What Others Are Saying
- “I have been suffering from lower back problems for over 12 years. I tried every form of therapy over the years, and never found anything that worked for me. Last April I fractured my back in 3 places and then as that was healing, I developed 3 bulging discs in my lower back. After leading a very active lifestyle I began to get depressed not knowing what I could or couldn’t do, always worrying that I might make things worse. I researched on the internet and I found Nara and Yoga Therapy. After my first session, I knew I was into something positive for my body. Nara immediately understood my issues and was very thorough in her assessment. I realized then that I was in the right place and hence, our journey began. It is so hard to explain to anyone who hasn’t had to struggle for so long with back pain, the joy in being able to move in ways that I thought were gone forever. Nara has been incredibly compassionate, supportive and truly makes me believe that anything is possible. In a few short months, the flexibility is returning to my spine, and I feel amazing. Nara always makes sure that I am doing things correctly so there is no chance of further injury. I look forward to my sessions with her and always leave them feeling wonderful. Thank you Nara!
Melissa, 54, Office Manager - “As an unfit fortysomething male I was starting to suffer with various aches and pains. I realised that unless I took action they were only going to get worse so when my wife suggested that we try one of Nara’s introductory yoga sessions I thought it was worth a go, and to my great surprise I found that I really enjoyed it. The private lessons that Nara offers are appealing to me and offer the right amount of personal training focused on specific areas that need work, i.e. the lower back in my case. Also, the private setting ensures that Nara is able to focus on your technique, which is important because yoga is more of a workout than I’d imagined. Five sessions in, and my back is much improved. Thanks Nara!”
Alan, 42, Associate & Design Manager (Building Solutions Company) - “My right shoulder was painful when swimming the front crawl, probably as a result of a 40-year-old tendon injury. I also had lower left back pain while sitting, accompanied by tingling in my left foot, probably because of bone spurs resulting from aging. Over a period of approximately six months, the yoga postures that Nara prescribed have completely eliminated the pain in my right shoulder and have significantly reduced my lower back pain and the associated foot tingling. Whenever I do experience lower back pain or foot tingling, I do the triangle and it goes away! I easily incorporated the yoga postures into my morning workout after swimming and will keep doing so to maintain these very significant improvements.”
Alan, 64, Economics & Management Consultant, University Professor - “Nara is absolutely fantastic at what she does – I would recommend her to anyone! She has a gentle yet effective approach and is very specific with her cues: it’s the littlest of shifts that make big changes in how tall I stand or how deeply I breathe. With a history of orthopedic conditions due to long distance running, it is Nara’s basic postural changes that I take with me when pounding the pavement. With her ability to hone in on where my imbalances and weaknesses lie, Nara has heightened my body awareness. I’ve recently worked with Nara on a restorative level and I am absolutely amazed with how I felt post treatment! I walked into her treatment room wrapped up in a tornado and walked out on a cloud, smiling on the INSIDE as well as the outside! Thank you Nara!!”
Jessica, 30, Registered Massage Therapist & Spin Instructor - ”Nara has a great eye for detail which always takes my yoga practice into new areas of body awareness and more confidence in my poses!”
Helena, 33, Physiotherapist - “I have been lucky enough to do some one-on-one training with Nara. I would say I was ‘newer’ to yoga and found that I was guided with great attention in learning the poses, as well as being educated as to what the poses were for and where in the body they were aimed at. I always felt like I had accomplished something after each session. Not to mention feeling more open as my movement awareness increased through each session. I am excited to continue with Nara as I move through my pregnancy and feel like I am in great hands for safety and efficiency of movement.”
Katherine, 37, Certified Structural Integration Therapist, Registered Massage Therapist - ”Nara has a wonderful way of elevating your skill level while suggesting small adjustments that really change the outcome of your practice. I love her sense of calm and supportive dialogue.”
Cher, 35, Scientist & Mother of three - “Whether one-on-one or in a group class format, Nara is an excellent teacher! Her approach to movement, whether it be yoga (of many varieties) or circuit training/bootcamp-style drills, always makes me feel safe and uplifted. Her alert guidance weaves together anatomical, kinetic knowledge with positive, creative, inner focus. Her ability to connect these elements has provided me with many opportunities to exercise more safely and confidently than ever before. Additionally, I am always refreshed by the way she unites familiar elements with such unique diversity in her yoga flows. Prenatally, postnatally, athletically, and restoratively she has inspired me. I know that I will see her as I continue on my journey of health and wellbeing.”
Becca, 34, Lease Manager & Mother of two - ”First of all, thank you for some great yoga experiences. You have a wonderful way of putting your instructions into words that make it so much easier for me to sink into the positions in a good and relaxed way (even for me who has English as a second language). I always feel very safe in your classes, as you are very much present and attentive. I love the concept of “Mindful Motion” in yoga – it makes so much sense, and your way of building up a good spirit in a yoga class is not taught, it’s your natural talent.”
Anna, 35, Psychologist - Our private yoga lessons with Nara have become a key part of our week and integral to our commitment to getting fit this year. Her attention to our specific needs related to running and various joint pain have made our classes invaluable to our overall health and wellbeing. Her calm and detailed approach has meant we have both learnt a lot and got great enjoyment out of our classes. We are yoga converts and looking forward to continuing working with Nara for a long time to come.
Sarah, 37, Senior Director Client Services & Brand Strategy - ”As a newbie to yoga, I find Nara’s instruction very fluid and easy to follow. She presents the class with ease, yet clearly and concisely with strength in her knowledge and guidance. I like the gentle yet no nonsense approach.”
Aimee, 37, Mail Carrier & High Level Competitive Athlete - “I started Yoga shortly after I turned 40. In the last twenty years I have been at a competitive level in downhill skiing, freestyling, motocross, Kung-Fu, and Windsurfing. The list of injuries is too long to note. At 35 I started mountain biking on the North Shore – free ride and progressed to riding nearly every trail and stunt on the three shore mountains. Needless to say I became friendly with the x-ray department at Lion’s Gate Hospital! Once I hit 40, I found that all of the old injuries were rearing their ugly heads again. My back was seizing, my shoulders were locking on a regular basis from rotator cuff injuries / separations, and I could no longer kneel (ACL on the right and PCL on the left were injured). I rode the Test of Metal and developed patellar tendonopathy on my left side which became debilitating. Surfing and mountain biking were only possible if I stretched out extensively beforehand and even then I was stiff and tight and ‘eating the pain’ to do the activities. Just because that’s not enough…I then tore my hip flexor at the climbing gym. I’m the Director of a small consulting engineering company and my list of injuries got to the point where it was affecting my ability to walk around a client’s facility. I had lost faith in traditional ‘treat the symptoms’ medicine, physio, chiropractics and other health care methods.
Enter Nara, Yoga, and Yoga Therapy. Nara’s way of teaching works for me because I’m a technical person by nature. She has the scientific background to understand and explain what my body is doing. Through weekly yoga, I’m happy to say that within two months I was able to kneel without pain (it’s like I’ve got new knees), my shoulder issues are all but gone, and my back is rarely an issue. I’ve learned how to engage my core and use it in every day activities – really helps on the motorcycle!
For my hip flexor injury, which is quite severe, I’ve tried medication, physio, chiropractic, doing nothing, and Yoga Therapy. Yoga Therapy has (and continues) to be the most beneficial, by far and away. Again, Nara’s understanding of the body, how it moves, what it’s supposed to look like, and her ability to assess what is currently happening, have made my Yoga Therapy experience highly effective.
I’m now using other health care methods again such as medicine, physio, chiro, and massage therapy. I’ve found that coupled with the benefits of yoga that I’m actually finding that these other things work again. I guess my body is able to accept the treatments now.
The last point I want to make is about the softer side benefits of Yoga. I’m an A-type and just a wee bit competitive. I credit Yoga with learning to be compassionate with myself and listening to my body. The affect that this is having on my relationships, ability to handle and dissipate stress in the work place, overall sense of well-being, and to stop injuring myself is huge. Thanks Nara!”
Ian, 42, Director (Engineering Company) & Athlete