Imagination Yoga

 
Jamie Hopkins
Portland, OR
jamie@imaginationyoga.com
(503) 997-8762

I have been teaching Imagination Yoga to kids since 2007 and I LOVE my job. I am able to bring two of my favorite things together at the same time: Yoga and Chidren. Imagination Yoga is my platform to inspire kids to move, to relax, to create and to connect with their true great nature. I have been practicing and teaching yoga for over 10 years.

 
Jessica McClintic
Portland, OR
jessica@imaginationyoga.com
(971) 645-9606

I have been an Imagination Yoga teacher since 2008 and practicing yoga personally since 1994. My love for kids has always been a part of my life and it deepened when my own two girls were born. My favorite parts of teaching Imagination Yoga are; sharing the importance of kindness, the joy found in moving your body and providing opportunities for a child to close their eyes and manifest their own ideas through self-expression.

 
Katy McInally
Portland, OR
katy.mcinally@imaginationyoga.com
(503) 820-1987

My name is Katy McInally and I have been teaching Imagination Yoga since I became certified in 2008 and have been practicing yoga since 2000. I love teaching Imagination Yoga because it allows kids to use their imagination in an environment that is completely safe and respectful of all ideas and points of view. It is amazing that in a quick thirty minute class we can go so many places in our imaginations while strengthening our bodies and our minds as well as building a sense of trust in others.

 
Crista Lindberg
Portland, OR
crista.lindberg@imaginationyoga.comm
(503) 922-2470

My first experience with Imagination Yoga was as a parent of two students. After their first class, my kids were using big yoga breathes and repeating poses gleefully in the living room for days. I recognized it was more than just a class; my kids were adapting it to their life outside of the class, obviously thirsty for this style of mental and physical stimulation. I just had to get further involved. After studying meditation and shiatsu in Tokyo for the last 3 years, it felt very natural to join Imagination Yoga to encourage kindness, teach thoughtful breathing and stoke the flames of imagination in our youth.

 
Elissa Cirignotta
Portland, OR
elissa.cirignotta@imaginationyoga.com
(202) 420-8754

I graduated in 2005 from Eastern Mennonite University with a Bachelor’s of Art in Special Education and a Minor in Spanish. In 2008 I recieved a Master’s in Teaching, with an emphasis in Educational Transformation, from George Mason University. Since 2005 I have taught at both the elementary and high school levels to students with disabilities ranging from Autism, Aspbergers, Learning Disabilities, ADHD/ADD, Emotional Disturbances, Orthopedic Impairments and many more. Over the years self calming techniques were slowly embedded into my curriculum and then my own passions of hula hooping and spinning poi quickly became part of our daily routines. I needed my students to understand their own “kind” of intelligence and learn how to listen to their inner wisdom. I moved to Portland in 2011, and immediately began working as a Support Specialist for a local school district, supporting nine schools k-12, while simultaneously pursuing a certification as an Autism Consultant. The opportunity presented itself to become an Imagination Yoga Teacher and everything that I had done up to that point seemed to have made more sense. Teaching yoga to children with special needs is just as important as teaching academics. The goal is not only to improve the flexibility of the body, but also to deepen the flexibility of the mind. My hope is for our children to have increased control of their bodies, awareness of their breath, and a sense of gratitude for their precious little lives. Because it takes a village to raise a child my sessions should ideally integrate both child and parent created goals with educationally and/or medically driven goals. *Spanish Friendly

 
Monica Montiel
Portland, OR
monica.imaginationyoga@gmail.com

I have been working professionally with children for the past 13 years from social work to early childhood and early elementary education in English and in Spanish. My love for children took on a whole new dimension when I became a mother. Imagination Yoga is the perfect culmination of these key parts of my life and an opportunity for me to share with children the peace and feeling of contentment that I personally get from yoga.

 
Taza Muncie-Jarvis
Clackamas, OR
tazadesiree@gmail.com
(503) 616-1650

I have been working with children in different capacities for as long as I can remember, from summer camp, to coaching sports, to teaching, and I have a sincere passion for it!!! I LOVE imagination yoga because it provides a great opportunity for children to strengthen their bodies, expand their minds, and to envision the world as they would like it to be. I think that helping children learn to be self-aware, globally conscious, and to practice kindness are among the most important things we can be teaching. I have been practicing yoga personally since 2005 and became a certified Imagination Yoga Instructor in February 2012.

 
Courtney Covington
Tigard, OR
courtneyscovington@gmail.com
(503) 317-1577

I have been doing Yoga since 2005 & working with kids since 1990. With a Bachelors degree in Physical Activity & Development, becoming certified in Imagination Yoga created a unique combination of my education & passion to encourage kids to move. I am greatly inspired when kids stretch both their minds & bodies beyond their previous expectations and grow in their new found confidence.

Carole Moritz
Portland, OR
camoritz26@gmail.com
(503) 522-6727

Carole creates a safe environment where students cultivate strength, flexibility, endurance and compassion. She safely guides students toward a deeper mind-body connection for maintaining health. She emphasizes yoga as a moving meditation on the mat where one can carry that focus and intention off the mat. In her work with children, she creates an environment where kids can explore through focus, flow and fun! A practitioner for over 15 years, Carole made the transition from yoga practitioner to instructor in 2011. She is honored to be a part of the yoga community of teachers and students.

 
Heather Leonard
Argyle, TX
heather.leonard@imaginationyoga.com
(503) 329-1227

My first experience with Imagination Yoga was through my children. They came home taking big deep yoga breaths and trying to calm their bodies. I saw a class and I was hooked. After moving to Texas, we looked for something similar, but couldn't find anything! That led me to decide to bring Imagination Yoga to Texas! I love seeing the children's faces light up and their imaginations get to work! This is an amazing way to impact our children and our community for the better and I am so excited to be a part of it.

 
Stephanie Ramon
Lewisville, TX
stephanie.ramon@imaginationyoga.com
(972) 310-7778

Imagination Yoga and the amazing message it spreads spoke to me. I knew from the first adventure I saw that this is what I was meant to do. Today’s youth can benefit so much from everything it has to offer. I am honored to be able to help bring this amazing program to Texas, and am humble in my role to enrich the lives of children in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

 
Aimee J. Leach
Flower Mound, TX
aimee.leach@imaginationyoga.com
(937) 657-0899

My name is Aimee Leach and I am so thrilled to be a part of Imagination Yoga. My family and I relocated to the DFW area from Ohio in June of 2011. I have 2 children who bring me more joy than I ever thought possible and are just as excited about Imagination Yoga as I am. They love the grand adventures we take during the stories as well as the yoga poses. Even more so, the Imagination Yoga Boldly Kind curriculum resonates with them. Imagination Yoga combines so many of the tools I use in raising my own children- the use of the imagination, an active lifestyle, the idea that kindness does have an impact and to be the best possible "you". Imagination Yoga has been a wonderful gift in my life and I am truly blessed to be able to share it. "The best in me honors the best in you."

 
Sunny Kuo
Tualatin, OR
hh_kuo@yahoo.com
(503) 816-2757

I have been doing Yoga since 2008. In November of 2011, I took an Imagination Yoga teacher training. I was so inspired by their methods of teaching and decided to become a part of this community. I teach Imagination Yoga twice a week in a Chinese preschool and I would like to provide a time and space for sharing the importance of kindness, and an opportunity to diversify this spread of Imagination Yoga to other cultural communities.

 
Jennifer Matson
Walla Walla, WA
jenmatson@rocketmail.com
(503) 481-6828

I have been an Imagination Yoga teacher since 2010. Being the mother of a child who is special needs, I recently began teaching an Imagination Yoga class specifically for children with special needs. I love watching all of the children in my classes use their creativity and expression as we use our imaginations to take us on great adventures!

 
Meghan Doughty
Newberg, OR
doughtyma@live.com
(702) 374-1580

I have been an Imagination Yoga teacher since 2011. Imagination yoga is a beautiful blend of my joys: teaching, yoga and storytelling. I love to teach because I can encourage students to expand their world. I love to practice yoga because it gives me peace, space to find joy, and stretches me. My professional journey leading to Imagination Yoga includes an undergraduate degree in Human Services Counseling and a Master of Arts in Teaching. As a facilitator I get to encourage children to engage their imaginations, move their bodies, explore new worlds, and practice kindness. It is so fun!

 
Laurie Davies
Merced, CA
laurie.davies@comcast.net
(209) 628-1860

I love this program because it can really help children to attain a healthy lifestyle, with body and mind working towards kindness. Imagination yoga lets ‘kids be kids’ and imagine, and be silly, in a way that exercises more than just the body. I’ve been practicing yoga for over 12 years, and I was drawn to teaching imagination yoga through doing yoga poses with my 6 year old son.

 
Jessica Bookout
Cornelius, OR
j2bookout@gmail.com
(971) 570-4768

I have been volunteering and working with children for the past 15 years. I am always looking for new ways to move, laugh and learn and I am excited to help children do the same! I am proud to be a part of something that promotes imagination, wellness and respect for everyone.

 
Jessica Scott
Portland, OR
scottjessica87@gmail.com
(541) 419-4121

I became an Imagination Yoga teacher because I have a passion for bettering children's lives. When I found Imagination Yoga it made so much sense for me to get involved and bring to my community, the mission behind IY deeply resonated with me. I hope that I can teach children kindness and respect for themselves and others.