If You Are...
Anxious...
Full of aches and pains...
Out of shape...
Unable to sleep well...
Stiff and inflexible...
Stressed out...
Scattered...
Physically uncomfortable... You may be
surprised at how
much better
you feel after
just one class!
About Us
Devi Elizabeth McKenty - Certified Yoga Instructor
Elizabeth became interested in yoga in 1980 because she felt that beyond the feelings of deep relaxation she experienced at the end of a class, yoga provided her with a sense of "coming home" into her own body.
Trained as a Registered Nurse, she continued her studies in yoga and alternative healing modalities over the last 3 decades and is certified in several different styles of yoga, massage therapy and NLP.
In 2001, Elizabeth McKenty experienced radical changes in her physical health, mental outlook and spiritual exploration a she began to practice Svaroopa® yoga. She noticed a profound sense of transformation in her body and her mind. Soon she witnessed her life changing as well. As a result, she started to teach Svaroopa® style yoga exclusively in 2002. Elizabeth now teaches from a deep understanding of how yoga's practices effect the body, the mind and more.
Elizabeth blends her knowledge from years of nursing with her extensive yoga training. Her compassion and humor help students open the doorway to a deeper experience of themselves, others and the world around them.
Susan Beers - Newcomer Series Instructor
After decades of experience in various styles of yoga, Susan found Svaroopa® Yoga and life hasn't been the same since. She is currently in the Master Yoga Foundation teacher training program, so that she can help bring the benefits of this wonderful practice to more students in the area. One of the most important aspects of her personal practice is integrating yoga into her busy daily life as wife, mother, grandmother, corporate real estate manager, and church musician. The support of weekly classes at Yoga Possibilities and Svaroopa's simple poses at home makes all the difference!
Brigitta Zimmer - Hatha Yoga
Yoga has come in and out of Brigitta's life since 1986. She became a devoted student 10 years ago. In 2008 she completed her 200 hour Yoga Alliance Teacher Training and has been sharing the amazing benefits of yoga ever since. She is currently enrolled in the 500 hour teacher training at Sacred Rivers Yoga. Brigitta brings an open heart and her love of community practice to all her classes.
Cynthia Barraford - Yin/Flow Fusion
Cynthia’s exploration of the yogic path began 4 years ago in a search for something to quiet her mind and heal her body. As with many people, it was love at first Savasana. After developing a personal practice, she felt compelled to share her new found love of the amazing body-mind connection she had discovered. She recently graduated from Sacred Rivers 200 Hour Yoga Alliance Teacher Training Program. Her classes are philosophically based on the Yoga Sutra: Sthira Sukham Asanam: in all postures find steadiness and ease. In love with learning, she regularly attends workshops on a variety of yoga styles. Cynthia creates a sanctuary for her students to access the deep peace that resides within them, in a joyous and supportive atmosphere.
Julianna Shortell - NIA Dance-Nia Certified White Belt
In my very first Nia class, I found myself shimmying like showgirl, swaying like a dashboard hula dancer, and then thumping my chest and hollering like a silverback gorilla with something to prove. My brain declared, "This is silly!" but my body chimed in with, "But I'm having FUN!" And so that was that.
I completed my White Belt training in 2010 after practicing Nia as a student for 7 years. A former athlete and lifelong dancer, I bring over 30 years of movement experience to my teaching. With Nia, I love sharing the essence of what inspired me to dance as a child: the joy of moving one's body to music without judgment. As someone with a keen interest in human anatomy, I am also excited to have found a fitness practice that is based on the body's natural alignment, encourages functional mobility, and can be adapted to suit any body's needs at any given time.
Julia Deak - NIA Dance- Nia Certified Black Belt
Julie is a Wellness Educator & Program Coordinator for a Community Health Center with over 20 years of
experience offering dynamic programs for adults and children.She says this about her Nia story,
"I heard about Nia in 2000 and followed my inner voice to go to a Nia White Belt Intensive, having never taken a
Nia class before. At the white belt, during one of the sessions, I experienced a life changing shift that forever
changed my relationship to my body. And I haven't stopped dancing and Nia since.
I've tried many different methods and approaches to moving and healing and Nia has made the biggest
positive change in my body and my life. As a Nia teacher, I love creating and sharing experiences for others
who are seeking to find out who they are, to facilitate change, and to self heal by
connecting to the dance of pleasure, sensation, personal truth and beauty."
Erika Halford - Yin Yoga
I no longer believe that yoga is something that can be done. Rather, it is a way of being, seeing and experiencing the world around us. The practices purify that which no longer serves us and integrates gratitude for the plethora of beauty that surrounds us. I have been fortunate enough to study yoga with Paula Scopino at Sacred Rivers Yoga, who taught me how to make yoga accessible for everyone. I am a 300 hour graduate of Shiva Rea, who continues to support me in the tending of my own heart fire and how to inspire that in others. I am currently studying western massage at Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy and Traditional Thai Massage at Body Mind with Rick Haeshe. My intention is to combine everything I have learned about yoga, ayurveda, massage, motherhood and life to help others pause and remember what’s really important in life: that we love one another, that we take care of one another and that we live in a way that allows the divine current to be expressed beautifully through us in all we create. Please join me on the mat for letting go, calling in and sharing the precious moments of yoga that bring us together.
Svaroopa® is a registered service mark of S.T.C., Inc., used under license.
