Student Stories
Profiles of our Graduate Yoga Therapists
Sarah Cummins
Lives in: Huntsville, Alabama
Certified Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT) September 2021
Works in: Private Practice - offices at Waterfall Yoga Therapy and Retreat Center and a leased office in a holistic care center, also offering virtual and in-home care.
Somatic Yoga Therapist for pain management and chronic illnesses in addition to customized wellness retreats.
Inner Peace Yoga Therapy Program Mentor and Insight Timer Meditation Teacher.
Dawn Schaefer Stumpf
Lives in: Annandale Minnesota, west of Minneapolis
Certified Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT) August, 2023
Works at: Room to Grow Therapy and Consulting, providing private, telehealth, small group therapy in a beautiful 100 year old home turned into a Mental Wellness Healing Space. Also works as a yoga therapist in the workplace and schools.
Jenna Csont
Lives in: Chicago, IL
Certified Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT) in 2020
Works at: Skyway Behavioral Health Hospital, Skokie, IL
Somatic Therapy Specialist/Yoga Therapist (recently promoted to oversee all of their somatic programming). Serves patients with Complex Trauma/PTSD/Eating Disorders
Blair Douglas
Lives in: Denver, CO and Tucson, AZ
Certified Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT) in Jan, 2023
Works at Private practice working with individual clients 90% virtually 10% in person. Clients are working on improving one or all of these, chronic pain, neurological disorders, and or fictional mobility.
Natalie Buster
Lives in: San Antonio, Texas
Certified Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT) in January, 2023
Works as Resident Yoga Therapist at Abode, a contemplative home for the dying in San Antonio, Texas. Getting ready to launch End of Life Yoga Training Program at the beginning of 2024. Also helps lead the Death Doula training program at Abode which incorporates contemplative practices.
Caitlin Brown
Lives in: Detroit, MI
Certified Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT) in Dec, 2022
Works in Children’s Hospital of Michigan, primary populations: Oncology/hematology, pain, mental health.
Also private practice (Mindful Detroit), in-person and virtual, primary populations: LGBTQIA+, social workers and other helping professionals, burnout, mental health
Diane Kistler
Lives in: Gilbertsville, PA
Certified Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT) in May, 2018
Works in Private practice seeing clients one on one for Chronic Pain. Currently work both in home office and and at an Acupuncturist office. Also run Pain Care Yoga Series classes at a senior center and guide students with cancer with Unite for Her. Co-facilitate a monthly Pain Care Support Group where we highlight integrated practitioners in the community to foster connection and new knowledge of ways to support their pain journey. Finally, with two fellow Inner Peace colleagues and friends, established Pain Care Collective, an online yoga therapy studio for chronic pain which has both livestream and on-demand options for classes as well as a one on one consultations with a yoga therapist.
Edda Rodriguez
Lives in: Mundelein, IL
Certified Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT) in April, 2019
Works in Small private practice serving and part-time for a DoD-VA Federal HealthCare Center in Northern Illinois. Serves combat veterans and active duty personnel through the different Mental Health units at the hospital (PTSD unit, MST unit, Acute and long-term psychiatric units, Substance Abuse and Recovery Unit) as well as through the Bridge program (serving veterans and military in the community) Private practice is centered at renegotiating trauma, mainly working with adults survivors of war, immigrants, survivors of domestic and sexual abuse trauma; occasionally, teens and children. Have also partnered up with the Cancer Wellness Center and the City of Waukegan to reach out to the Hispanic Community.
Katie Pine
Lives in: Denver, CO
Certified Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT) in Dec, 2021
Works at Nurture Wellcare Marketplace, a Denver wellness collective that features over 60 holistic healthcare practitioners. Private practice combines yoga therapy work with therapeutic yin yoga and meditation class offerings and workshops. Serves primarily adult clients experiencing stress, anxiety and pain via a comprehensive assessment and holistic treatment planning process, helping them to find and implement the specific yoga-based tools and practices they need to restore balance to their lives as they reconnect with themselves. Learn more about Katie's practice and offerings at www.reconnectionyogatherapy.com.
Janet Liu
Lives in: Los Angeles, CA
Certified Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT) in April, 2023
Works in Outpatient cancer center teaching small group yoga therapy classes for cancer patients. Also works virtually with 1:1 private clients.
Deborah Alvarez O'Neil
Lives in: Worcester, MA
Certified Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT) in Oct, 2020
Works in Mental health and substance abuse treatment units of an all-male county jail in Central Massachusetts. My husband, a psychiatric and addiction recovery nurse, and I work together at the facility and have developed a trauma-informed and therapeutic program of yoga, breathwork and meditation offered in small groups for these high-risk populations of men.
Lynn Wickersham
Lives in: Durango, CO
Certified Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT) in Sept, 2020
Works in Private practice called Birdsong Yoga Therapy. Work from an office associated with a budding wellness collective that also includes a General Medical Practitioner (MD), Hyperbaric Therapy Center, Massage Therapist, Craniosacral Therapist, Functional Movement Therapist, and another Yoga Therapist. Specialize in yoga therapy services for chronic pain, grief, and neurological conditions. In addition to private sessions, facilitates small, group classes for grief and chronic pain.
Linda Benton
Lives in: Gurnee, IL
Certified Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT) in November, 2021
Works part-time with students and patients within the Advocate Healthcare Hospital System and the VA Medical Hospital in Northern Illinois. This is centered around those suffering from PTSD, trauma, pain, mental health, back care and Scoliosis. Also works 1:1 with private clients to customize a home practice for them to manage their scoliosis and back care through Yoga and Pilates.
Lisa Segar
Lives in: Saint Joseph MI
Certified Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT) in December, 2022
Works in Works in Private practice, Soul Deep Yoga, which is located inside The Natural Healing Center in St. Joseph seeing a variety of clients at that location. Offering a broad scope of practice including offerings for those with pain, anxiety, depression, grief and perinatal. Additionally, works with the new Integrative Health Center, part of Corewell Health South
Patti DeBlass
Lives in: Williamsburg, VA
Certified Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT) in August, 2018
Works at College of William and Mary McLeod Tyler Wellness Center working with the student population
Julie Williams
Lives in: Williamsburg, VA
Certified Yoga Therapist in August, 2018
Works as owner of Santosha Yoga Therapy LLC seeing clients virtually through her own business and soon through MN Clinic for Health and Wellness in MN. She primarily see clients struggling with chronic pain, autoimmune issues, spinal pain/care joint health, and mental health challenges.
Testimonials
As a yoga studio owner and teacher for nine years, I had been looking for a yoga therapy program that fit my needs and interests for many years. I knew immediately when I found the Inner Peace program that this would be the one. The program’s diverse faculty, strong curriculum, affordability and accessibility made it unique, and the course of study exceeded my expectations.
– Becky Crigger
I was drawn to the Inner Peace program because it gave me the opportunity to study with a number of teachers whose work I was familiar with and wanted to learn more about. It brought all these teachers together in one place so that I could sample a number of areas in a relatively short span of time. This training will enable me to open a unique practice that excites me and that does not presently exist in my city. The Inner Peace program is very well organized and the quality of the teaching is outstanding! I’m really happy I did it!
– Jennifer Parker
Inner Peace Yoga Therapy is one of the very best schools of its kind. The whole training process was extremely well organized, and I felt very supported by both the Inner Peace staff and my fellow students before, during, and after completing the program. The curriculum was diverse and taught by highly experienced professionals. I feel proud to have graduated from one of the first schools accredited by IAYT.
– Michelle Fletcher
The Inner Peace Yoga Therapy certification program was one of the best professional experiences of my life. With a solid science base, the training remains true to yoga diversity and tradition, and maintains balance with so much heart! The instructors were world class without exception. I practice yoga therapy with a psychiatrist in an integrated setting located in South Carolina. The Inner Peace training prepared me to take this step in my professional path. I would recommend the training to anyone who feels ready to practice yoga therapy professionally.
– Robin Travers
“The Yoga Therapy program with Inner Peace was personally and professionally life changing for me. The format is exceptional, and gave me the opportunity to learn from some of the most respected teachers in the world.”
– Katlin R
I had been drawn to teaching yoga in a 1-1 setting and knew that Yoga Therapy would be the path to take in order to further my knowledge and best take care of my clients. I chose Inner Peace Yoga Therapy because of the teachers and the variety in the course work. The way that Inner Peace carefully sets up each training is harmonious. It is as if one teaching adds to the next. As I stay connected with the training, I can see how it is evolving to meet the needs of the current climate and staying relevant in the field of Yoga Therapy. I always say that I wish I could relive the experience of the Inner Peace training again and again. It was life-changing. The teachings, my teachers and fellow cohorts are always close to my heart as I continue to grow in my work and my own life. I am forever grateful to be a Yoga Therapist and to Inner Peace for equipping me to apply the practice of Yoga to meet the needs of my clients coping with anxiety, depression, grief, chronic pain, and overall seeking wellbeing. As I write this, I feel so blessed. Thank you to Inner Peace and all my teachers!
– Amy Gaster