Caroline has been a part of the yoga community since 2017, diving into the trio of her physical, metal and spiritual self. She became 200 hr certified throughout 2020 and dove into her teaching practice through intricite research and inspiration. Her teaching is inspired by her mentors & yoga teachers that she has met through her journey. Caroline focuses on alignment while leading you through creative flowing sequencing, frequently quing breath to movement. She flows to indie, folk, electronic music, while drawing out positive energy & intricate focus. Caroline will bring you to challenge yourself while having fun in a room of powerful energy.

Emily has been in the fitness industry since 2005 after leaving the financial world and starting a family. With her passion for health and helping others she has become a Certified Personal Trainer who also hold certifications in Pilates, Barre, Spin, Boxing and Fitness Instruction. She is a Certified Nutrition Coach, Owner of her own outdoor boot camp and a 200hr certified Yoga Instructor. She and her husband Paul have four children together and a (very spoiled) dog. Hobbies include paddle boarding, hiking, and being with her family. Blessed to love what she does, she is often heard calling Bend Studio, her happy place.

Michelle Swain began her yoga journey over a decade ago as a personal and therapeutic way to counter a very fast-paced career in entertainment marketing and tour management. In 2019, she obtained her RYT-200 in the Viniyoga modality from Breathing Time Yoga in Pawtucket, RI and she has been working at furthering her wellness education since.

She is a certified Holistic Nutritionist (American Fitness Professionals & Associates), Restorative Yoga Teacher (Online Yoga School), Prenatal and Fertility Yoga specialist (Bliss Baby Yoga) and Master Level Energy Healer (Lisa Powers). She believes in embracing what makes one individual different from another and incorporating that into a tailored yoga practice that meets her students where they are. Michelle hopes to help her students feel motivated, inspired, and strong in their bodies.

Business owner and father of two, Sean believes the fabric of society is developed in the home, which drives his passion for strengthening community by creating spaces to empower individuals and organizations through communication, education, connectivity and empathy. Extensively trained in trauma informed levels of care, Sean currently holds title as a Certified Health Coach, Recovery Coach, and Community Health Worker, and a mantra you may hear him repeat is that “ the saying ‘it takes a village’ is not only meant for children.” Inspired by overcoming challenge, Sean found yoga as a pathway to personal rediscovery, and is currently enrolled in the 200 hour yoga teacher training. Through the power of yoga and “somaddict” therapies, Sean has found freedom within his own mind and body, and maintains a long standing dream to bring that sense of belonging and inclusivity for everybody, into all of the places he goes.

Amanda has developed her expertise in working with a diverse clientele starting with Miami in 2008, moving to NYC in 2009 and California in 2014. She is now establishing roots in Westerly, RI with her family.

Amanda has a BA in Psychology and has continued her education achieving a 500hr Yoga training from Soul of Yoga in San Diego. She is an RYT E-500 Yoga instructor, a Certified Personal Trainer, and Corrective Exercise specialist through NASM dedicating her work to exercise programming for individuals with chronic pain or structural limitation.

Amanda has a passion for natural remedies, exercise physiology, tennis, snowboarding and spending time with her husband, son, and daughter.

Amanda uses her own method influenced by the Chakra system. Using mind/body techniques that break down barriers that limit success in her clients. Amanda leads with her heart and appreciates mindful connections with fellow colleagues and students.

With almost 20 years of practice along side of close to 10 years of teaching, Amanda’s passion & presence in the yoga room has warmed the hearts of many students through the years.

At the age of 17, Amanda was in danger of not graduating high school because of a long-standing battle with allergy induced asthma. Her pulmonologist suggested the breathing methods that were practiced in yoga to create deeper lung function for the struggling teenager. Desperate to find a solution, she attended her first yoga class at a seaside studio in Westerly in 2002. The rest is your typical love story, where she fell hard & never left.

Through the years she’s worked with more than a few different styles of yoga such as Kriaplu, Baptiste, Hatha & Yin. She’s also studied with notable teachers including, Anna Forrest, Leslie Kaminoff, Rolf Gates, Faith Hunter, Coeli Marsh & Dr. Lee Albert. She also attended college for physical therapy. This tireless study of how the human boy moves in the practice of yoga has created a funky fusion flow that’s truly unique, challenging, safe & amusing, given her exceptional sense of humor.

These days, if she’s not on her mat, you might find her raising her almost teenage son or sharing a walk with her very lovable pup, Maddie. Don’t miss a chance to enjoy a class of hers. We’ll see you there!

Amber has a passion for whole-body wellness, working as a registered dietitian and teaching a variety of fitness classes. For the past 10 years, Amber has fallen in love with the community a fun and inviting fitness experience creates, and uses the motivation of music and purpose to lead her workouts. Here at Bend, she has been an avid yogi since we opened, and is so excited to guide you in becoming the best version of yourself.

In 2020, Anja achieved her RYT 200 certification under the guidance of Sara Kimball. Additionally, she holds certifications as a NASM Certified Personal Trainer and Meditation Coach. A staunch believer in the profound connection between the mind and body, Anja is dedicated to promoting the idea that a healthy body fosters a healthy mind. With enthusiasm, she imparts her holistic approach, providing a distinctive perspective in all her fitness classes.

Currently, Anja is undertaking her RYT 500 hour certification with Jason Crandell, expected to graduate in December 2023.

Beyond her role as a fitness instructor, she engages in social media management for her own agency, DeVo Media. Her agency serves businesses in both the United States and her native Germany, showcasing her international reach and diverse skill set.

Discovering the power of yoga in 2015, Ayla dived deep into the community in pursuit of healing herself, and those around her. In the spring of 2017, she took the next step and became a 200hr registered yoga teacher. She loves to incorporate Reiki, music, essential oils, and incense in her yoga practice - her goal is to strengthen the mind and body, and their connection with each other in a therapeutic environment.

After over a decade in construction, namely concrete work, Domenic was amazed to find the meditative benefits gained through the sacred science of Yoga. Once it had begun healing his internal struggles he dropped everything to dedicate his life to the practice. Since then he has become an E-RYT500 and attempts to reinforce the philosophical and psychological lessons behind the physical movements. Ranging from the restorative and meditative practices to the strength inducing powerful flows, Domenic caters to each individual in the class to ensure a structurally sound and safe practice. He Loves yoga and hopes to share his passion for the practice with as many people as possible, along with all its amazing benefits.

Elizabeth Gooding has been teaching yoga since 2010 when she received her 200-hour CYT through Mystic Yoga Shala. Over the last 13 years, she has taught diverse student's groups, young and old, welcoming everyBody to the mat. She has devoted herself to community-based programs, with the vision to make yoga accessible to all.

While she loves to teach a vigorous heated vinyasa class, she does so in a way that makes students feel nurtured and held throughout practice. The goal is to create solace during the time on the mat that will spill over into daily life.

Her classes will offer a fun playful playlist with inspiring words of wisdom to begin your week.

Elizabeth is a 911 first responder, working as an EMT for Westerly ambulance, and is working towards completing her Nursing degree at CCRI. She has been a certified Herbalist since 2009 and facilitates community style herbal workshops and dream circles

Giana Giarrusso, is a yoga & meditation teacher with over 850 hours of Yoga Alliance Certified yoga education, podcast host and massage therapist specializing in injury prevention, maintenance and lymphatic drainage treatment. She is a physical, mental & spiritual health enthusiast! Giana has spent the last 10 years studying yoga, meditation and breathwork. She enjoys teaching others these tools to use in their personal healing toolbox.

Isabella is a yogi by morning, day and night who brings a lighthearted, yet powerful attitude to class. Heavily inspired by her own practice, Isabella teaches how she wants to flow. In her classes you'll find a creative, intention based flow full of intricate movements, fun transitions, balances, twists, and some sneaky core work. No class or playlist ever being the same, you’ll jam out to some tunes while building mental and physical strength. Isabella likes to bring fun and a challenge to her class by offering playful poses, while keeping it accessible to all.

As a restless person, she finds working hard helps her to go deeper into a meditative state. If she’s not teaching, you’ll probably still catch her at the studio practicing, otherwise she’s either somewhere with her head in a book, or writing horror stories.

Jessica Wolke (Jai Jot Kaur) received her Level One 200 hour Kundalini Yoga teacher training certificate in 2012. Jessica has received three additional certificates since that time: Conscious Communication (62 hours) , Mind and Meditation (62 hours), and Lifecylces and Lifestyles (62 hours). All as taught through the Kundalini Yoga Research Institute and Yogi Bhajan. Jessica’s classes will challenge the ego- the child of the mind body connection. By challenging the ego, students can acesss their higher selves. . Her classes include a variety of postures, beautiful mantras and meditations. In her spare time Jessica loves to spend time with her family and pets. Her hobbies include cooking, traveling, film photography, paddleboarding, mountain biking, and spending time outside. She is always a student of Kundalini Yoga.

Jill is an RYT 200 who graduated from Intentional Embodiment Yoga in 2023. She loves the awareness that yoga brings to life- on the mat in body, breath, and mind - and off the mat, giving us tools for living more purposefully. She is a member of Yoga Alliance, as well as currently being enrolled in a Yin yoga training. Off the mat, Jill has worked in the local medical community for nearly 20 years. She is a lover of the outdoors, true to her New Hampshire farm girl roots.

Karen Dillon is a 200 hour certified yoga teacher and has an additional certification in intensati (a mind, body and spirit yoga/exercise class developed by Patricia Moreno). She completed her 200-hour training at Yoga Mountain in New City, NY. She has also studied extensively with Elena Brower as well as Baptiste yoga leader Leah Cullis. Her classes are mindful, she works the muscles of the students' minds to keep them in a place of hope, gratitude and joy while strengthening their bodies and creating a life to love. After her 2019 breast cancer diagnosis she became a health and wellness coach with a specialization in functional nutrition and hopes to help guide her students to their healthiest selves.

Kristen is a mother of 2, a high school English teacher, short filmmaker and a practicing yogi for the last 15 years. Her light-hearted spirit and playful nature encourages students to find comfort within their own practice and a safe place on their mats. Kristen believe yoga is for everybody and every BODY. She is a 200 hr RYT and dedicated to being a life-long learner she is currently studying for her 500 hr certification.

Maddy received her yoga teacher certification in 2021 through Core Power Yoga, specializing in Yoga Sculpt and Power Yoga. Her aim is to make yoga more accessible, fun and motivating for everyone who take her class.

When she is not teaching yoga, she is tinkering away in her laboratory as a graduate student at the University of Rhode Island pursuing her PhD in physical chemistry. Maddy initially became interested in yoga as a low impact way to heal from the lasting impacts of her four orthopedic surgeries as a teenager. Since then, yoga has allowed her to reconnect with her body and eliminate chronic pain, while also strengthening her mental health and building confidence along the way.

Mark holds a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from the University of Rhode Island. In the past he has worked in the Technology, Mortgage, Restaurant, and currently a Project Manager for a Solar Company. In 2014 Mark came to Yoga for his first class at the tail end of a 40 day juice fast. He immediately was hooked! When the opportunity arose to enter a 200 hr teacher training program; he jumped on it and never looked back. Becoming a yoga teacher was something he wanted to do!

Mark has been practicing for the past 9.5 years and has been teaching since August 2016. His focus in life is health and well-being, and helping others along their path. Alkalize, Detoxify and Regenerate is the route. Expect a powerful heated Baptiste-Influenced Vinyasa Flow for the body, mind and spirit; room temperature 92° to 95°.

Megan is a mother of two growing boys, an artist, a practicing yogi for over fourteen years, and a teacher of vinyasa yoga. Her passion for yoga began as a natural way to fight anxiety and depression and become the best version of herself. Through her yoga practice, regular meditation, and painting, Megan seeks to bring peace and calmness into her life and the lives of others. Megan is a certified registered Yoga Teacher (RYT).

My path has been anything but straight and narrow, and it has led me here.

After grad school, I moved to France and taught English until hearing the call to do recovery work following the tsunami of 2004. While volunteering in India and Thailand, I was introduced to ancient healing arts and chose to prolong my stay in Southeast Asia to study Yoga, Meditation, Ayurveda, Thai Massage, QiGong and Herbalism. I then moved to Ireland and was certified in Complementary Therapy in 2009.

Two years later, family circumstances led me back to Pennsylvania, where I had a wide range of opportunities to share my knowledge and experience, including working in a health food store and leading educational workshops. When the world slowed down in 2020, I made masks and lotions for healthcare workers and deepened my spiritual practices, subsequently earning Yoga and QiGong instructor credentials.

In 2022, I spent 6 months volunteering on farms and in gardens throughout Ireland, bringing me into even closer communion with the land and connection with myself. Back from Europe, a short visit with my mother in Charlestown turned into almost a year spent living with and caring for her as her health suddenly declined. Since her passing in October I find myself with a renewed sense of purpose, blessed with a community in which I can share the mindfulness and embodiment practices that have been so beneficial to me.

“We are all just walking each other home” - Ram Dass -

Nicole received her RYT 200 certification from the Authentic Yoga Teacher Training at the Estudio Casa Del Sol in Montanita, Ecuador in 2018. Nicole likes to take her students on a physical and spiritual journey. Her creative and dynamic flows combine yogic philosophy, mindfulness, and breath to movement. To keep students engaged in their practice, she enjoys teaching thematic classes along with groovy playlists. Some themes include Animal Embodiment flows, the Chakras, and the Earth’s elements. Nicole is a wildlife biologist and to bridge the gap of her love for yoga and all things nature, she likes to encourage her students to feel more connected to themselves and the earth. She inspires her students to find their strength through a powerful vinyasa flow, offering challenging poses to work towards. Yoga can be life changing and she hopes to inspire others to find their own love for the practice because it makes them feel empowered, strong, and more connected to their mind, body, and soul.

When she is not teaching yoga, Nicole is a full-time graduate student at URI and works as a wildlife biologist studying shorebirds on the Rhode Island coast.

When I was certified to teach yoga, I made lots of phone calls and visits to try to get a teaching job. Nobody had any “open spots”, but one studio did invite me to come and audition anyway…RIYC…Bend. The owner and founder was Lauren and she said, “Come and teach one of my classes, we’d love to meet you.”

I was especially excited about Bend because I heard it was a unique place with an amazing community...so many different styles and approaches to practice. And because I was just starting out as a teacher, I especially wanted to find a place where I would be comfortable being a beginner, learning to grow in my practice and sharing it with others.

I remember being really nervous driving down to the campus to teach, Lauren would be taking the class herself. What I recall even more vividly about that day was that the moment I walked into the studio, I felt an amazing sense of ease. Not just Lauren and her amazing smile, but everyone there. Just moving around you could feel the peace and joy of what felt like an energy filled with ease.

My first class was anything but flawless and that didn’t seem to matter. I left that day with nothing but thanks and praise.

Today, the studio still exudes the same radiance...thanks to Lauren’s successors, Alyssa, heroic throughout the toughest of times and now Caroline, always the tireless passion. The “ease”, I’ve come to learn, is an incredible young energy that always rises up to meet experienced souls. It bends in so many ways to blend together. It’s awesome.

So that’s really all you need to know about me. I’m Tom, always the beginner teacher and so proud to be a part of your amazing community.

Tori is a lifelong student of yoga. Going to yoga with her mother as a little girl is where she began. Now she has taken the next phase in her journey and received her RYT in 2023. Her greatest teacher in life has been nature and flows these elements into her class. Using yoga as a natural way to heal and empower the body, mind, and soul. With a background in gymnastics she incorporates playful movements and skills that will leave your body and mind feeling strong, mobile, and flexible. She believe everything you learn on your mat can be brought into you everyday life, encouraging everyone to find their own inner yogi.

Tricia is a dedicated student and teacher of yoga and living in the flow. Tricia offers a creative, energetic and lighthearted approach to yoga. Tricia has over 30 years of experience in group fitness and 20 years in yoga which she utilizes to provide guidance, encouragement and open space to students for self-exploration and transformation based on their own individual needs. She offers intelligent sequencing for each class that includes easy to follow instructions.

Tricia began her yoga journey when she was into teaching group fitness classes over 30 years ago. While teaching and managing a group fitness program she attended several Yoga Journal Conferences, Fitness Conferences and completed Level Three Yoga Fit Certification trainings. In 2013, Tricia completed her 500 hour certification through All That Matters. Tricia is a 500 RYT certified Prana Vinyasa Flow teacher, created by Shiva Rea. She has also been fortunate to have studied with international teachers such as Sean Corne, Ana Forrest, Bryan Kest, Baron Baptiste, Sri Dharma Mittra, Rodney Yee, Beryl Bender Birch, David Swenson, John Friend and many other well respected teachers

Tricia feels blessed to be able to teach yoga, and help her students grow. May you always live full of life, free from tension, with an open, happy heart!