Carly Smith
Founder + Owner, Strong Roots Yoga and Paddle Boarding
Yoga + Meditation Teacher, Reiki and Breathwork Guide
specializing in yoga for brain trauma and mental wellness
Carly's passion for yoga is one of which was gratefully stumbled upon. She got into yoga as a means to overcome anxiety, worry and stress. She quickly started to benefit from the unfolding's and transformations that it was bringing into her life. It not only improved her physical strength but more so helped her find inner peace and self-awareness. Yoga has helped her overcome obstacles and boundaries that she never thought possible.
Carly has been teaching yoga for the past 11+ years after completing her 500-hour yoga teacher training under the guidance of Shasta Townsend, Director of Balanced Life Yoga. Through her passion of nature and being outdoors, she went on to complete her Stand Up Paddle Board Yoga training in San Diego, with Gillian Gibree from Paddle into Fitness in 2014. She has also completed continuing education courses in Restorative Yoga, Yoga Tune Up®, Yoga for Anxiety Relief, Pre-natal, Chair Yoga, Meditation Specialist, and Breathwork.
Carly is currently registered with the Yoga Alliance as a RYT-500/200E-RYT. She is also certified with Canadian Red Cross in Psychological First Aid, First Aid + CPR-C, and a member of the Ontario Brain Injury Association (OBIA) and the Brock Board of Trade.
In addition, being someone who has endured a TBI and concussions, she has taken a strong interest in the healing and therapy of individuals who have suffered traumatic brain injuries and concussions. After receiving her certification from the Love your Brain Foundation in 2020, she has been working behind the scenes to continue to learn more about the brain and build a program for the TBI community, while sharing her experiences along the way with other TBI survivors.
Carly is a strong mental health advocate who humbly shares her own personal experiences and healing. Through both Carly's personal journey and education, Carly has the passion and tools to help assist others in leading a more balanced, fulfilling, healthy lifestyle.
Carly is a Reiki 2 practitioner and she can't wait to share the magical experience with you in her new Wellness Room. Registration coming soon!
Hayley Whetham, Yoga & Meditation Teacher
Hayley was first introduced to yoga while studying at university. What started as a tool to help manage academic stress and anxiety quickly turned into a passion of self-discovery. By integrating yoga into her daily life, both on and off the mat, Hayley continues to learn how to embrace the ever-changing nature of life.
Hayley’s intention as a yoga teacher is to guide practices that both encourage you to find your own version of yoga, as well as promote the discovery of a deep connection with your most true self.
Hayley is registered with the Yoga Alliance as a 200 RYT. Her training was completed with Anuttara Ashram. Anuttara’s teachings are rooted in non-dual tantra emerging from the Shivoham Lineage. Along with her 200 RYT designation, Hayley also holds a Bachelor of Education and certifications in CPR-C and Mental Health First Aid.
Hayley has lived in the Sunderland area for over 10 years and looks forward to making meaningful connections with the community through yoga.
Join Hayley at her Monday night Gentle Hatha Flow and Sunday morning Meditation classes!
Katie Burchert, Yoga Teacher + Reiki Practitioner
Yoga came into Katie’s life at a time when she most needed it. Working at a job that wasn’t fulfilling her spiritually, mentally, or physically, started to take a toll on her.
She turned to yoga to fill the void in her life that was slowly consuming her.
From that first class on, she knew she had found her calling. Using what she had learned on the mat and applying it throughout her life has completely changed her.
Katie’s hope as a yoga teacher is to create an environment where everyone feels welcome. She’s a lover of the moon, stars, and Mother Earth.
Katie is registered with Yoga Alliance as a RYT 200 and is also a reiki practitioner. She looks forward to sharing, healing, and connecting with everyone in the community.
Join Katie at her Monday morning and Thursday evening Power Vinyasa classes!
Karen Seymour, Yoga Teacher + Reiki Practitioner
When Karen moved to Ireland in 2009, she was looking for a community. She offered her time as a receptionist at a yoga studio in exchange for yoga classes. She tried them all and fell in love with syncing up the breath with movement. She discovered and became very curious about the unique language that her body was expressing when in motion and in stillness. She also became aware of the reactions and stories of her mind with this newfound practice. The whole experience left her feeling grounded, physically spacious, self-empowered and connected with other individuals who valued their health and wellness too.
To deepen her own practice in 2016, Karen completed her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training at Octopus Garden in Toronto. Then followed Restorative Teacher Training, as she values the body's innate ability to move towards balance and heal itself. The mindfulness of bodily sensations in Restorative has been one to support Karen's personal journey on and off the yoga mat.
Karen has additional training as a Registered Massage Therapist, Reiki practitioner and sound bath facilitator. These modalities give her a deeper understanding of how the mind, physical and energetic body relate with one another, which offers a well-rounded and holistic approach to yoga.
Join Karen at her Thursday evening Restorative Yoga + Meditation classes!
Cindy Dean, Yoga Teacher
Cindy is rooted in her guidance of yoga and is a fitness and wellness enthusiast who motivates and inspires individuals to dive in and explore their movement practice.
Grounded in the soulful connection of breath, body, and movement, she is excited to meet you and is passionate about cultivating meaningful connections.
Cindy studied at Ahimsa Yoga and received her 300hr YTT certification with JP Tamblyn-Sabo and completed her certification as a Goddess Flow intuitive Feminine movement guide with its creator, Michelle Tamblyn-Sabo.
Cindy is also certified by Can-Fit Pro as a Fitness Instructor Specialist. Cindy brings an energetic and grounding vibe to any class she teaches.
Her enthusiasm, joy and love of music will leave you inspired to live your best life.
Join Cindy at her Monday evening Move + Be Still classes!
Nicole Boake, Yoga Teacher
Nicole has been practicing Yoga for over 15 years and has been a certified Yoga Instructor for 3. She has completed 200 Hours of training through Gyan Breath Yoga and 50 hours of training at KIND yoga.
Nicole is a Highschool Art and Yoga Teacher. She is passionate about teaching yoga to beginners and teens to help them get comfortable and feel supported in their practice. She loves incorporating creativity into her classes to keep things interesting.
Nicole is expecting a baby girl in February! She plans to join us with her little one to teach a Mommy & Baby Yoga Class to new Moms who can bring their babies. She is excited to venture and grow her Yoga practice.
Keep an eye out for when Nicole and her new little one will be joining us!
Kirsten Nicolson, Yoga Teacher
Kirsten became a yoga teacher after realizing how much a consistent yoga
practice led to improvements in her physical and mental health and wanted to bring that same feeling to others. Kirsten first became certified to teach kids yoga through Rainbow Kids Yoga in 2017, completed her 200 hour YTT in Vinyasa Yoga in 2018 through Happy Jack Yoga, and completed a Trauma Sensitive Yoga certification in 2019 through Power Yoga Canada and Healing Heroes.
Kirsten's favourite class to teach is one that leaves people feeling challenged and rested all within an hour, and loves to compliment her classes with a coffee-house vibe playlist and extra long savasanas!
Kirsten is new to the community and is looking forward to connecting with
all of you!
We are so grateful to have Kirsten join our team!
Taylor Vanderzwet, Yoga Teacher + Reiki Practitioner
Taylor is a very passionate being who believes in the self integration of yoga and its teachings to help empower others. She’s a nature lover, an avid traveler, and Reiki Practitioner.
Taylor believes her practice is the intersection of bliss between mind, body, and soul… each time she steps on the mat that is her goal.
Through teaching Taylor has found a unique way to actively share and inspire others. She believes theme weaving with nature creates an accessible way for her clients and students to visualize energy and how to find alignment within within their own bodies.
We are so grateful to have Taylor join our team and community!
Andrea Wolf, Yoga Teacher
With a psychology and child studies degree in hand, Andrea began her career in the field of children’s mental health, specifically supporting young children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Following her own positive experiences with yoga, Andrea completed intensive 300-hour Yoga Teacher Training through Yoga Therapy Toronto in 2013. A Master’s in Developmental Psychology from the University of Toronto, OISE in 2014 was fuelled by her zest for higher learning.
Over the course of the next several years, Andrea complemented her credentials in the areas of Kids Yoga Teacher Training, Asanas for Autism, Acceptance Commitment Therapy Mindfulness Training and most recently a Prenatal/Postnatal Teacher Training.
In her various professional roles as a therapist and consultant, directly supporting children with various needs and their families, the therapeutic element to all of Andrea’s yoga training was imperative. She wrote her first yoga program for little ones, ages 3-5 with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in 2014. From there, she spent the next 7 years weaving yoga into her therapeutic and family support roles.
In 2021 Andrea began her passion project, Well Yoga offering Baby and Me yoga and prenatal yoga to the Uxbridge community. She continues to expand her yoga offerings within her niche of caregiver wellness.
Andrea is committed to the safe and mindful practice of her clients. She creates a space to both move and connect with your body, your baby and others.
We are so excited to have Andrea part of the team!