Touching my toes came later, but I was hooked! The more I took classes and practiced at home on my own the more yoga revealed to me and I learned there was so much more to yoga than just the physcial. I have been teaching since 2004 and have completed teacher trainings in a variety of Hatha Yoga styles including Svastha Yoga, Vinyasa Flow, Restorative and Yin. I have studied with many teachers in the U.S. and in India with A.G. and Indra Mohan, devoted students of Krishnamacharya. In 2014 I completed Yoga Therapy training with Dr. Ganesh Mohan. In addition to public classes, I teach privately one-to-one and small groups. I enjoy teaching students of all levels and sharing this ancient and beautiful practice of yoga that continues to change and enrich my life. I am also a practicing Reiki Master in the Usui tradition. For questions about the schedule or the studio please call (707) 590-0669 or email info@vallejoyoga.com

Rhonda is devoted to supporting the healing of self and others at a deep authentic level. Rhonda completed coursework and internships at Mount Madonna Institute’s College of Ayurveda where she studied intensively with world renowned masters including Dr. Vasant Lad, Dr. R.H. Singh and Dr. John Douillard. Rhonda has completed trainings with Yoga Master teachers in the styles of Ashtanga, Iyengar, Kripalu, Anusara and Restorative. Rhonda creates a nurturing, positive environment where students are encouraged to learn correct breathing techniques and postures as well as to develop a personal sense of the practice as a pathway to emotional, physical, and spiritual growth.

I have studied with many instructors and in many different styles of yoga, from hatha to ashtanga, from Forrest Yoga to Dharma Yoga and one basic thread they all hold is asana (postures or literally “to take a seat”). Each variation, each entry into and out of a pose, and subtle nuances of them has layered in a never-ending wealth of information for me to draw from to offer to my students. Through the wise guided teachings of the late Krishnamacharya to my present master teacher Tias Little, I continue my learning. I am a registered yoga teacher through Yoga Alliance and Prajna Yoga (Tias & Surya Little). I have been teaching yoga for 18 years and have been trained and have taught classes and students for pre and post natal, scoliosis, Parkinson’s, baby and me, restorative, partner, completely new to yoga through advanced practitioners.

In her teaching and facilitating of yoga, she takes a very hands-on healing approach that she thinks can help bring deeper support and relaxation as well as alignment of poses. Her emphasis on teaching includes Prenatal, Restorative, Adaptive and Hatha Yoga Fusion. Laura is also a Yoga Therapist. She longs to be surrounded by like-minded souls that share similar passions and commitments: a plight for positive change in our community and therefore, a positive change in our world.

Paisley hopes to provide her students with the same compassionate, nurturing, inclusive environment to explore their own practice. Paisley is a strong believer that eating healthy food, getting plenty of sleep, connecting with community, and moving your body are the keys to creating and maintaining balance in one’s life. She feels that yoga is the perfect catalyst for creating change in your mind, body, and spirit and is honored to be a part of your journey. Paisley’s approach to yoga is that class should be fun, challenging and spiritually uplifting. Her classes are grounded with the intention of connecting with one’s self, community and the universe. Creative visualization and focus on the breath are the cornerstones of Paisley’s practice. Paisley’s goal is for every student to leave class feeling invigorated, joyful, and at peace. Paisley is also a trained mindfulness instructor, a restorative justice facilitator and a licensed marriage and family therapist.

She enjoys teaching a diverse range of students with all levels of physical abilities. Arlene invites students to use their breath as a way of becoming more present with life. Arlene’s yoga journey began in 2005. Curious about what yoga was and hoping to get healthier, it became a sacred space for healing and nourishment. Her practices helped her in being more present as a mother and mental health provider for youth and families she worked with. She completed yoga training at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Massachusetts in 2010. She was certified as a prenatal/postnatal yoga teacher through Yoga Garden of San Francisco in 2012. She also completed training classes through YogaWorks, Urban Zen and Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy in 2017. Arlene invites you to join her on this transformative journey, so you can discover what yoga means to you and practice new ways of healing and nourishing yourself.

I specialize in Yoga for Trauma and Yoga and Trigger Point work. I am currently facilitating trauma-informed yoga therapy for kids, teens, and adults in an acute inpatient psychiatric hospital several days a week, besides teaching classes for Vallejo Yoga. My interest has always been in how yoga can make people feel better, physically, mentally, and emotionally. I firmly believe that yoga should be made accessible to anybody, no matter their age, shape, ability, or financial means!

I received the Contra Costa County Teacher of the Year Award in 2016. More recently I received my yoga teacher certification and became trained to teach Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction - MBSR, to both teens and adults.

Her former work as the Healing Justice Program Director at Community United Against Violence supported low income to no income queer and Trans survivors of intimate partner violence, hate violence and violence from the police through direct service and organizing. She has supported the community with peer counseling, seasonal healing programs, mentorship and community trainings. Her relationship to spirit and the natural world guides her work. She is the founder of Black Seeds Project, where she provides private and group sessions in nature. Through these offerings, she weaves her studies in psychology, ecotherapy, mindfulness and trauma informed yoga to explore deeper intimacy. Each session is tailored to specific needs around emotional and spiritual wellbeing. Her heart swells thinking about the courage it takes to accept the invitation of building an authentic relationship with self, community and mama earth.