Melissa “Bee”: Owner, E-RYT 500, YACEP, Reiki II, Yoga Therapeutics
Melissa has been teaching yoga since 2003 in yoga studios, gyms, corporate facilities, summer camps and public schools. She graduated from TCNJ with a secondary education degree and a minor in theatre. Years later, she went back to school to earn a Masters Degree in Special Education. Yoga helped her cope with the demands of teaching and theatre direction and continues to inspire her life! To date, Melissa has completed over 700 hours of extensive yoga training in NY, NJ, Massachusetts and Arizona. Melissa has studied under the tutleage of teachers from the Kripalu, Iyengar and Anusara traditions. She has also received both a Level I & II Reiki Certification, a Mat Pilates Certification from PIA, a Group Fitness Certification through AFAA, and is trained in Meditation, Aerial, SUP Yoga and Restorative Yoga. Most recently, Melissa completed 72 hours of extensive training in trauma-informed yoga therapy. Melissa embraces yoga as a way of life and enjoys sharing a diversified, down-to-earth yoga practice with students of all ages and backgrounds, where joy and balance are the ultimate goals. Melissa leads the 200 hour teacher trainings at Country Flow Yoga. She also teaches English and drama at a local high school, is a fiber artist and in her spare time, loves connecting with nature. “To do what you love and feel that it matters; could anything be more fun?”— J.Child
Lara: Owner, E-RYT 200, Reiki II
Lara studied at Younique Yoga in Cedar Grove, NJ, where she earned her 200RYT with a specialty in Vinyasa Flow Yoga in 2015. She is also a Level I & II Reiki Practicioner. Lara discovered yoga after teaching five years in an urban district when she felt the sudden urge to find a new way to not only exercise for physical health, but to also “work out” her inner self. Amazed at how the practice alleviated the stresses of teaching in a high school as well as finding a much needed personal balance, she began to do more studying on the subject. Applying ancient wisdom to our contemporary western world in a useful and understandable way, Lara thinks “outside the box” in her teaching style and encourages physical and spiritual growth for the modern yogi in our modern world. She loves being part of a community where people come to practice with open minds and hearts, no matter where they are in their yoga journey, and feel really good about themselves without any judgement. Lara also serves as an adjunct English professor at William Paterson University. To her, yoga is best defined as staying balanced and present in each moment, not just on the mat, but in all aspects of this life. “Just remember to breathe through it and go with the flow.”
Michele: RYT 200, LMT
Michelle has been a fitness instructor for many years. She has taught Pilates, Spin, and Kettle Bell group fitness classes and is also a massage therapist. Michelle began her yoga journey several years ago as a student and soon after, became a certified yoga teacher. Yoga has helped her grow stronger, more flexible and more fearless, both on and off the mat. Michelle enjoys yoga because it allows her to sweat, breathe, break boundaries and connect her mind, body and soul. In her classes, Michelle loves to help others thrive and deepen their practice while listening to their bodies. Her hope is that her students step off the mat feeling refreshed, balanced and stronger than when they stepped on it. Yoga has inspired her to truly live in the moment. “Love is my religion.” ~Ziggy Marley
Amber: Bellydance Instructor, RYT 200 & Reiki Master
Amber Chazukow has over 16 years of experience in dance education. She is also a certified yoga teacher and Reiki Master. Amber has performed professionally as a dancer and also runs an amateur dance troupe composed of her students. She lives in a cabin in the woods of West Milford, NJ with her husband, daughter and cat. Amber’s classes incorporate breath, movement, reiki and essential oils, for a delightful sensory experience.
Patty: RYT 200, Reiki II
Patty, who has been a lifelong public school educator, received her RYT- 200 here at Country Flow Yoga in 2019. Patty’s restorative and gentle yoga classes incorporate her light-hearted spirit with stretching, breathing and guided visualizations to promote peace of body and mind!
Kim: RYT 200, Reiki II
Kim has been drawn to the magic of yoga and all that it has to offer since elementary school. Working in the medical field for over 13 years, she has always found the human body fascinating. Once she discovered the true mind-body connection through yoga, breathwork and meditation and how much it enriched her everyday life, there was no looking back. She decided it was finally time to help enrich the lives of others and received her RYT-200 certification in October of 2020 through Country Flow Yoga. It’s a true passion of hers and she is honored to share it with all of those she practices with!
Lauren: RYT 200
After seven years of practicing yoga, Lauren completed her 200hr Yoga Teacher Training with Country Flow in early Spring 2022. Witnessing the transformation of her own physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual wellbeing as an adult led her to pursue teaching. She is honored to guide students on the mat into loving-kindness and a better relationship to self, body, and mind. Outside the studio, she is a singer-songwriter and Embodiment + Mindfulness Coach. Lauren lives in West Milford, NJ with her partner and fur-child, Penny Lou.
Helen Hill: RYT 200, Reiki Master
Helen has been a lover of Yoga since 1999. She has studied many styles of Yoga and has used the practice to recover from injuries as an athlete, an outdoor adventurer, and a mom. She is a 200HR RYT, a certified Ayurvedic Home Chef, Master-Level Reiki Certified, has a Children's Teacher Certificate, a Chair Yoga certificate, has specialized therapeutics training, and works with special needs children. Helen is known for playful classes that amplify the benefits of Yoga and ignite the imagination. When she is not busy with classes and clients, Helen writes poetry, paints and takes care of her daughters.