Our
mission at Live in Joy is to teach, demonstrate and live principles of Yoga & Holistic
Wellness to nurture and empower mind, body & spirit of all who desire. We have a wide variety of classes, workshops and wellness offerings that are offered at reasonable prices. Our instructors, practitioners and guest presenters are extraordinary in their fields and we are very grateful for their skills, integrity & presence here. Come and experience Joy!
Our Teachers
Julie Fischer, RTT, CMT, Co-Founder Live in Joy Yoga & Wellness
Julie is a Registered Thai Therapist, Yoga Teacher and a Certified Massage Therapist. Julie presents a variety of offerings at very reasonable prices.Always interested in healing modalities, Julie has travelled extensively and learned from healers from many cultures. After finally retiring from a career in finance, Julie started formally studying bodywork, and has become an avid student of Thai Massage. Julie has studied privately in with Kimberly Call at the Center for Thai Massage, Rose Griscom in affiliation with ITM in Chang Mai, the legendary 'Mukti' Michael Buck of the Vedic Conservatory, and traditional massage with the Barberio School of Massage. She has also studied energy healing with Mietek Wirkus and Dr. Richard Visone. Julie has completed her Inner Fire yoga teacher training at Yoga on Main, and continues in advanced studies with Shiva Das & Ed Zadlow. Practicing yoga & massage is a passion and an honor that gives Julie great joy and growth on every level of her being.
Janet Watkins, RYT, CRM Co-Founder of Live in Joy Yoga & WellnessJanet's discovery of yoga in 2001 has transformed her life. As a
registered yoga teacher through Yoga Alliance and receiving her certification
from Lourdes Wholistic Institute in 2007, she continues her training towards
her 500 hour certification. She is also a Certified Reiki Master. Janet's passion as a teacher is to
inspire her students to become confident, self loving and to tap into their
inner strength, wisdom discovering the poses from inside rather than force them
from the outside. She focuses on the breath and in slowing down in order to really
feel the poses and their effects and after effects on the body, mind and
spirit. Her classes are deeply relaxing, joyful and fun. Janet teaches Vinyasa, Yin, Hatha,
Restorative and Yoga for Teens.
Amy Bartholomew, CYTAmy’s yoga journey began when at a young age she found herself drawn to books, literature and conversations about meditation and transformation. Experimenting with simple yoga postures and breathing, Amy’s curiosity about meditation led her to enroll in her first yoga class in 1992. Since then, yoga has been a consistent part of Amy’s life. In 2008, she trained at Lourdes Institute of Wholistic Studies to become a certified instructor and loves teaching yoga to people of all ages and abilities. Amy believes that yoga practice is for anyone who is willing to “be here” to explore, especially those who are looking to grow! While influenced by a wide variety of yogic traditions, Amy’s teaching style focuses on a blend of experiences, including dance-inspired yoga flows and classes that are new every time. Amy believes that a light supportive environment helps students find their own unique path of transformation. Amy also enjoys the many ways that yoga practice enhances her other interests and hobbies, like cooking, singing and snowboarding
Joanne Baer, CYT
Joanne taught aerobics and fitness classes for over 20 years
and was passionate about running. It was running that first awakened her to the
connection between body, breath and spirit and the clarity of mind that comes
with that connection. A sense of compassion and a desire to serve others led
Joanne to pursue a nursing career. Joanne is a member of the American Holistic
Nurses Association and is thrilled to see the shift occurring slowly but surely
in Western Medicine with the integration of Eastern philosophies and
integrative medicine. Joanne is certified in Reiki 1 & 2. In 2006 Joanne was studying at the
Himalayan Institute in Honesdale, PA with Dr. Susan Taylor for a certification
as a meditation specialist. She took the class to deepen her own meditation
practice and possibly integrate the practices learned to assist her patients in
the home care field. During the training, Joanne was reintroduced to Yoga and
came to better understand the connection between Yoga asana and meditation. Joanne began practicing Yoga regularly at the Yoga Center of Medford, NJ
and in 2011 completed Yoga teacher training. Joanne is eager to share the peace and
tranquility she has found from a regular yoga practice and help others to
experience the transformation that yoga can bring to life.
Kati Brennan, CYT
Kati teaches yoga in loving service to her teacher, Sri Dharma Mittra,
with whom she completed her advanced teacher training (500-hour). Also a
Kripalu-certified, Kati is additionally certified (and loves!) to teach
pre-natal yoga in the ISHTA tradition from Be Yoga, and Yin yoga from Wake-Up
Yoga. She teaches and practices Thai Yoga Massage in the tradition of the Vedic
Conservatory. She serves as Adjunct Professor of Yoga at Temple University.
Kati fuses Kripalu poses and Dharma's vibrant methodology together into
light-hearted vinyasas for a playful (a smile is the best mudra!) class that
explores the philosophical facets of the practice in modern, relevant
way . She loves teaching philosophy, mantra, pranayama, and meditation in her
classes in an exploratory, non-dogmatic fashion. Kati adores bodies, being
barefoot, and learning. Om Namah Shivaya!
Kati teaches Yin, Prenatal, and a more vigorous
and philosophically deep vinyasa.
Maureen Heil, ERYT; RCYT, is a Yoga
Alliance registered teacher. She is certified in Inner Fire Yoga, developed by
esteemed teachers Shiva Das, Ed Zadlow, and David Newman of Yoga on Main, which
embraces the physical, mental, and spiritual components of yoga. She also has
her Anusara prenatal yoga teacher certification, studying with renowned teacher
Sue Elkind. In addition she is certified in children’s yoga, training at
Yogachild, and teaches to children throughout the Philadelphia area. In her
“past life”, Maureen was the director and teacher of a non-profit preschool in
New Jersey for many years. She is dynamic, energetic, and playful in her
teaching and comes from her heart. Maureen came to yoga during a family
member’s illness and fell in love with the profound benefits a yogic lifestyle
can have on well being is excited to share it with the world. She is currently
in Yoga on Main’s 500 Hour Ayurvedic Yoga Teacher Training. In addition to
sharing and teaching the joys of yoga, Maureen is a free lance artist, Reiki
practitioner, and is passionate about sustainable environmental practice
Sarah LaFleur first began her exploration of the physical disciplines as a competitive gymnast at an early age. When gymnastics competitions, various sports teams, and other types of movement arts left her wanting, it was only the introspective nature and dynamic, challenging quality of yoga that kept her eager to learn. Her passion for yoga and her dedication to her own personal practice translates into her teaching style. Sarah lives by the code "I only teach a class that I would love to take!" and teaches high-energy, vigorous classes designed to push you past your limitations and free you into your fullest. She borrows exercises from other disciplines like gymnastics and the martial arts, offers lessons from her own path of seeking, and teaches sequences that both inspire and challenge her.
Connie Meehan, RYTIt’s
Connie’s goal to teach clients how to breathe deeply and move consciously. Connie started practicing
yoga in 2003 and since then yoga and meditation have become a lifestyle and a
passion. She completed her first
200 hour teacher training at the Yoga Center of Medford in 2006. Since then Connie has been teaching a
soft and gentle style yoga that is inspired by a deep awe and respect for the
intricacies of the body. Her class
is focused toward enabling the student to become more peaceful, and balance
mind body and spirit. Connie
encourages students to grow through an attentive practice both on and off the
mat.
Shelly Schneider, RYT Shelly works full time as a nurse practitioner in a dermatology practice. With a lifetime focusing on health promotion and illness prevention, yoga has become a natural progression in her life. In 2006 after a negative life changing event, Shelly searched for answers in her life. She began taking yoga classes and found the result profoundly effective. The integration of body - mind - spirit became such a powerfully positive force she completed a Yoga Alliance approved 200 hour teacher training program. Shelly incorporates pranayama (breath work), asana (postures) and meditation into her daily life. The combination of personal practice and teaching yoga continues to be an important balance for fulfillment. The advanced continuing education programs and indepth self study complement and benefit her life and practice.
Wendy Weber, CYTWendy began taking yoga and ballet lessons when she graduated from high school. She performed with several small modern dance companies for over 10 years and taught ballet classes for beginner students at the Philadelphia Civic Ballet Company. Wendy loves the precision, artistic expression and musicality of dance and is equally inspired by the mind, body and spirit connection she continues to discover in yoga. On her current yoga instructor's encouragement, Wendy enrolled in the 200 hour teacher training course offered by Yoga on Main and has received her certification in Inner Fire Yoga from The Yoga Alliance. She is dedicated to the Raja, or Eight-Limbed, Path of traditional Ashtanga yoga and brings passion and love to her teaching.
