Core Leadership & Instructors

E-RYT 200, YACEP, RCYT, MAT in Teaching, Radiant Child Yoga Ambassador

Brigitte was introduced to yoga at an early age by her father who used to do headstands and sun salutations in their backyard. As an adult, Brigitte was drawn to practice yoga and found that it brought strength, balance, and an overall sense of well-being into her life. In 2006, she completed her YTT and has been teaching yoga ever since. In addition to teaching adults, Brigitte is passionate about bringing yoga to children of all ages. She has trained extensively with Radiant Child Yoga and is a qualified Ambassador Trainer and a Registered Children's Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance. Since 2006, she has taught yoga to hundreds of children in studios, schools, and after school programs.

A long-time educator, Brigitte holds a MAT in teaching from George Washington University and has worked as a Kindergarten teacher, an art teacher, and museum educator. Currently, Brigitte works with the National Gallery of Art's Art Around the Corner program, a collaborative program with DC Public Schools that brings elementary students to the museum five times in their school year to experience art, slow-looking, art-making, and artful thinking. Brigitte is passionate about bringing yoga to adults and children of all ages, and encourages her students to discover how their practice can build inner strength, calm, focus and flexibility both on and off their mat.

Licensed Professional Counselor, PhD, LPC, Certified Radiant Child Yoga Instructor Diana is a psychotherapist specialized in early childhood. For over 18 years she has helped young children, parents, educators and administrators to enhance emotional health and decrease challenging behaviors; through her trainings, coaching and therapy (based on art, play and mindfulness). She is an art therapist, doctor in counseling, licensed counselor in Virginia, certified Pyramid Model trainer and coach, certified in Theraplay (L1), and Infant Mental Health Specialist, IMH-E® in Virginia (L3). She has conducted research and published articles and book chapters with the goal of making therapeutic interventions accessible to minority populations. She taught as adjunct faculty in the counseling art therapy programs of George Washington University.

MS Yoga Therapy, RYT 200, BA Fine Arts Studies & Curatorship Egle Parker grew up in Lithuania, seeing her mom become a psychotherapist. Egle in the Lithuanian language means spruce tree. In her youth, Egle studied seven years to be a professional dancer. Twenty years later, her Master of Science in Yoga Therapy merged her passion for movement and interest in mental health, bringing the mind and body experiences together. Yoga therapy tools have helped Egle befriend anxiety and joint aches. With her background in art history, Egle has always valued ancient wisdom and teachings in art and philosophy. Seeing the world through art history and legends and now engaging in the historically informed and scientifically-validated techniques of yoga therapy, Egle focuses on providing biopsychosocial methodology to support mental health, with a particular focus on the relationship of disease to depression, anxiety, PTSD, auto-immune and neurological disorders. Egle’s personal practice spans more than ten years and includes study of various styles of yoga. She currently works with special populations, including neuro-diverse adults and seniors.

Certified Radiant Child Yoga Instructor, M.A. Bilingual Special Education, B.S. Early Childhood Education Erica is a member of the Core Leadership team at Create Calm, and she leads our grant writing efforts. She has been an educator in Montgomery County Public Schools for the last 11 years, teaching First Grade, Kindergarten and Preschool Special Education. She has also worked in other childcare settings based on Montessori practices and the Project-Based Approach. Erica began to develop an interest in yoga while in college at the University of Maryland, College Park (Go Terps!) She continues her personal yoga practice at the Happy Yogi in Olney, MD. In her spare time, she volunteers at a food kitchen in D.C. and at the National Building Museum providing pop-up educational programming. Erica has been teaching with Create Calm since 2019, and she truly enjoys engaging with young learners and their families!

RYT 200 - Radiant Child & Family Yoga Instructor

Eunice has worked with children and the elderly population for over 20 years in the healthcare field, rehabilitation, support services for high-risk populations, and early childhood education in both teaching and administrative roles. She has volunteered locally and in impoverished communities overseas as a promoter of community building and wellness.

As a 200-hour yoga instructor and certified children's yoga educator, Eunice continues to combine her experience, her compassion for the lives of others, and her love of working with children and adults to teach them tools for building a healthy and happy life. Being a mom of three young children provides many opportunities for her to put her skills and knowledge to practice on a regular basis, and is a humble reminder of our dual roles as teacher and lifelong learner.

MA Biology, Certified Children’s Yoga Instructor

Farah began practicing yoga in her early teens after discovering it on daytime television during a school break. Farah continued to practice yoga throughout university, her Master's degree in Biology and while teaching preschool. Her love for yoga spread to her family, motivating her to train as a kid's Budding Yogis yoga and mindfulness teacher at Circle Yoga in Washington DC. A mom to three, certified labor doula and childbirth educator and amateur anything crafty, Farah tries to incorporate mindfulness and good intentions in all aspects of her life. Her teaching experience ranges from toddlers to middle school ages at yoga studios, public and private schools and exclusive sessions at specialty programs. Bilingual, Farah also teaches classes in Arabic. She combines storytelling, music, imagination and movement allowing even the youngest of yogis to blossom and grow.

Bio coming soon.

RYT-200, IKYTA Yoga Therapy Certification, Certified Children's Yoga Instructor

Jenny has been teaching yoga to children in the NOVA area for 2 years. She works with children of all ages and abilities. Jenny is working with Create Calm as a mentor to teens and leads children's classes. She is passionate about bringing yoga to students, teachers, families, children, and parents in hopes to bring a deeper community connection in both schools and home environments. In her free time you can find her at the gym, in the woods, doing DIY projects, or enjoying time with her husband, four kids, and many animals.

Certified Yoga Educator, Personal Trainer, Cancer Exercise Specialist and Energy Healer with a degree from Howard University where she studied Art and Journalism

Julie entered the Wellness Industry in 2003 with the goal of helping people feel better mentally, spiritually and physically. In 2010, she expanded her wellness practice into the Yoga Space and began teaching full time in 2014.

For a decade, Julie has gained the reputation of teaching classes that are not only fun, but are also educational. She has a history of building a strong yoga community that is steeped in integrity, curiosity and laughter.

E-RYT 200, Level 2 (500 Hours), Kundalini Research Institute certified, Radiant Child, Level 1-3

Katalin has been a yoga teacher for more than 15 years. Kati has practiced, studied and taught a rainbow of yoga traditions including hatha, vinyasa, and Iyengar. Through her yoga journey, she has developed her own unique teaching style that focuses on connection to the breath and attention to alignment. She addresses the individual needs of each of her students, creating a challenging but safe environment to help guide everyone through the physical, emotional and spiritual dimensions of yoga. Kati studied under the guidance of teachers including Annie Carpenter, Shiva Rea, Sarah Powers and Dharma Mittra. Kati has a deep commitment to the practice of Kundalini yoga, and is a Level Two Certified Instructor by the Kundalini Research Institute (KRI). She has also studied yoga therapy with Mukunda Stiles and completed an in-depth course on Ayurveda.  In addition to private clients, she teaches at local yoga studios, corporations and government agencies including the National Institutes of Health.

Kati was born and raised in Budapest, Hungary. She began her career at MTV, the Hungarian national television broadcasting organization, buying and producing documentary programming. She later moved to the United States and from 1993 to 2016, worked at Leadership Montgomery in Rockville, Maryland. As Program Director, she was responsible for designing and implementing a leadership training program for more than 120 participants each year. She wrote and edited the organization's newsletter and Annual Report, and managed the annual fundraising gala.

RYT 200, MS Yoga Therapy anticipated 2023 Lainey began practicing yoga in 2016 and found it to be life-changing on many levels. She was inspired to complete her 200-hour yoga teacher training in 2017 and has since taught students of all ages and abilities (including children and teens). Lainey graduated from Towson University with a BS in Communications and is currently working towards a Masters of Science in Yoga Therapy at Maryland University of Integrative Health. Lainey particularly enjoys leading beginner, gentle, and restorative yoga experiences to help others discover the benefits of moving mind, body, and breath together.

Certified Radiant Child Yoga Instructor, Licensed Holistic Esthetician, Reiki Level 1, BA Psychology and Business

Lindsey's biggest passion in life is helping people feel healthy and radiant from the inside out. She has spent nearly a decade working in the wellness industry, most recently as a Holistic Esthetician, and her experience combines eastern methods with modern science to help bring positive change. Throughout her career, Lindsey has worked one-on-one with clients of all ages to create a safe space to relax, rejuvenate, and find inner peace and strength. Through her personal yoga practice, Lindsey has felt more aligned, empowered, grounded and happy. She was inspired to train as a children's yoga teacher after seeing the benefits of mindfulness and movement in her own two sons.

Certified Radiant Child Yoga Instructor, Reiki Master

Lynne has been a practicing Dental Hygienist for over 30 years. 15 years ago, Lynne started practicing yoga and decided to start sharing her love for yoga with her granddaughter in 2016. She began formally teaching children's yoga in 2018 and started teaching yoga in the school settings. Lynne has a special interest in teaching children in grades K-6. She also enjoys sharing tools and techniques with those who work with and care for children. Lynne focuses on practical, relevant and integrative healing modalities to support children and youth in affirming their greatness.

Monya Cohen, Psy.D., E-RYT 200, C-IAYT 900 Monya began her own yoga journey more than 20 years ago and discovered the value of mindfulness and yoga in her own life. Monya believes in the healing power of breath and movement and is dedicated to bringing a unique yoga experience to her students. Yoga is the perfect antidote for depression, anxiety, trauma, and many other physical and mental barriers to achieving a fulfilling life. Changing the way, you breathe and changing the way you think, can change the way you feel. Monya practices yoga with adults and adolescents of all ages, levels of mobility and developmental levels. Monya is a certified Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapist, which focuses on the body and healing from the inside out. She leads yoga workshops, teaches yoga and yoga therapy, and co-facilitates a yoga book club. Monya is in private practice as a licensed psychologist in Maryland and is PSYPACT approved to provide virtual therapy to clients in other PSYPACT approved States. She is an adjunct faculty teaching trauma elective at the Chicago School in Washington DC. C-IYAT 900-hour Yoga Therapist Level 1 iRest Yoga Nidra Teacher RYT 200-hour, Inner Axis Yoga, Reston, VA RYT 200-hour Radiant Child Family Yoga, Sterling, VA drmonya.com

Natalie Dodson, (eRYT 200) Natalie Dodson has been a certified Kripalu yoga teacher since 2003. Her teaching style is infused with the joy that she finds in yoga. She fosters a safe and deep experience for each participant while allowing them to discover their own capacity for strength and wellness. Natalie believes her role is as mentor and guide as you gently deepen your practice from a place of safe alignment and come to rely on your own inner knowing as your most important teacher.

MS Yoga Therapy, RYT 500, IAYT Yoga Therapist When you roll out your yoga mat with Teresa, you are gently encouraged to be curious and playful as you explore your Self in the present moment. Teresa is dedicated to guiding anyone who steps into her class how to embrace their capacity to create balance, ease moments of suffering, and increase your accessible state of well-being. Each class creatively weaves yoga philosophy, meditation, pranayama, and asana into a yoga experience that cultivates an opportunity for growth in awareness and the ability to navigate the world around you. Meeting each client where they are, Teresa’s evidence-based, therapeutic yoga classes provide a judgment free safe-haven, unbound from expectations, and centered around her belief in nurturing our shared, innate connection with a frame of mind that encompasses compassion, forgiveness, and loving inclusivity. Teresa is an army veteran who graduated magna cam laude from George Mason University (GMU) with a BS in Kinesiology in 2020. Teresa earned her MS in Yoga Therapy from Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH) in 2022. She holds certifications as a Yoga Therapist with the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT) and Yoga Alliance as a RYT-500.