Tulaa Yoga Studio - Wilmington, Delaware

Michele Hensey - Director E-RYT, RYT 500/HITA 500

~ My practice & study of yoga began in the late 90's & immediately I was hooked. The transformation I felt in my life was something I was soon inspired to share with others. I began my teacher training in 2004 and completed a 200hr UK Yoga Alliance program with Dr. Brian Cooper in Edinburgh, Scotland, which included intensives and workshops with many master teachers. I've been blessed to continue to attend workshops and advanced training with many inspiring teachers and completed my 500 hour teacher training with HITA in August 2009. I believe that the knowledge I am able to share with my students is a direct result of my journey as a life-long student of yoga. I am deeply grateful to all of my teachers.

Jessica Pucci, RYT 200

~ Jessica was first introduced to yoga in 2001 and was immediately hooked. She began a Power Yoga Teacher Training with Bill Raup of Power Yoga Works after her practice began to evolve from a physical and mental practice to a spiritual practice. Discovering the power of inner peace and connecting with the body was something she wanted to share with others. Yoga has been influential in so many aspects of her life; the yoga mat is where she truly realized her purpose. She is thankful for the opportunity to introduce others to yoga, helping them to grow, transform, stay present, and discover yoga as a way of life. Jessica is privileged to be a spectator of the beautiful dance-like quality of yoga, watching her students flowing mindfully through each movement, bringing attention to each part of their bodies, and feeling the energy that the practice brings to the world. She loves to remind her students to have fun, enjoy the healing powers of yoga and to smile! She believes that once yoga has been discovered, one can truly relate to the E.E. Cummings quote "Now the eyes of my eyes are opened".

Gerard Olson, RYT 200

~ Gerard was always physically active growing up, playing baseball, soccer, and surfing and swimming during the summers. During high school, he became aware of a Buddhist temple in his neighborhood, and began to develop a regular meditation practice. Around the same time, a friend introduced him to some basic yoga practices: surya namaskar and some pranayama. Gerard loved the intertwining of meditative stillness and the physical postures found in yoga, and began to attend classes and develop a personal practice. In January 2010, Gerard completed his 200 hour teacher certification at Yoga On Main, in Philadelphia. Studying Inner Fire Yoga with Shiva Das, Ed Zadlo (Acharya Premanand), and a host of other gifted teachers, he became enthralled with the various yogic paths: Raja, Bhakti, Karma, Jnana, and seeks to incorporate aspects of each within his classes. Through regular yoga practice, Gerard believes health and healing can take place, consciousness can expand, and one's full potential can be expressed.

Mahlone Burnette, RYT 200

~ After discovering a video tape of yoga in high school, Mahlone's enthusiastic path of exploration has continued exponentially. With three years of teaching experience, over 200 hours of teacher training and her current pursuit of certification through the Himalayan Institute, Mahlone is dedicated to inspiring students to find the natural joy and peace that exists within each of us when we bring balance to our physical, mental and spiritual lives. With challenging and creative asana sequence, guided meditation and breath work, she creates a safe and sacred space in which students of all levels and abilities can experience their own transformation.

Stephanie Berliner, RYT 200

~ "I discovered yoga in 2001, and it was love at first asana. Unlike anything else, the practice just made sense to me, and it has led me to countless "Aha!" moments both on and off the mat. I have always felt compelled to share the grace and light of yoga with others, and in 2011 I completed my 250 hour teaching certification at Wake Up Yoga. My teaching style is precise and alignment-focused, and I seek to add levity and bits of yogic philosophy to each class. I invite students to challenge themselves and find their edge in order to dive more deeply into themselves with each practice. I am eternally grateful to my wise and gracious teachers, Corina Benner and Victoria Ladd; to my beloved mentor, Biz Magarity; to all of my teachers, past, present and future; and to all of their teachers and their teachers' teachers. I am honored and humbled to now be called teacher myself."

Disha Mattive, 200 RYT, ChildLight Certified, YogaWorks: Postnatal Certification

~ Disha was first introduced to yoga at the young age of seven and began seriously practicing while living and working in New York City fifteen years ago, where she found yoga to be a great way to maintain health, harmony and direction in her busy life. She was especially impressed with the way yoga helped her ease her way through all of the chapters of life and enjoys sharing her love for yoga with her daughter. She has found a passion teaching to children, as yoga was always meant to be passed down to future generations, and she is greatly inspired by their naturally yogic ways. Her children's classes are always full of fun poses, games, laughter and music! Disha also holds a B.A. in Biology from the University of Delaware, has all of her clearances to work with your child and is CPR certified for adults and children.