she is passionate about making the practice of yoga a safe and fun experience for her students. Her classes emphasize the therapeutic aspects of the practice and endeavor to nurture the development of a compassionate relationship with one’s own body.

Moved by the powerful relationship between yoga and birth, Adrienne received her birth doula certification under the mentorship of Crescence Krueger from Heart of Birth and is currently completing DONA International certification. In September 2013, she gave birth to her daughter Ava and has since been blessed by the many joys and challenges of motherhood. She draws on her life experiences as well as her practice of yoga and mindfulness to support the transformative process of birth.

I started practicing yoga over 10 years ago and have been teaching Vinyasa in Toronto for about 6 of them.  I have a background in Ashtanga , Iyengar,Restorative and  Pre and Post Natal yoga. My Academic training prior to yoga was in Art History, Philosophy, and Interior Design. It may seem like Yoga, and Design, are two entirely different practices and in many ways they are, but for me they are very connected. In fact, everything in my life connects back to this practice, and this is what I love sharing with others. Practicing yoga has allowed me to know, understand, and accept myself with honesty.  This has become far more than a physical practice on a mat. It transforms, and nourishes me every day.

You don’t need to know everything I've done, nor all the yoga teacher training course I've taken (which are numerous) All you really need to know is that yoga is a practice for everybody, no matter how young or stiff,  and it’s one that requires time, dedication, and consistency. What comes from this practice doesn’t just show up one day to stay. It takes work, every day! That's why it’s called a practice. We practice finding peace, and balance both inside and out, we practice connecting to our shared humanity.  We practice, and practice, and practice,   with love, and acceptance, and joy for who we are and how we are. There are many roads to finding fulfillment in our life and they don’t all include yoga and meditation, however for me this was the road that led me home, and that is what I can share with you.

Corina Tudor
Yoga Instructor

I am registered yoga teacher who began practicing yoga in 2004 out of curiosity. As I delved deeper in the practice, yoga became a physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual practice through which I could heal, strengthen, and ground myself. In 2012, I decided to share my profound love of yoga and embarked on a yoga teacher training in St. John’s, Newfoundland where I was pursuing my Master's Degree in Archaeology. Since moving back to Toronto in 2013, I decided to focus on pursuing teaching yoga full time. 

I deepened my yoga practice and teaching by further studying Trauma Informed Yoga, Yin Yoga, Thai Yoga Massage, and Prenatal Yoga. I weave elements of all of these in my classes for a grounded, fun, accessible, and memorable practice. I also impart tidbits of yoga philosophy throughout my classes, making them relevant to daily modern life.

Outside of practicing and teaching, I love cooking, reading (always with a cup of tea), and going on walking adventure to find cats to pet.

Taylor LeBlanc
Yoga Instructor & Doula

Coming back to Toronto after five years in Montreal, Taylor began her vocational path in birth support work two years ago. She strives to create an environment where every woman feels positive about her body and pregnancy as well as confident in her ability to support her new baby. Her work as a Doula is rooted in positive reinforcement, education and awareness and mindful goal setting to accomplish the birth that is right for each family. She is also a prenatal yoga teacher and former dancer. Her work in the somatic and movement fields has lead her to become intuitively aware of what is going on in her client’s bodies. Being a doula and Yoga teacher is more than a job, it is where Taylor expresses her deepest desire to support women. Birth and early life with baby is a time of huge transformation and each individual situation deserves personalized and intimate support throughout. Her passion and warm demeanour creates classes where everyone feels welcome and can share the  journey in yoga together. 
​

Megan Snider
​Yoga Instructor

Megan has been practicing yoga since 2007 and completed her first 200 hour yoga teacher training at Octopus Garden Holistic Yoga Centre in Toronto in 2013.  She is trained in advanced Prenatal, Restorative, and also Child and Family yoga. She has a passion for teaching prenatal yoga and encouraging all mamas to feel as best they can through their pregnancies.  She also loves incorporating little ones into a yoga practice and being inspired by their innate yogi nature.  She is moved by slow, strength-building flow yoga as well as restorative and yin.  When she’s not doing yoga or with her family, she is sewing, biking, baking or organizing.  She lives in Riverside, Toronto and deeply adores her beautiful two-year old son and husband of eight years.  She eagerly awaits the birth of their second child in January 2017.

Sarah Rodd
Yoga Instructor

Yoga was always a part of Sarah’s childhood so it didn’t take long for it to truly become her passion. She signed up for her first teacher training program to deepen her own practice and  quickly realized how she wanted to share her love for yoga and help others find their own practice. Yoga is for everyone, and Sarah loves to introduce yoga to people and guide them as they find a practice that works for them. 
She teaches many styles of yoga but since the birth of her son Lucas in early 2015 her focus has been on pre and postnatal yoga. She practiced throughout her entire pregnancy at Toronto Yogamamas and completed her prenatal yoga teacher training there when Lucas was four months old.

Sarah also has a place in the health and wellness community in her neighbourhood helping other busy moms ensure they maintain a healthy and nutritious diet while staying active.

Sarah’s Classes are friendly and inviting and will leave you feeling both challenged and relaxed. She maintains focus on linking breath with movement while challenging you physically and mentally. 

Kira Liss
Yoga Instructor

Kira Liss began practicing yoga 10 years ago and is consistently amazed and awed by how she has evolved in her practice. Kira worked as a doula long before she stepped into the role as a yoga teacher, and knew immediately that she wanted to explore pre and postnatal yoga. Kira took her 200 hour teacher training at Kula Annex, followed by Prenatal teacher trainings with Blooma and Sasha Padron at Yogaspace. She is constantly humbled and inspired by her students and classes that encourage her to explore and deepen her learning on a regular basis. 

Kira strives to offer accessible classes, with an emphasis on using the breath's natural rhythms to guide the body through classic poses and authentic movement. When she isn't teaching, Kira can usually be found in a cozy West End cafe or baking gluten free treats in her kitchen. 

Jayme Selazek
Yoga Instructor

Jayme fell in love with yoga after her very first class. Initially attracted to yoga for its physical benefits, she quickly realized that the practice has so much more to offer. Through work with the breath, the movement of the body, and letting go of ego one can cultivate strength and an inner peace. In her teaching she hopes to provide creative yoga sequences, blending spirituality with playfulness and emphasizing body awareness to promote alignment and balance.

---

Aliya Visram
Chiropractor, Acupuncturist 

Dr Aliya Visram is a chiropractic doctor and acupuncturist. But she’s also a wife, mom, daughter, sister, runner, yogi and health advocate. She knows what it means to treat active women, because she is one.  A certified yoga teacher and mom to a young daughter, she is a firm believer in feeling your best and leading by example.  Her involvement with the International Pediatric Chiropractic Association (ICPA) has provided her with specialized training for pregnant women, as well as with infants and children.

---

Miral Patel
Physiotherapy in Pelvic Floor Health, Women's Health

Miral Patel is a 2012 graduate from the Queen’s University Master’s in Physical Therapy program. She received her training in pelvic floor assessment and treatment from Pelvic Health Solutions, a leader in pelvic health training in Canada.
Miral values continuing education and has taken numerous post-graduate courses in the areas of acupuncture, advanced manual therapy, pelvic floor dysfunction, and Labour and Delivery Support.  Her special interest in pelvic floor dysfunction has led her to work alongside a urologist at the Toronto Western Hospital to advance her knowledge of pelvic floor conditions in both men and women.  She is also frequently providing community workshops and info sessions on the pelvic floor and how it is affected during pregnancy and post partum. 

Miral has extensive experience working with women both pre-natal and post-partum to ensure a healthy pelvic floor both before and after giving birth. She enjoys working with all types of clients and believes treatment should be patient centered, individualized and include a combination of manual therapy, exercise therapy, and most importantly, patient education.  When Miral is not in clinic, she can be found enjoying the outdoors or indulging in good food.

Heather Rule
Acupuncturist,  R.Ac

With a background in Gender Studies, and a love of hands-on, practical, and creative work, Heather Rule R.Ac has been focused on the study of reproductive health and pregnancy throughout her education in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
 
Completing two clinical intensives in the labour and delivery ward at Lutheran Medical Centre in Brooklyn NY with Claudia Citkovitz L.Ac PhD, and taking courses with experts in the field of obstetric acupuncture such as Debra Betts PhD, Heather has been inspired by how acupuncture and traditional Chinese Medicine can benefit pregnancy and labour outcomes. She is excited to continue to learn, grow, and collaborate with Toronto’s birthing community to make acupuncture for pregnancy and birth a common and accessible practice.

---

Michelle MacDonald 
Chiropractor

Dr. Michelle MacDonald graduated from the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in 2010 cum laude and clinic honours. Upon graduation she received the Gilbert H. Young Memorial Award for attaining the highest average in her clinical year.
Dr. MacDonald has spent the past 6 years working and taking courses with numerous health professionals and the International Chiropractic Paediatric Association to specialize in preconception, prenatal, postnatal and paediatric chiropractic care. After 5 years of study, she recently completed her paediatric exam to obtain her CACCP designation through the Academy of Chiropractic Family Practice.
Dr. MacDonald is an avid curler and golfer which helps drive her passion to helping the people within her community live an active, happier and healthier lifestyle which she believes begins before birth.
 
“Chiropractic was never a career for me, it is a calling. It is one of the big reasons I get up and out of bed every morning. I’ve always been a helper and a healer”

Annalisa Gonsalves
​Registered Massage Therapist

Annalisa graduated in 2013 from The Canadian College of Massage and Hydrotherapy in Toronto. She is an active member of the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario and the Registered Massage Therapists Association of Ontario. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Wilfrid Laurier University with a major in Psychology and spent four years working in customer service before choosing to change careers.
 
With her love for making a difference and her nurturing nature, she felt a connection with Massage Therapy and the positive effect it has on one’s well-being and health. Annalisa is trained in Prenatal Massage through the Trimesters Program, Swedish Techniques, Non-Swedish Techniques (ex. Myofascial Release, Trigger Point Therapy, Stretching), Hydrotherapy, and Relaxation Massage. To her, the most rewarding part of being an RMT, is the positive impact Massage Therapy has had on her client’s daily lives. She is thrilled to be a part of the Toronto Yoga Mamas team and looks forward to helping you achieve your health care goals!

Astra Scripnick
​Registered Massage Therapist

Astra became a Registered Massage Therapist to fulfill her dream of helping people every day at work.  She believes that massage therapy plays a huge role in preventative medicine, and in helping to restore the body to peak physical function and optimal health.
Through soft tissue manipulation, trigger point release, myofascial release, deep tissue massage and facilitated stretching, Astra works hard to provide a comprehensive, well rounded, client focused, safe and effective treatment specific to each individual.
​
Astra is a member in good standing of the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario as well as the Registered Massage Therapist’s Association of Ontario. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from the Canadian College of Massage and Hydrotherapy.  She also studied pre and post-natal massage through the Trimesters training program form massage therapists, during which she had the opportunity to work in the high-risk obstetrics unit of Sunnybrook hospital.

---