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Montreal International Symposium on Therapeutic Yoga
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Meet MISTY 2024 Presenters!
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Anne Pitman, M. Sc. E-RYT, C-IAYT
Anne Pitman (she/her) holds a Masters in Kinesiology, is the Director of the School of Embodied Yoga Therapy (www.embodiedyogatherapy.com) and is a clinical Yoga Therapist at the Ottawa Integrative Cancer Centre (www.thechi.ca). She has 40 years of experience in educating movement teachers, teaching embodied yoga and pioneering yoga therapy in Canada. Trained in functional biomechanics and Scaravelli-inspired yoga, Anne is a continuing scholar at the Orphan Wisdom School, an apprenticeship in grief literacy and the skills of living and dying well. Recently, Anne (with Leigh Leibel) published Yoga Therapy Across the Cancer Care Continuum, which demonstrated the philosophical approach, vast education and human compassion required in oncological yoga therapy and showcased the stories of professional yoga therapists working in clinics and hospitals, worldwide, from cancer diagnosis onward. A champion for healthcare integration, she regularly speaks at medical and yoga therapy conferences on diagnosis shock, the unrecognized grief of living in turbulent times, and the tender practice of accompanying people who are facing their dying days.
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Baxter Bell, MD, C-IAYT
Baxter Bell, MD, C-IAYT has been immersed in the practices of yoga for almost 30 years, teaching for over 20 of those years to thousands of students in the US and beyond. He combines his unique experiences and background in medicine, yoga therapy, acupuncture and life to create extraordinary yoga practices for groups and individuals. Baxter is a pioneer in the area of Yoga for Healthy Aging, co-authoring a book of the same name and leading workshops and immersions on this evolving topic online and in person. He has created many rich learning webinars for yoga practitioners and yoga teachers on the online platform Yoga U Online, with topics ranging from Yoga for Heart Health to Yoga for Long Covid.
To learn more about Baxter and his work, visit his website at www.baxterbell.com
Carina Raisman, BSc ND E-RYT 500
With a strong passion and interest for health, Carina devoted her studies to conventional and allopathic medicine, with a BSc in Microbiology & Immunology at McGill University; including studies in the Faculty of Pharmacology in Montpellier, France.
Her main intentions and questions have always revolved around finding the optimal conditions to establish and to maintain health. Through her yoga studies and practices, Carina now creates a bridge between human Physiology and Yoga Philosophy.
With extensive training and over 20 years experience, Carina now offers private consultations to address particular health needs of each individual; and facilitates Anatomy, Physiology, Stress Management and other aspects Yoga Therapeutics via Teacher Training Programs.
The passion and curiosity continue, and fuel her ongoing quest to share the essentials of health and how to make it accessible, efficient, and sustainable.
Catherine Justice, PR, DPT, FAIHM, C-IAYT, CST, E-RYT (she/her)
Catherine Justice is an integrative physical therapist, a certified yoga therapist, a yoga researcher, an artist, and a meditation instructor. She received her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from the University of Minnesota in 2010 and graduated with honors from the Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine’s two-year Integrative Medicine Fellowship program in 2022. Catherine has studied many styles of yoga and meditation for over 3 decades and is the Associate Editor for the International Journal of Yoga Therapy. She is the founder of The Art of Wellness, LLC - an organization dedicated to optimizing wellness for individuals, organizations, and communities through customized, whole-person integrative physical therapy, consulting, coaching, and teaching. Catherine has dedicated her career to helping to improve equity and reduce suffering in our world, including extensive training and experience helping people who experience chronic pain.
Cheri Dostal Ryba, C-IAYT, FME-3
Cheri Dostal Ryba has devoted over two decades to embodied inquiry & transformation as a movement educator, personal fitness trainer, dancer, C-IAYT yoga therapist, mother of two, and author. Cheri's approach weaves cyclical wisdom from nature with trauma & nervous system informed somatic practices, and whole person pelvic care. Cheri served as a founding co-director and lead faculty of the accredited C-IAYT yoga therapist training program, AlcheMe Yoga Therapy, for 7 years and mentors yoga professionals in personal embodiment and career growth. She has spoken at SYTAR twice to serve the growing field of yoga therapy and supports women globally 1:1 and with online programs. Cheri published her first book, Pelvic Yoga Therapy for the Whole Woman: A Professional Guide. She plans to continue writing & making life a moving ritual.
Erin Byron, MA, RP, C-IAYT
Erin Byron is a Registered Psychotherapist who has co/authored several books in the field of mental and physical health.
Erin is founder of Trauma Aware Certified Training.
She is also co-founder of Comprehensive Yoga Therapist Training.
When not swimming or playing clarinet, Erin offers professional education, clinical supervision, and therapy.
Dr. Günter Niessen, Orthopedic Surgeon, PhD, PT, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500, YACEP
Günter is a specialist in orthopaedics and trauma surgery, a qualified physiotherapist and yoga teacher with over three decades of experience in many forms of physical therapy and body work.Since starting his career in the mid-80s, he has treated tens of thousands of patients with both surgical and conservative methods. Over time, his focus has increasingly shifted from conventional medical therapy to the application of gentle and holistic healing methods.In 2008 he opened his outpatient clinic for yoga therapy and orthopedic medicine in Berlin and founded a yoga therapy program, which is now merging into the extended training of Momentum Regeneration® working together with Katharina Lehman during the last five years.He is an ayurvedic therapist and certified yoga therapist according to the criteria of the International Association for Yoga Therapy C-IAYT.
Jayne Hembruff, BSc, Trauma-Informed Therapeutic Yoga Practitioner
Jayne Hembruff is an esteemed figure who beautifully blends her knowledge and experience in the areas of yoga, mental health, and trauma-informed care, bringing over three decades of dedicated experience.
With a foundation in personal yoga practice and volunteering with individuals living with serious mental health diagnoses in the late '80s, Jayne's transformative journey reached a pivotal moment in 2006 when she participated in a groundbreaking research project focused on diabetes prevention in individuals with schizophrenia through yoga instruction.
Committed to her own learning, she has accumulated therapeutic yoga teacher training, caregiver training, and extensive mental health and trauma-informed education. Her influence extends beyond her personal journey to advocacy and partnerships with regional organizations such as the Suicide Prevention Council, Canadian Mental Health Association, and Home Care and Community Support Services. Jayne's significant accomplishments include the development of an innovative approach to trauma-informed yoga therapy, validated through a comprehensive five-year study, and a collaboration with renowned academic Dr. Stuart Shanker.
Jill Miller, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500, YA-CEP, Fascia Expert
Jill Miller, C-IAYT, ERYT, YA-CEP fascia expert, has 30 years of corrective movement expertise that forges links between the worlds of yoga, massage, athletics, and pain management. Her signature self-care fitness programs, Yoga Tune Up® and The Roll Model® are found at gyms, yoga studios, hospitals, athletic training facilities and corporations worldwide. Jill is the former anatomy columnist for Yoga Journal, has been featured in New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Shape, Women’s Health, O, the Today Show, and is a contributing expert on the Oprah Winfrey Network. She is the author of The Roll Model: A Step-by-Step Guide to Erase Pain, Improve Mobility, and Live Better in Your Body, and a contributing author on self-myofascial release in the text book Fascia, Function and Medical Applications. She is the creator of dozens of instructional DVDs, including Rolling Along the Anatomy Trains with Tom Myers and Walking Well with Katy Bowman, Treat While You Train with Kelly Starrett DPT and Roll into HIIT with Jen Esquer DPT. Her new book is Body by Breath: The Science and Practice of Physical and Emotional Resilience. She lives in LA with her husband, 2 kids and rescue dog.
Katharina Lehman, Mental Health Professional, E-RYT 500, YACEP
Katharina is a non-medical practitioner, for psychotherapy, art teacher and founder of Momentum Regeneration®. She has taught yoga and yoga therapy internationally in group and individual sessions for over a decade and works in the 300 h yoga therapy training and in her private practice. She demonstrates ways to integrate loving self-inquiry and inner balance through yoga into everyday life as part of one's self-care.
Her heartfelt wish and passion is to accompany her clients on their paths to healing body, mind and soul. Katharina does this with loving presence and a deep understanding for traumatic structures.
Laura Hernandez, RYT500, Oncology Yoga, Movement Therapist
Founder and owner of Yoga & Movement, Laura is a facilitator and visionary is passionate about convening and creating networks. She advocates for oncology yoga as a trauma-informed specialization; she supports integrative oncology and its ethics as well as safety practices in teaching this approach. Certified in Oncology Yoga as teacher and teacher trainer for Yoga4Cancer http://www.yoga4cancer.com
Laura is also Certified by the program Thrive in Oncology Yoga by the Health and Wellness Lab program of the University of Calgary.
Pursues continuing education in Oncology Yoga with Radika Foundation, Spain. Member of the International Network of Oncology Yoga (Spanish-speaking countries)
Pursues continuing education in Spiritual sciences and end-of-life training
Holds an accreditation of the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation (QBCF), for which she is a senior teacher and teacher trainer.
Leslie Kaminoff, Yoga Educator
Leslie Kaminoff is a yoga educator inspired by the tradition of T.K.V. Desikachar. He is recognized internationally as a specialist in the fields of yoga, breath anatomy and bodywork. For over four decades he has led workshops and developed specialized education for many leading yoga associations, schools and training programs in America and throughout the world. His approach to teaching combines intellectual rigor, spontaneity and humor, and is always evolving.
Leslie is the founder of The Breathing Project, a New York City based educational non-profit dedicated to advancing educational standards for yoga teachers and other movement professionals.
His unique year-long course is available online at yogaanatomy.net. 
He is the co-author, with Amy Matthews, of the best-selling book “Yoga Anatomy.”
You can follow him on Instagram (@leslie.kaminoff), Twitter (@lkaminoff) and on Facebook (LeslieKaminoffYogaAnatomy), on YouTube (YogaAnatomy) and learn more at YogaAnatomy.org.
http://YogaAnatomy.org
http://yogaanatomy.net/
http://breathingproject.com/
Dr. Staffan Elgelid, PT, PhD, GCFT, C-IAYT, RYT-500
Dr Staffan Elgelid is a Professor of Physical Therapy at Nazareth College and has been a Physical Therapist for 30+ years.
A native of Sweden and graduate of the University of Central Arkansas, Dr Elgelid has worked in a wide variety of settings, including owning his own clinics, and has presented at conferences on a wide variety of topics such as Complementary Approaches to Health, Guided Imagery, Healthy Aging, Mentoring, Awareness, Core Strengthening, and Feldenkrais, both in the US and Internationally.
Dr Elgelid has produced videos on different approaches to core strengthening, and Yoga for different sports. Dr. Elgelid is currently on the advisory board of the International Association of Yoga Therapists, the Board of Directors of the Yoga Alliance, and on the editorial board of several journals. Dr Elgelid edited “Yoga Therapy: Theory and Practice” and is the co-author of “Yoga for Stress and Anxiety” and “Yoga for Active Adults.”
https://www2.naz.edu/dept/physical-therapy/faculty-staff/staffan-elgelid/