Meet the Healing Elements and Wellness Team
Meet the amazing people who bring it all together here at Healing Elements & Wellness, including our Yoga instructors and massage therapists.
Wellness Teachers
Madeline Harpell
Merchandise Manager / Photographer
I am dedicated to a life of healing and authentic connection. There is not much that I love more than quality time spent with myself and the people I am close with. The foundation of my wellness journey was laid through a spiritual upbringing, and developed deeply through classes on meditation and wellness in college. Through this, I now strive to live most alive — tapping into the spirit for my most aware, honest and loving being.
Being outside, whatever the weather, is something that makes me feel most alive. I am passionate about sustainability and protecting the planet. I am drawn to the spiritual sources that we have access to on Earth and feel called to swim in this ocean of knowledge that the spiritual community provides. As an interdisciplinary artist, my art-making practices are focused in photography, collage and movement. I am overjoyed to be part of this strong community, to continually be supported and to support in this connected healing journey we are all on.
When I’m not at Healing Elements, you can find me taking photos, cuddling with my cat Morrie, spending time with loved ones, enjoying the outdoors, or drawing myself a magical bath.
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Scott Skoog
Wellness Associate
Scott (he/they) is on an ever evolving quest of compassion, thankfulness and wellness. Many experiences have urged him to pursue a life surrounded by healthy recreation and lovely people. For the most part, in 2007 he was awakened to a much healthier lifestyle. After experiencing many years of poor sleep and gastrointestinal issues “You are what you eat” became a deep set motto. And with the surprise introduction to yoga at a Spanish camp, life was becoming more and more amazing.
In College, Scott pursued a degree in Therapeutic Recreation. A program that blew his mind as well as opened his eyes to holistic healing, modalities to help people with all types of ability sets, and more compassion for the human condition.
The best lessons Scott learned in his college career were one, fail forward, learn from your mistakes and don’t fear failure. We ultimately learn best from trial and error. And two, do beautiful things for yourself so that you become self-full and can be a beacon of love for the ones around you. A few self-full activities he enjoys are: singing circles, ecstatic dancing, swimming, trail running, long baths, games of all sorts, yoga, and chocolate!
LeAnn Sarazin
Operations Associate / Massage Therapist
Elizabeth Kaye
Wellness Associate / Tarot Reader
Elizabeth was born in a haunted house in rural Pennsylvania that gave her a lifelong connection to the spirit world. She has developed her mediumship abilities at numerous haunted homes, paranormal investigations and haunted locations over the years and added tarot to the mix 15 years ago. She has worked professionally as a medium and tarot reader for over 10 years and believes helping others navigate the often uncomfortable and confusing world of spirit is her true vocation even though she still sometimes sleeps with the lights on.
Natalie Kissell
Wellness Associate
Maria Tordoff
Massage Therapist
Maria is a healer who practices massage therapy to help decrease pain in soft tissue, build the client’s body awareness, and provide time for a client to relax and find respite from the busy day to day. Maria applies her knowledge of being a dancer and dance teacher to massage, where she views the whole body as a system rather than a collection of parts. She melts through soft tissue layer by layer in order to bring the body back to a healthier state with less tension and more ease of function. Maria practices Relaxation, Trigger Point Therapy, Cupping, Oncology Massage, and Reiki and can integrate the modalities in order to specialize with her client’s needs.
Maria holds her A.A.S in massage therapy from Northwestern Health Sciences and a BFA in modern dance and composition from UW Milwaukee.
When not doing bodywork, Maria enjoys reading all kinds of genres and journaling especially if given the chance to write outside.
Modalities: Swedish/Relaxation, Integrative, Trigger Point Therapy, Cupping, Oncology, Reiki
Availability: Wednesdays & Saturdays 11am – 5pm, Fridays 11:30am – 5:30pm
Morgan Thomas
Massage Therapist
Morgan is very passionate about helping the beings she works with to reawaken their own natural alchemical ability to transform and to experience balance body, mind, and soul. She integrates her training in Therapeutic Massage, Craniosacral, Breathwork, Reiki and Transformational Coaching to help guide these parts of self back into alignment and to help her clients remember their own inner capacity to experience healing and transformation. She honors compassion and loving kindness as the true healers and is most inspired by the human spirit`s ability to heal through love and the limitless potential that grows through the soil of transformation.
Modalities: Womxn’s Swedish/Relaxation, Womxn’s Deep Tissue/Trigger Point, Womxn’s Integrative, Womxn’s Craniosacral, Prenatal, Womxn’s Usui Reiki
Availability: Mondays 11am – 5pm
Ray Neil
Massage Therapist
Ray is from North Carolina and has a passion for helping people. As a graduate of CenterPoint Massage & Shiatsu Therapy School & Clinic, Ray is specially trained in therapeutic deep tissue massage, relaxation, and Thai massage. She also has training in birth doula work and prenatal massage. Ray has an intuitive touch, establishing a unique session for each person. She has learned the art of listening to the muscle tissue, helping to relieve pain and create overall balance in both body and mind. Ray believes in bodywork for all people because everyone deserves the space for healing and to feel good! Outside of bodywork, Ray enjoys being outdoors, exploring the Twin Cities she now calls home, and playing with her two cats Nini and Charlie.
Modalities: Swedish/Relaxation, Deep Tissue/Trigger Point, Integrative, Prenatal, Thai Infused, Hot Stone
Availability: Thursdays 2:30pm – 7:30pm
Meagan Jarvi
Massage Therapist
Meagan (she/they) graduated from the massage therapy program of Minnesota State Community and Technical College in 2012. She lived and worked in Madison WI for 6 years but recently moved back to MN. Meagan likes to customize each massage to her clients’ needs with an integrative approach of Swedish massage mixed with deep tissue and trigger point modalities. Other modalities she specializes in include prenatal massage and hot stone massage.
Outside of her massage career, Meagan’s hobbies include playing the piano, painting, writing, and photography.
Modalities: Deep Tissue/Trigger Point, Swedish/Relaxation, Integrated, Prenatal, Hot Stones, Aromatherapy
Availability: Tuesdays & Thursdays 11am-4:30pm
Katie Davis
Katie (she/her) is passionate about holistic wellness, supporting others and building community! She has been an active member of various yoga and meditation communities in the Twin Cities since 2016. She graduated from the Eastern Bodywork program offered by CenterPoint School of Massage and Shiatsu in February of 2021 after two years of intensive study. She spends much of her time continuing her education in Traditional Chinese Medicine as well as Yoga instruction through the Yoga Renew program in accordance with the international Yoga Alliance. She is a very effective and compassionate Shiatsu therapist. She has seen firsthand the benefits of this modality for chronic pain and appreciates the role of empowering others + restoring mobility. Alongside this, she offers classes and workshops surrounding self-care, meditation and community building & leadership. Outside of her passions for holistic wellness, she is an artist, dancer, writer and musician. She loves spending time in nature or with animals and seeks connectedness. She strives to see and honor the beauty in life, leaving the world a better place than she found it.
Modalities: Traditional Shiatsu Massage, Shiatsu Infused Massage, Swedish/Relaxation Massage, and Assisted Stretching
Availability: Wednesdays 3-8pm & Saturdays 11am – 6pm
Mary Sage Sennewald
Yoga Instructor / Massage Therapist
Mary Sage Sennewald is an advocate for empowerment, self-awareness, and collaboration. Through her co-creative livelihood as a life coach, yoga teacher, bodyworker, essential oils distributor, and birth doula, she strives to inspire friends to fill their lives with wellness. She holds a BA in Liberal Arts from the U of MN and has extensive education in healing modalities. Her classes, treatments and sessions are customized to support the individual needs and incorporate breath, alignment, guided relaxation and essential oils.
Classes: Restorative, Yoga Nidra
Availability: Thursdays 11am – 3pm
Thia Scully
Massage Therapist / Yoga Instructor
Alythia (she/they) has always felt a guiding hand influencing her towards the path of healing for herself and those around her. As a youth, her grandmother; a painter, photographer, and reiki master, taught her by way of osmosis the value of inner quiet, and finding beauty everywhere. Thia grew up taking care of those around her and started massaging at the age of 8. At 17, first steps were taken on the yoga journey after being impacted by her favorite painter speaking on it in an interview (Alex Grey, Chapel of Sacred Mirrors). She has completed courses in Yoga Instruction, Massage Therapy (Diploma of Applied Science through MSB), Reflexology, Reiki, and Craniosacral Therapy. Alythia is also very interested in healthy food choices and herbal remedies although, at this point, these studies are more of a hobby than a scope of practice. Interconnectedness is a key theme for her as a practitioner and person and she prefers to view discomforts from multiple angles and keep an open mind to holistic remedies. Guests on Thia’s table can expect to be listened to in many levels; as words, posture, gait cycle, and other nonverbal indicators all influence the caring approach. Her massage style tends to blend many modalities depending on the person she’s working with and she is trained to work with people of varying ages and presentations of health. In the classroom, you can expect Thia to assess the needs of the class as a whole and provide alternative postures to accommodate to the diversity of bodies in the room. She believes all bodies can do yoga and wants to share the benefits of feeling, breathing, moving, and paying attention with everyone.
Modalities: Swedish/Relaxation, Deep Tissue/Trigger Point, Myofascial Release, Foot Reflexology, Sports, Thai Infused, Prenatal, Craniosacral, and Hot Stones
Availability: Fridays 2-7pm & Sundays 2-6pm
Classes: Vinyasa and Gentle Flow
Samantha Carry
Reiki Practitioner
Having an innate interest in health and wellness, Samantha has spent her career exploring multiple facets of mental, spiritual, physical health. Earning a B.S. in Community Psychology with a minor in Human Relations and Multi-Cultural Diversity in 2006, Samantha has worked with both adolescents and adults with severe and persistent mental illness (SPMI). In 2010, Samantha began exploring Ayurvedic and herbal medicine, as well as going on to earn additional certificates as an RYT-200 hr Yoga Therapist and a Certified Level 2 Reiki Practitioner. Recognizing the potency of integrating modalities and techniques, Samantha began the ownership and operation of a small wellness center in Minneapolis. Desiring the ability to escalate healing through diagnosis and direct care, Samantha sold her business and became a Registered Nurse in 2018. Samantha currently works as a critical care nurse in a level-one trauma center. Currently set to graduate as a Family Nurse Practitioner in 2022, Samantha aims to act as a bridge between eastern and western medicine, and hopes to integrate holistic and functional medicine into her independent practice.
Availability: Every other Wednesday 5:30-8pm, every other Monday 5:30-8pm
Sara Augustin
Yoga Instructor
In my classes, you can expect an anatomical (area of the body) focus paired with an alignment action (how to engage, move, lengthen) . Each class is different every week, sometimes we are setting up big peak postures like arm balances and inversions or exploring body awareness like noticing how the pelvis changes throughout a series of poses. My classes have a light-hearted, workshoppy feel with plenty of demos and time for questions–maybe a joke here and there.
My passion for helping folks discover their body and breath awareness is driven by my dedication as a student. I am an E-RYT 500 with over 600 hours of study and practice with Christina Sell. I hold continued education with the Yoga Tune Up method. Also, as a way to foster an atmosphere of studentship and applied therapeutics, I’m currently a student of the Inner Peace Yoga Therapy program.
Classes: Alignment Flow
www.sarajeannetteyoga.com
Rebecca Curland
Yoga Instructor
Influenced by Classical yoga and Bhakti traditions, Rebecca guides heart-centered vinyasa classes with specific attention to alignment and subtle body awareness. Her classes infuse skillful sequencing and intelligent cueing with themes that illuminate and honor the core of the yoga teachings.
Rebecca began studying yoga in 2008 and completed her initial 200-hour teacher training in 2011. Rebecca has continued her studies locally through the Himalayan Yoga Tradition and has traveled to study with a variety of master teachers including Seane Corn, Shiva Rea and Saul David Raye. She has made multiple pilgrimages to India to honor and experience the root culture and holy sites from which the practice of yoga has evolved. Rebecca draws on her experiences to channel authentic teachings while cultivating sacred space in which students are encouraged to access Self through the architecture of the postures and technology of the breath.
Classes: Vinyasa
Paula Lindemann
Yoga Instructor
My travels to India and Thailand inspire and influence my teaching style. I love sharing new techniques combined with the old. My focus is on alignment and breath to build strength and balance in our bodies and minds. I invite you to step outside of your comfort zone, have fun, and surprise yourself.
I received my 230 RYT through the Yoga Center of Minneapolis and I am registered with Yoga Alliance, CPR/AED certified, BA in Theatre. Off the mat I enjoy acting, traveling, trekking and cycling.
Classes: Vinyasa
Vaughn Powell
Yoga Instructor
Vaughn has been practicing yoga for years, but officially became enamored when she realized that her daily practice enhanced her self-awareness and ability to think clearly. She is interested in the connection between mind and body and how we can use the breath to strengthen parts of the brain that make us mindful and present in our physical form.
Vaughn believes that when you move with your breath, you are increasing your understanding of how your body responds to different stimuli. A regular yoga practice allows you to notice what is happening in your body and gain the tools you need to regulate those sensations. A study of and fascination with anatomy has helped her intelligently instruct and assist students as they practice as well as reinforce the bridge between mind and body awareness.
Vaughn’s personal practice is rooted in the traditional Ashtanga system where she has immersed herself in the power of the breath, body movement and detoxification within a set sequence of asanas (postures). Ashtanga ensures that she remains a student and continues to notice how her practice influences her teaching style and everyday life.
Classes: Vinyasa, Flow
Jess Rometti
Yoga Instructor / Yoga Therapist
Jessica began practicing yoga in 2010 and completed her RYT-200 at The Yoga Center of Minneapolis in 2013. Yoga, at first just a movement practice, became her path to healing after years of eating disorders and depression. A firm believer and witness to the healing powers of yoga, she is currently studying Yoga Therapy with Chase Bossart, Dolphi Wetergren and Kevin Kortan at The Yoga Center of Minneapolis. Jessica teaches with an emphasis on the individual experience, encouraging students to find expressive, unique movement paired with conscious breath. Jessica strives to lead a practice that is designed not just for the physical body but for the entire system, a practice that leaves students feeling closer to their true nature.
Classes: Gentle Flow
Marne Skusa
Yoga Instructor
Classes: Morning Flow
Lo Childers
Yoga Instructor
Lauren (Lo) Childers found Yoga in college-while she was studying Health and Wellness Promotion-as a way to deal with stress, and stay active. That hobby turned into a regular at home practice as well as attending classes at some of MN’s finest & most fun studios. The desire to dive deeper into the “why” behind one’s practice, lead her through a 6 month Teacher Training journey where she became an RYT200 in December 2019. For Lo, Yoga makes her feel whole and complete. She aspires to provide her students with their feeling of wholeness within each class she teaches. Outside of teaching Yoga, Lo loves spending time outdoors in her hammock or out on her paddleboard. For more information on Lo, please visit: @wholewithlo on Instagram, Facebook and/or https://wholewithlo.wixsite.com/mysite
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Jaime DeSmit
Yoga Instructor
Yoga and meditation have become a home base for me, a place of recalibration, of coming into myself. I invite you to experience this connection in the studio with me. I celebrate all bodies and encourage you to do what feels right for you today. I am trained in Vinyasa and have practiced many styles over 15 years and bring those into my classes.
I cultivate a deep connection to the earth through folk herbalism, organic farming and stints of living off-grid. I also practice Reiki here in the Twin Cities, create jewelry from mostly recycled materials and read a lot of psychology.
Classes: Vinyasa, Restorative Flow, Flow
Kate Cherne
Yoga Instructor
Kate has been actively teaching yoga in the Twin Cities since she received her 200 hour certificate in 2008. “Yoga has always been about healing for me.” Over the years, Kate has learned how to practice yoga off the mat and incorporates the foundational wisdom of yoga into every aspect of her life. She has deep reverence for the practice and holds sacred space for her students to show up in whatever way they need to. Kate’s vinyasa classes are focused on strength, alignment, breath and awareness. Yoga is so many different things for so many different people and Kate works to make her classes accessible on all levels. Kate is trained in vinyasa, yin and restorative yoga and loves to incorporate astrology and other intuitive insights into her classes. What continues to inspire Kate is yoga’s ability to heal, not just on the surface but on all layers. Yoga practice has a way of getting deep down to the root of what needs the healing light of our awareness. This is where Kate strives to guide her students.
Schedule: Sunday 10:30am 75 min Vinyasa
Sydney Ward
Yoga Instructor
Erin Anderson
Crystal Singing Bowl Sound Healing
From a very early age, Erin has been tuning in to energies most people either don’t notice or prefer to ignore (just ask her poor parents). She has spent the past few years developing her natural abilities as a clairvoyant reader and healer, training with gifted psychics and energy practitioners around the world.
Erin is passionate about using her skills and vision to help others access their own truth and create more of their one-of-a-kind magic. To this end, she offers intuitive aura readings, classes & workshops, and teaches meditation techniques for personal empowerment and transformation.
Ashley Nissen
Yoga Instructor
Ashley’s path to yoga started in 2010 as a way to support her own health and wellbeing. With limited flexibility and mobility, she found her way to her mat, to a practice which has transformed her life.
Fast forward to today and Ashley’s personal journey into the physical and spiritual and a deep desire to know more took her to Guatemala where she completed her 200-hour teacher training. Nestled between active volcanoes on Lake Atitlan she studied with School Yoga Institute taking a deep dive into the body, mind, and soul of yoga.
Ashley believes that yoga is for everyone. She teaches a mindful flow that is accessible yet challenging, and likes to include elements of somatics and strength building that allows students to find their power and strength and connect to their inner selves. Her students leave class feeling more grounded, connected and rejuvenated.
Sharon Bruhjell-Coleman
Yoga Instructor
Sharon comes to each class with a passion for empowerment and connection. She strives to restore a natural rhythm and alignment, encouraging students to deepen their sense of connection, honor, and worthiness. She creates a welcoming space with a genuine care for balancing the mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of every person. Her classes are accessible and adaptable for special populations including prenatal, hospice, addiction recovery, mental health, those with varying levels of mobility and others.
With 18 years of experience, Sharon is a licensed esthetician through the State of Minnesota and an esthiology honors graduate of the Aveda Institute. She has 300 Hour Advanced Studies Yoga Teacher Training Certification and is dedicated to developing her yoga practice to support teaching all populations, specific training and coursework includes: Recovery and Addiction Yoga Teacher Training, Advanced Anatomy 2.0 Course, Trauma Sensitive Informed Yoga Teacher Training, and Yoga for All/Inclusive Yoga Teacher Training.
Sharon applies these in a variety of methods informed by these teacher trainings: Face Yoga, Yin Yoga Level II, Restorative Yoga, Meditation, Chair Yoga, Thai Yoga Bodywork, and Advanced Practice and Buddhist Teaching. Beyond yoga, her additional training includes Reiki Energy Medicine levels 1 and 2, Shamballa Multidimensional Healing with a focus on stones, crystals, pendulum, and smoke, Healing Arts course, Healing Touch 1 Special Training, Dien Chan Zone Operator (also known as Mirror Medicine), and Facial Reflexology Certification.
Madison Brandt
Yoga Instructor
Madison received her RYT-200 through the University of Minnesota’s Hatha Yoga Program. Prior to Healing Elements, Madison taught at YogaSix. In 2016, Madison took her first yoga class in Costa Rica and was intrigued by the peace she discovered within both mind and body. She continued to explore the practice of yoga and began her teacher training in 2018, discovering a newfound love for yoga due to the unique community and philosophy surrounding it. After receiving her teacher training, Madison continued to dive into the world of wellness by teaching yoga and becoming a certified health coach and reiki practitioner. Her classes are influenced by her knowledge of the mind-body connection and belief that yoga is not just a physical practice. She focuses on making her classes a safe, accessible space for students to connect with themselves with the hope for them to leave feeling better than when they arrived.
Schedule: Monday 7am Morning Flow, Thursday 6:30pm Gentle Flow
Madeline Summers
Yoga Instructor
Madeline Summers began her yoga journey as a teenager. Practicing Iyengar at that age laid the groundwork for a love of the discipline yoga offers and an obsession with shoulder stand. She finds, within the yogic traditions, a pathway to never-ending learning and blossoming in community with others. She is fascinated by how the work we do on our yoga mats can influence our lives outside the studio. Her journey has led her to pursue certifications in Vinyasa, Trauma-Informed Yoga, Yin, and Restorative. Outside of her yoga practice she hikes in the state parks and manages volunteers in a community kitchen.
Andrew Gillespie
Yoga Instructor
Schedule: Thursday 4:30pm Vinyasa, Sunday 11am Vinyasa
Healing Elements Studio
2290 Como Ave, St. Paul MN 55108