YOUR INSTRUCTORS:

CLARISSA (she/her): Owner/Instructor, ERYT500, RCYT, YACEP, HMACM, Reiki 
​A student of the practice since the mid-90’s and bringing over 15 years of teaching experience to her classes, Clarissa teaches from a space of reverence, curiosity, fun, and spontaneity. Her teaching is most often unscripted, offering unique sequences intuitively inspired by the energy of the moment. Clarissa is known for her ability to cultivate community and truly teach to all levels of yoga experience in all her classes. Clarissa is registered with Yoga Alliance and, along with specialized training in various aspects and styles of yoga and movement-based healing modalities, Clarissa holds the following certifications: ERYT200 (2008 - Yoga Bliss Studio), ERYT500 (2016 - Rolf Gates 300hr. Advanced Vinyasa Teacher Training),  Restorative Yoga (2013 - Skyla Rameriz), Hanna Somatics (2018 - Akasha Ellis), Yoga for All (2018 - Dianne Bondy), Accessible Yoga (2020 - Jivana Heyman/Amber Karnes), RCYT: Yoga for Children and Teens with a Trauma-Informed Focus (2021 - YogaEd.). 
Additionally, Clarissa has an extensive knowledge of medicinal plants, currently apprenticing through Rosemary Gladstar’s Science and Art of Herbalism community herbalist course. She has been attuned to Reiki since 2008, and has an in-depth understanding of the use of crystals for balancing energy, earning the designation of Certified Crystal Practitioner from the Hibiscus Moon Crystal Academy, in 2016 and Advanced Crystal Master in 2021. 
Clarissa is a fierce and tireless child advocate within Tuscaloosa City Schools and serves the LGBTQ+ community as a founding member of PFLAG Tuscaloosa. Clarissa is available for private sessions, workshops, speaking engagements, and events.  To consult with Clarissa for your event or speaking engagement, please email your request to: paintedlotusyoga@gmail.com.

LYNDA (she/her): LMT, ERYT500, Reiki Master Teacher 
Lynda is a pioneer in the Tuscaloosa area having opened the first yoga studio in Tuscaloosa more than 20 years ago. We are honored that she brings her years of teaching experience and extensive knowledge of functional movement, principles of alignment, and understanding of yogic philosophy to our PLYW family. Practicing massage therapy in Tuscaloosa since 1997, Lynda Kees Massage Therapy shares a home with us inside the PLYW space. For more information or to schedule body work with Lynda, please contact her directly here: https://lyndakees.com

Nita (she/her) RYT200 
Nita is In-Line yoga trained, a form that grows out of the Iyengar tradition, a method of yoga practice that utilizes lots of props and emphasizes beneficial alignment for each person's unique needs. She brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to Painted Lotus Yoga having taught for GFG Fitness, Yoga Bliss Studio and for her own business, Rejuvenation Yoga, LLC.

REBECCA (she/her): Tai Chi/Qigong
Becca grew up in East Tennessee on the edge of the Smoky Mountains. The meditative effect of the mountains and respect for nature and the environment were engrained at an early age. She moved her family to Tuscaloosa to take a position as an audiologist in the Department of Communicative Disorders at the University of Alabama. She began practicing Tai Chi and Qigong in 2015 receiving training through the Tai Chi for Health Institute. Since spending her professional career teaching and training students, extending her practice to teach Tai Chi and Qigong was second nature. Her goal is to increase awareness of Tai Chi and Qigong in the Tuscaloosa community. 
"​In 2015, at the advice of a friend, I began to investigate Tai Chi practice. Health and wellness benefits were well established and documented, which appealed to me due to chronic back pain. The real draw for me however was the idea of a practice based on continuous movement. I am by nature restless and both like and need to move. Through the course of Tai Chi practice, I have come to understand, embrace, and appreciate the concept of movement in stillness. I will take this practice with me wherever I go for the rest of my life."