The Instructors at Prana Yoga and Healing Center of Sarasota, Florida

Michelle Roy is an RYT-certified yoga instructor, Licensed Massage Therapist, and Reiki Master who has been teaching in the Sarasota area since 2001.

Michelle’s yoga instruction is heart-felt, empowering and introspective, providing an atmosphere in which each student can discover their true Divine nature.  Her teaching experience includes restorative yoga and beginner to advanced levels of hatha yoga with special expertise in yoga therapeutics.  She has trained primarily in the alignment systems of hatha yoga, most extensively with Doug Keller, and has also studied with many other national teachers, including Judith Lassater, Tias Little, David Life & Sharon Gannon, to name a few.

Michelle uses her knowledge of body mechanics and yoga therapeutics to aid in offering therapeutic massage sessions and provides Reiki treatments to heal energetic imbalances that manifest in the physical body. In addition to healing, Michelle’s other passions include Montessori education, her pets, and the arts. She resides in Sarasota with her two daughters, Nicole and Ravyn. (MA#51782)

Bryan began his study of yoga in 2001 and has been teaching since July 2003.  He has participated in various Teacher Trainings, studying in the Anusara, Iyengar & Viniyoga systems, and is RYT certified at the 200-hour level.  The therapeutic, alignment-based style of yoga he teaches enhances strength and flexibility, and increases focus and concentration.  Students of all levels, from beginners to seasoned practitioners, find Bryan’s classes to be invigorating and inspiring.  Bryan is an avid outdoor enthusiast, a Dental Technician by trade, and a father to a young yogini. Namaste

Venessa discovered the healing powers of yoga in 2001.  After working for 16 years at a stressful job as a graphic artist, she turned to yoga as an alternative means to manage stress, relieve pain, and to help her manage the challenges of everyday life.  She wanted to share this wonderful gift and began teaching in 2006.  Venessa is a certified hatha yoga instructor at the 200-hour level and is registered with the Yoga Alliance.  She has trained in various styles including  Iyengar, Ashtanga, Anusara, and Bikram.  Her passion is Vinyasa or flow yoga, the ancient art of dynamic continuous flowing movement synchronized with the breath.  Venessa uses an eclectic blend of asanas drawing from her favorite styles of yoga to create an invigorating workout.  Her class will move and stretch as it cultivates overall stamina, strength, and flexibility, while gaining focus and peace of mind.  Modifications for beginners and options for advanced students will be provided throughout each lesson.  In addition to yoga, Venessa and her husband enjoy an active outdoor lifestyle of cycling, scuba diving, backpacking and canoeing.

Gillian was introduced to yoga while completing high school in England.  She was drawn to the transformative, therapeutic nature of the practice and continually sought classes through many moves and jobs,  Landing in Miami in 1992 she attended classes in Iyengar's alignment based yoga while attending massage therapy school.  Enthralled by the ability of the body to revitalize and realign itsself through the yoga practice she began
teaching  and attended workshops with Manuso Manas,  Patricia Walden, Kevin Gardner, John Schumacher and other senior instructors.

 Gillian moved to Sarasota in 2001 with her husband, Cliff and took a hiatus from teaching to raise their two children, Sarsen and Reece.  She has more recently embraced the heartfelt Anusara Yoga style and enjoys how this complements her alignment based training, bringing a fun expansive nature to her teaching.  Gillian's classes combine safe, therapeutic alignment based instruction
appropriate for all levels, simple breathwork and a subtle intention to celebrate and express our spirit from inside out.

Gillian holds a 200 hr Yoga Teacher Training Certificate and is soon to complete her Aunsara Teacher Training.  She is  Licensed Massage Therapist, Neuromuscular Therapist and qualified in Thai Massage.  Gillian is also an avid swimmer and enjoys big boat and dinghy sailing.

I completed 200 hr teaching certification in an alignment-based hatha practice.   I completed this in 2006 and became a Registered Yoga Teacher with the Yoga Alliance.  I am currently about to finish up my second 200 hr teacher training in the Anusara Tradition, which also has a strong foundation in alignment.  I have independently studied under teachers with influences of Ashtanga, Power Vinyasa, and Kripalu. 

I am also a licensed massage therapist and have been practicing since 2002.  I work primarly in therapeutic and neuromuscular therapy and always seem to include relaxation in every session.  I have a deep understanding of the human body and I use this knowledge to guide my students in Yoga as well.   Ma 43825

The Vinyasa or Flow practice is the thread that I weave into my alignment classes.  I like to get the body and breath synchronized into a beautiful flow.  In my Flow classes you can expect to move through many sun salutations and a variety of asanas (poses). You will have a chance to practice balance poses and core strengtheners in every class.  The practice will include pranayama or breathwork, this is vital to deepening our spiritual connection as well as an incredible boost to our overall mental and physical health.  The flow class is for experienced students that have a basic understanding of alignment. 

As an active mother of five, Joy began her yoga journey in 2000 to heal injuries sustained in an auto accident. This journey blossomed and gained transformative momentum over the years. The former middle school teacher left the classroom to pursue studies in yoga, healing, and spirituality. Joy practiced Bikram, Anusara, and various other forms of hatha yoga before finding her true passion in Kundalini. She received her certification from the Baba Siri Chand Ashram in Altamone Springs, Florida and is honored to share this blissful and transformative practice with others. Kundalini class is suitable for students of all levels and beginners are always welcome.

Joy is a Hypnotist, Reiki Master, NLP practitioner, Licensed Massage Therapist, and Theta Healer. She is a certified Kundalini Yoga, Qi Gong, and Live Foods instructor.  Joy volunteers for Hospice, the Women’s Resource Center, and extends her healing services at local functions with the Sarasota Spiritual Healers Network. She enjoys traveling to the Ashville area with her husband, Lee, and continues to be an active participant in yoga and spiritual workshops throughout the state.

Sean’s personal pursuit of health and well-being has led him on a rigorous journey of education, experience and self-expression through art.

He received his Masters Degree in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine from the Seattle Institute of Oriental Medicine in 2004, licensing him to practice acupuncture, meridian therapy and herbal medicine.  He studied for two years in Japan, winning the Japanese Ministry of Education scholarship for study in the Japanese university of his choice.  

He is a Black Belt Kung Fu instructor, and Qigong facilitator-teacher with several years of teaching experience.  Through daily practice of meditation, Qigong, Kung Fu and other energy-building modalities he is constantly searching for effective ways to deepen his connection with healing life energies, which then express though his work.

Sean Leonard is an Acupuncture Physician, Energy Worker, Qi Gong instructor, Kung Fu teacher and creator of Quantum Potentials Intuitive Navigation System. He uses his skills to bring clients into a state of alignment and inner silence, while providing life strategies through intuitive channels. Sean is the originator of Reintegration Therapy; an integrated healing modality focused on restoring fragmented elements of consciousness back into wholeness. He works with all manifestations of imbalance including acute and chronic pain, depression, emotional constraint, digestive disorders, and acute illness.

John La Plante (Dev Atma), began practicing Kundalini Yoga in 1985 at the Sat Tirath Ashram in Kansas City. It was there that he began teaching in 1992 and  continued teaching classes throughout the city at various studios, clubs, and organizations including the counties Seniors Program.  He is a certified Kundalini Yoga Teacher by International Kundalini Yoga Teachers Association, and a Registered Yoga Teacher with  Yoga Alliance. John continues to expand his knowledge and experience of yoga by attending numerous workshops and classes throughout the year. He draws upon the teachings he received from Yogi Bhajan, as well as his experience teaching the past 17 years and his own personal practice to make each class beneficial to the health and happiness of the students.

Jaye Martin is a heartfelt teacher with a life-affirming, exuberant teaching style who generously shares his enthusiasm and spirituality with his students. He began practicing yoga in 1998 after dancing rofessionally for over 10 years. He was introduced to Anusara yoga by Betsey Downing in 2000 and immediately resonated with its philosophy of radical affirmation, elegant Universal Principles of Alignment, and therapeutic value. Since 2001 Jaye has studied extensively with and assisted John Friend, founder of Anusara Yoga. Jaye is a Certified Anusara Yoga Teacher and he currently teaches full time at Garden Of The Heart Yoga Center in Sarasota, Florida as well as traveling to lead workshops at home and abroad. You can read more about Jaye, his classes, workshops, Immersions and Teacher Trainings at www.GardenOfTheHeartYoga.com

Steven Weiss, MS, DC, RYT has over 30 years of experience as a holistic chiropractor, nutritionist, yoga student and teacher. He has participated in competitive sports and athletics for most of his life and taught classes in long distance running.
For the past 17 years Dr. Weiss has been the resident chiropractor and nutritionist at the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies in Rhinebeck, NY. He is a member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists. Besides teaching anatomy and alignment for yoga, Dr. Weiss is a post-graduate instructor with New York Chiropractic College, offering the ChiroYoga™ Seminars series, a continuing education program for chiropractors that explores yoga-based biomechanics and therapeutics. His yoga training has been in various traditions with an extensive background in Anusara and Iyengar yoga, studying with teachers in Pune, India and throughout the United States.
Presently, Steven practices an innovative approach to alignment-based yoga therapy that uses traditional yoga therapy methods that are strongly influenced by his skills and experience with the hands-on application of body mechanics.

John began practicing yoga in 1997 while living in Washington, DC.  After moving to Sarasota in 1998 he was introduced to Ashtanga Yoga and began studying the 8 limbed path.  John began teaching to share the benefits and joy of Ashtanga Yoga.  John has been teaching Ashtanga, (aka Power Yoga) since May of 2000.  John is a 500 hour graduate of The Hard & The Soft Yoga Institute, and has studied extensively w/ Beryl Bender Birch (author of Power Yoga, Beyond Power Yoga, and Boomer Yoga) as well as many nationally known teachers.  John recently completed the Susan G Komen 3 day 60 mile Walk for the Cure in Tampa in order to raise funds for breast cancer research.

Anthony has been practicing Yoga and studying the Vedas since 1977. After obtaining a B.A. in Philosophy and a Master's degree in Theology, he studied under Ayurvedic physician Dr. Vasant Lad and the founder of Pranic Healing and Arhatic Yoga Grandmaster Choa Kok Sui, specializing in esoteric healing and spiritual development.  Anthony has lived, worked, and taught in London, New York City, San Francisco, Rome, and has lived in Florida since 2003.  An ordained priest, he has operated independently of organized religion since 2002.  A clasically trained concert pianist, Anthony has published original music and articles on ethics, healing, Yoga education, spirituality, and co-authored a book on storytelling traditions around the world.

Ed Dailey RN, RYT, is an independent yoga teacher aligned with the teachings of BKS Iyengar and Rodney Yee.  He is one of a handful of teachers who is certified through Yoga Alliance at the 500 level by Rodney.  Ed in known for his eclectic and inspirational style of teaching and has a tremendous ability in working with props to help guide students in the classroom.  Ed assists Rodney at several workshops each year around the US and has been active in the implementation of the pilot program at Beth Israel Hospital in NY, in collaboration with the Urban Zen Initiative.  He continues to work as an RN at the operating room at Upon Health Center in Connecticut.  Ed’s interest in yoga began 13 years ago as a result of his search to relieve the physical pain that he had been enduring for several years.  His yoga began as a lesson in learning to deal with difficulty, but gradually, with the help of teachers who were caring and compassionate his practice became full of surrender, ease and devotion.  He now has been teaching for 8 years and finds that his teaching comes from his experience and understanding of his own body and mind, and it continues to change and unfold at every level.

LeeAnne Moody  has been teaching heart-centered yoga and healing movement classes for 15 years.   She also maintains an intuitive and vibrational healing practice that specializes in multi-dimensional communication (mediumship and channeling) while bridging an authentic connection between her clients and their Higher Self.  LeeAnne uses her heightened abilities by gently explaining the process of what is happening, emotionally, physically and spiritually, while it is actually happening and how to integrate these experiences into our daily lives, yoga or any healing environment or process.  She is currently the host of her own program on www.masteringthelight.com  
Spiritual but not Religious TV, and is the creator of  My Mom Talks To Dead People, One Woman’s Show.   She can be reached at www.leeannemoody.com or 941-928-9303.