Jeanette found her love for yoga after trying it for knee issues she’s had since early in childhood, including multiple surgeries. As she once again developed more severe knee pain and issues later in adulthood she decided to try yoga and was pleased with the positive results she experienced with the healing of her knee. Jeanette, never being able to participate in athletic activities due to the severity of her knee issues, was in shock when she saw what her body was capable of with the consistent practice of yoga. Not only did yoga help her to physically improve in so many ways but it also helped her to deal with stress and anxiety in a more effective manner. Jeanette started her practice with Bikram yoga and then expanded to try all different types of yoga and fell in love with all of it!
Jeanette is a certified 200 hour E-RYT teacher that has a passion to help other's through the power of yoga. Jeanette’s classes are light hearted, she likes to create an atmosphere that will make you work your body in a joy filled way. Her main goal is that you get to be the best version of you; not only become physically better but leave her class with a sense of positivity.
Jeanette is honored to be the Owner, Manager, and a Yoga Teacher of Bliss Yoga. Her main goal for the studio remains the same as for her classes, that every person who steps through the Bliss Yoga doors gets a positive mental and physical benefit they can carry with them.
Anyssa first discovered yoga during college, after experiencing what can only be described as a mental health crisis. When nothing else seemed to work, her father, a fitness trainer, suggested she start putting her energy into working out. She stumbled into a yoga class, and the lightbulb went off. From that day on, Anyssa used yoga not only as a physical practice, but as a therapeutic tool. She firmly believes in the healing power of yoga, and is confident there is no problem or situation that cannot be improved by stepping on the mat. She is a 200 hour RYT, and is passionate about bringing yoga to communities and individuals who have not had access to mental health and wellness support. Anyssa graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2018, and has since worked to empower girls across the country through entrepreneurship at Envision Lead Grow, a Virginia based 501(c)3 non-profit organization. An advocate for the idea that life is a celebration, when she is not teaching girls or teaching yoga, you can find her playing with her dog or party planning.
Yoga has been a part of Ana Maria's life for the last 18 years. She has been teaching for the last 13 years and has been teaching at Bliss Yoga since its opening. Her specialty is with Vinyasa yoga. She also practices Ashtanga yoga. Ana Maria is Yoga Fit certified and in Levels I through V, Seniors, Yoga Kids, and is a 200 Hour RYT yoga teacher, with over 1,500 hours of experience. Ana Maria, also believes and practices Ayurveda, which she combines as much as possible in her teachings. She is also very attuned with precious stones and makes her own Malas to help meditate and use the healing power and balancing energy of the stones. Ana Maria believes yoga is a tool to help us find peace within us, accept ourselves and others, let go of pain and suffering as well as accepting and recognizing our feelings so we can work on them. To Ana Maria yoga is not to make us like gymnasts, but to help us find the best that our bodies can be. Ana Maria recognizes we are all so different and we all have different health problems, she believes yoga adapts and helps each of us. She instructs students to move from one pose to the next on an inhale or an exhale with flow synchronization that is focused on alignment. In her classes, you will practice creative sequences, some can be very intense as others very slow and therapeutic. Ana Maria puts it all together in a seamless natural flow. This helps release tension, toxins and allows your body to move deeper and more freely. Her sessions end with meditation and relaxation exercises.
Autum first attended a yoga class for the work-out, but stuck around for the work-in! Autum believes that her experience with yoga has been life-changing for her overall mental health and wellbeing. For the last decade, Autum has deepened her understanding of the physical practice of yoga, as well as its therapeutic benefits. Passionate about mental health and wellness, Autum strives to integrate the connection between mind and body. A Navy veteran, Autum is currently enrolled in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling graduate program at William and Mary. She hopes to create a safe space for her clients to explore, heal, and better themselves. Autum is a lover of people, life, and adventure. When she is not on the yoga mat or in her office, Autum enjoys traveling, hiking, being outdoors, and spending time with her husband and fur babies.
Yoga has been a big part of Flavia's life. When she first started practicing hot flows she fell in love with yoga and its benefits. It taught her to be stronger, more patient and more connected with her body and mind. Flavia believes this ancient practice allows our bodies to relax by opening joints, releasing muscles, and cleansing through breathing. Flavia completed her 200 hour training with the National Yoga Academy in Virginia Beach, she continues to take classes and is learning more about Ayurveda. Flavia knows she will always be a student of the practice because there is always an opportunity to learn more and share with others. The most satisfying part for Flavia, is being part of the yoga community where we all have the opportunity to grow from one another. Flavia's classes combine light, playful, and creative elements together in a single sequence. She aims to guide her students to be more connected with their mind, body and soul. The goal to all of her classes is for her participants to leave balanced, nourished, and refreshed.
Frances found, or more accurately, yoga found Frances, 20 years ago in the form of a yoga studio owner who showed up at her place of work, a tanning salon at the time. a few doors down the strip mall from the yoga studio. She walked in and said, “come work at my studio. I’ll pay you 25 cents more per hour.” Frances was in!! And as a perk, she was offered the opportunity to join the yoga class in session after she got everyone checked in. Until that moment, sitting behind the studio’s front desk, she had never considered stepping foot into a yoga studio. And that is how Frances walked into her first yoga class! Over the decades her yoga practice has been integrated into her life and lifestyle. What began as an asana (physical) practice has grown into a practice encompassing mind, body, breath, and spirit, on and off the mat. She completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training with Kathleen Kramer and is always excited to share her practice of yoga with others.
Jennifer is a 200-hour Registered Yoga Instructor, who’s teacher training was based on the Hot 26 series and Vinyasa; she is currently studying towards her 500-hour certification. Jen has several years of hands-on teaching experience and has been practicing for over a decade. She’s had a lot of ups and downs in her life, but yoga has been the one consistent thing that has helped to keep her balanced and grounded. Yoga has been a huge factor in pulling herself out of the lowest points of her life, and has helped immensely in processing trauma, relaxing her nervous system, and allowing her to feel comfortable in her own skin. Realizing how powerful and transformative this practice can be, has been nothing short of miraculous for Jen, and she has realized that it is so much more than just a physical experience. She strongly believe that when you do the work on the inside, everything else outside of you begins to fall into place. Jennifer tries her best to carry her practice beyond the mat and into the way she carries herself and lives her life. Jennifer is dedicated to sharing this gift with others and assisting them in realizing what they are capable of.
Karen first found the physical practice of yoga in 2003. Yoga helped her manage stress and injuries through some difficult moments of life. She eventually found herself transforming in to a calmer more relaxed version of herself.
That is what sparked Karen's passion to help others improve the quality of their lives through the practice of Yoga. Her firm belief that yoga is for everybody is evident in her teaching and approach. Karen learned early on that each student’s journey is different and unique. She strives to understand every individual's needs to make yoga safe and accessible for each of them.
Karen is an E-RYT 500 and has enjoyed teaching yoga since 2005. She founded and directs Satya Yoga Academy, leads teacher trainings and workshops both in the US and in India. She has completed several specialty trainings including yin, restorative, seniors, prenatal, yoga therapy, partner yoga, yoga for larger bodies, therapeutic back yoga, yoga for eating disorders, chair yoga, in depth yoga philosophy, and trained at two ashrams in Rishikesh, India. She enjoyed three years traveling as a master trainer for an international yoga company leading teacher trainings and visits her favorite ashram in India as often as life allows.
When Karen is not on her mat, you can find her spending time with her family, chocolate lab, and two cats. She enjoys kayaking, hiking and spending time in nature.
Kirsten holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Sports Medicine from Old Dominion University. In her 30+ years in the fitness and wellness industry, her certifications include: Post Rehab Conditioning Specialist, ACE & AFAA Group Fitness Instructor, Advanced Pre/Postnatal and Menopause Health/Fitness Instructor, ACE Certified Personal Trainer, Flexibility Conditioning Specialist, and CPR Certified. Some of Kirsten’s work experiences include Fitness Director with Cunard Cruise lines, Senior Instructor and Trainer for the world-renowned Golden Door in California and Rancho La Puerta in Tecate, Mexico. Join Kirsten as she motivates, guides and inspires you to optimal wellbeing while always having fun. Modifications will be given throughout class sessions to accommodate for all fitness levels. Kirsten is a proud mother of 3 with a passion for all things outdoors.
Influenced by her past challenges with anxiety and depression, Lanique aims to encourage mindful habits and expresses the importance of gaining peace of mind. After almost 8 years of practicing as a student Lanique decided to commit to YTT (Yoga Teacher Training) to share how yoga helped change her mental health tremendously. She guides students by teaching breathing techniques and various poses to calm the mind and body. Lanique’s personal favorite class style to lead are Restorative Flows with a major focus on meditation.
After years of dancing, Lizzy understands how it feels to find pain relief and healing through the practice of yoga. A forever student, Lizzy received her certification in 2016 right here in Virginia Beach and has been sharing a variety of styles with many wonderful communities since. She has two sweet daughters that keep her grounded, a passion for great jams and not-so-great jokes, has too many house plants, loves being in nature and exploring the world.
Maria discovered yoga the summer after she graduated college in 2018. Her mental health was suffering, not having any clue what she was going to do with her life. Her mom suggested she take a yoga class and she’s so happy she took her advice. Maria was very drawn by the mind body connection especially connecting movement with breath. She was starting to notice a wave of calm consuming her body after every practice. This ultimately sparked an interest to really dive deep in understanding the yogic lifestyle.
Fast forward to 2021, Maria received her 200 hour YTT with Lakshmi Rising in Costa Rica. She was fully immersed in all things yoga, meditation, pranayama and Ayurveda. It was such a beautiful, transformative experience, being surrounded by a community who shares similar values as herself. It really gave her a glimpse of what her life could be like if she remained consistent with yoga.
Maria hopes to create a sacred space for students to step out of their heads and into their bodies with deep relaxation, intuitive movements all while focusing on the breath.
When she’s not practicing yoga, she enjoys things that tap into her creative nature like making jewelry, film photography and making music with her boyfriend.
Mariah has been drawn to the mind and body connection from a young age. When she was 13 she started practicing yoga at a local gym. As time went on, her love for the practice grew and it became apart of her everyday life. Looking to deepen her practice, Mariah completed a 200 hr YTT in multi-style yoga. In her classes, she looks to offer a safe space where students can come to either try their first class or deepen an established practice. Her classes are a combination of power and grace rooted in the Vinyasa flow. When not practicing or teaching, Mariah loves to paint, make candles, garden, and she is currently going through nursing school.
Michelle was first introduced to yoga in a high school P.E. class when she was 15 years old. It was only a familiarization class but Michelle knew right then that she loved everything about what she was learning. Especially the breathing techniques which she continues to practice to this day.
When Michelle moved to California in 1999 she joined her first yoga studio and began her practice until she gave birth to her first child in 2002. As a new mother Michelle found it difficult to continue with yoga in the studio setting. This, however, did not deter Michelle’s love for fitness and desire to continue a healthy and balanced lifestyle.
In 2005 Michelle was first certified as a group fitness instructor. Over the next 10 years she taught a wide variety of group fitness classes including stroller fitness, boot camp, and kids fitness classes.
Michelle has now entered into a new chapter of her life and refocused her energy and attention back to a true yoga practice. After two years back in the studio Michelle knew it was time to take her practice to the next level and become a certified yoga instructor.
Shannon attended her first yoga class in high school, and it was an experience that she will never forget. When she walked into her first hot vinyasa class a few years later, she fell in love and knew from that first class that one day she wanted to become a yoga teacher. Thirteen years later, Shannon earned her 200-hour certification n Virginia Beach, VA. It was a dream fulfilled and an experience and season she will forever cherish. Shannon’s classes focus on the mind, body, breath, and spirit connection, and her hope is that her students will leave her classes encouraged to take that same connection off their mats into their daily lives as well.
Sheena found yoga more than 12 years ago after suffering from chronic back and hip pain. In 2018 she received her RYT200 certification through Chesapeake Hot Yoga. She thoroughly enjoys not only the physical challenge of a vinyasa flow but also is still amazed at how truly healing yoga is for the mind and body. Yoga has helped her stay mobile and continues to help control pain and stress naturally.
When Sheena is not teaching yoga she enjoys paddle boarding, hiking, vacationing, and just spending time outdoors with her husband, daughter, and three fur babies!
Tiffany is a 200 hour RYT instructor. She graduated from Yax Yoga Concepts in the winter of 2009. She began teaching early on in 2010, and it changed her life! Tiffany began taking classes a year before she went through teacher training. Having a very young son at the time, she thought yoga may be a way to help her with her now changed body, and also help her to distress. She shortly realized that she found a lot more. Yoga helped her become a stronger person, physically and mentally. Yoga made her a more flexible person, mind and body, and Yoga made her fearless, both on and off her mat. She believes in the practice of yoga and breathwork, and strongly believes that anyone can do yoga! As well as being certified in Hatha yoga, she has continued her education. She teaches a variety of classes, Vinyasa, Yin, Restorative, Prenatal, Senior and Kids Yoga. In her classes, she always provides some staple poses. Her classes do change with what is needed from the students in that class, but will also provide some challenges along the way. One thing that does not change, she always tries to make her classes fun! Tiffany graduated from Ashford University with a Bachelor of Arts in Cognitive Studies in 2016 and became a NASM Certified Personal Trainer in 2018. She enjoys learning, and continues to do so, she never wants to become stagnant with her practice or teaching. One of her main goals is to try and make people feel better leaving her class then when they came in, both physically and mentally.
What is the most important thing to you as a Bliss Yoga Front Desk Associate? It is important to me to welcome everyone with a smile and also make sure everyone is happy and comfortable to practice at Bliss!
What benefits do you find from yoga? My good friend Mariah introduced me to yoga and it actually made my body feel 100 times better. I struggle with stomach issues and I also have back pain from my other job, yoga has helped me so much with both of those issues. On top of that yoga has helped me a lot with keeping a clearer mindset and learning to love the simple things in life.
What is the most important thing to you as a Bliss front desk associate? I strive to be a friendly, joyful face for those coming into the studio. It's important to make everyone feel warm and welcome; whether it's their first class or they've been around for some time. Setting a positive tone with a smile and taking care of business (as a front desk associate) is what I'm all about!
What benefits do you find from yoga? My real journey with yoga started in a hot yoga room. What was once a ‘workout’ turned into more than a practice, it became a passion. Yoga shifted my life in many ways; my practice keeps me focused, grounded, centered and present. I love all the health benefits you find from practicing yoga, physically and mentally. Yoga allows me to be still, stretch and strengthen, clear my mind, breathe, meditate, pray, and repeat affirmations; my practice challenges me to constantly grow and pushes me out of my comfort zone.
What is the most important thing to you as a Bliss front desk associate? The thing that I would love to be able to do in this position is provide that sense of familiarity with our practitioners that helps make that first point of contact as they enter the studio a positive experience. The yoga front desk version of the barista who knows your name, and your drink, and asks about your kids, or not if you don't like talking ;).
What benefits do you find from yoga? I have tried, and loved, many different styles of working out and many different active hobbies: Bodybuilding, Running, CrossFit, Beach Volleyball, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Yoga, etc. Over the years many of these styles and hobbies have ebbed and flowed, but yoga has been a constant. Whether it shows up in my personal meditative practice, in my awareness of my breath, my warm-ups and cool downs at the gym, or doing an official class. It provides us the opportunity to explore mind-spirit-body connection like almost no other exercise practice, and I think as the years go on many of us start to realize more and more how important that connection is for our overall health and personal growth.
What is the most important thing to you as a Bliss front desk associate? The most important thing to me as a Bliss front desk associate is to make everyone feel welcome and like they belong at Bliss.
What benefits do you find from yoga? I started doing yoga when I became a 2nd grade teacher and it has helped me in so many ways! I love how it helps me relax, improves my energy levels, and has helped me relieve my back pain. Yoga also helps me cultivate a grateful heart in the midst of any circumstance.