200-hour
Alignment-Based Flow
with leading Yoga Loft teachers who collectively have decades of experience:
Kristan Marden (lead teacher), Gurdeep Bhogal, Jill Burke, Jennifer Craig, Larisa Forman, Anne Gilbride, Tim Griffin, Julie Helmes
Dedicated yoga practitioners are invited to join The Yoga Loft instructors to explore yoga’s incredible potential for enhancing our lives. This training is designed to provide comprehensive skills to enhance your practice and lay a clear foundation for teaching. Doing yoga and teaching yoga are inextricably intertwined. Developing and refining your own practice will provide insights into how you might best share yoga with others. An all levels training welcoming you into your infinite potential.
New Training Dates To Be Announced in 2025!
Yoga Teacher Continuing Education Series Begins January 2025!
Yoga Teacher Continuing Education Series
This four-part series is designed for yogis who have completed a 200-hour teacher training. Each module will have a specific focus. Attendees will be immersed in an asana practice, followed by the lecture and teaching exercises. This is a great opportunity to ask questions and dive deeper into concepts or poses where you want more attention. Modules may be attended on a one-off basis.
Sunday afternoons (1:30 - 4:30 PM)
January 12, 2025 │Restorative Yoga and the Subtle Body with Gurdeep Bhogal
January 26, 2025│Vinyasa Sequencing Methodology: consistent vs complex sequencing. Creating consistency without losing creativity! with Kristan Marden
February 9, 2025│Teaching Methodology: Verbal and Non-verbal cueing, Transitions and Demonstration with Larisa Forman
March 9, 2025│Teaching to the Body: Yoga Anatomy with Anne Gilbride
The format is the following:
- 10 minutes - Meditation or Chanting
- 60 minutes - Asana practice
- 45 minutes - Topic Review
- 45 minutes - Small group practice
- 15 minutes - Questions & Closing
Cost: $100 per session or $350 for all 4 sessions
Yoga Teacher Training: Dates To Be Announced in 2025!
Subjects covered
Sequencing
Yoga Philosophy and Sutras
Sanskrit
Anatomy
Subtle Body
Pranayama
Prenatal
Beginner’s Yoga
Yin Yoga
Ayurveda
Virtual teaching vs. In person
Business of Yoga
Benefits
$50 monthly unlimited membership to use throughout the training
Nurturing community with a teaching faculty who are all Yoga Loft teachers
Post graduation mentoring program + practicum teaching feedback for teachers that become part of the Yoga Loft staff.
Opportunity for mini outdoor photography session.
20% boutique discount
Teacher Training Faculty
-
Kristan Marden is a natural, intuitive teacher who is passionate about yoga. She hopes to teach skills on the mat that make a measurable difference off the mat: “We are all in this together, and the tradition of yoga offers us tools to stress less, smile more, untangle physical and emotional knots, and witness ourselves and each other without judgment.” Kristan grew up in Marblehead where she now lives with her husband and three children. After graduating from college with a degree in exercise science and then working in the fitness industry as a Wellness Specialist, she was naturally drawn to yoga. Kristan is a Yoga Alliance 500 ERYT, YACEP. In 2018, she completed her 300-hour teacher certification at Down Under School of Yoga in Brookline, MA with Natasha Rizopoulos. In 2012, she completed her 200-hour teacher certification at Empower Yoga in Beverly, MA. Kristan also completed Jason Crandall’s Essentials of Yoga Anatomy and The Art of Yoga Sequencing courses. In 2015, Kristan participated in Judith Lasater’s Experiential Yoga Anatomy course.
-
Larisa Forman holds a coveted 600H Life of a Yogi Degree with her beloved Guru Sri Dharma Mittra in NYC. Other certifications include 200 PranaVayu Yoga TT with David Magone, a self realization immersion with Sri Yogi Andrey Ram Om, Sanskrit studies with Anthony Cerulli, The Yoga Sutras and Bhagavad Gita Studies with American Indologist Edwin Francis Bryant, PH.D, Yoga for Breast Cancer Recovery and Beyond Teacher Training with Camille Kittrell, M.S, Lebed Method certification with Sherry Lebed Davis, at Dana-Farber, Boston, Ma, Multiple hundreds of hours of immersions, retreats, workshops with leading yoga teachers nationally and internationally. Larisa assisted David Magone, founder of PranaVayu Yoga in teacher trainings, mentorship programs, accelerated module asana practices. Larisa continues her education with master Yoga teacher Konstantin Bazarov, Krishna Das and Sharon Salztberg. Larisa was recognized as a yoga teacher for The Ultimate Day of Wellness in Boston by Well and Good NYC. Larisa is a founder of Yoga Live, she leads workshops and teaches an extensive schedule at many of Boston's leading yoga studios, and is a presenter at The Nantucket Yoga Festival.
-
Gurdeep Bhogal is a Marblehead based yoga teacher specializing in flow, restorative, and gentle yoga. She graduated from The Yoga Loft Teacher Training Program in 2017 under Larisa Forman and Vito Politano. She studied Restorative Yoga with Jillian Pransky in NY. Her teachings are deeply rooted in tradition with a modern day understanding of anatomy, physical fitness, and alignment. Gurdeep believes strongly in incorporating meditation and breathwork in her teachings, creating a full experience for the body and the soul. Gurdeep is a Reiki Master Teacher and Intuitive Medium with a deep connection to spiritual practice. Creating a holistic approach, Gurdeep brings a healing intention to all of her sharings - yoga, reiki, and mediumship.
-
Dr. Anne Gilbride discovered yoga 25 years ago while living in Dallas, Texas, and completing her Doctorate in Chiropractic. She came to yoga as a competitive athlete and initially loved the external physical gains that her body made in flexibility and strength. She soon realized that the true "power" in yoga lies in its ability to cultivate the internal aspects of emotional balance and clarity of mind. Anne has attended teacher training with Baron Baptiste, PranaVayu training with David Magone. Over the past 12 years, she has been traveling the world from Costa Rica to Greece attending retreats with Shiva Rea. Shiva's style of practice allowed Anne to develop a unique blend of Power and fluid dance flow yoga. Anne has been a Chiropractor for 24 years and has lived and worked in Marblehead for the past 16 years. Her Doctoral studies included Anatomy, Physiology, Biomechanics, and Exercise Physiology. Her extensive knowledge of the body and patterns of dynamic movement gives her a unique insight into yoga Asana. "The discipline and practice of yoga have led me to the understanding that my experiences on my mat mimic my life!
-
Jill began practicing yoga in 2011 when she walked into a Baptiste studio. Being an exercise physiologist and an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer, she was drawn to the physical aspect of yoga. Soon, however, she discovered so much more. Jill fell in love with the introspective process that yoga ignites through the mind, body and breath connection. She has relied on yoga through many changes and challenges in her life since that first class. In 2016, she moved abroad with her husband. It was then that she decided to complete a yoga teacher training. In February 2017, Jill traveled to India to develop a greater knowledge of the heritage and philosophy of yoga. She completed her 200-hour training at Himalaya Yoga Valley Centre in Goa, under the direction of Lalit Kumar. She taught yoga in Ireland for one year before moving back to New England in 2018.
Jill has also studied the Yin yoga tradition with Josh Summers in Boston and most recently became Pre/Post Natal certified with PROnatal Fitness. Jill has relied heavily on yoga principles in the transitions of pregnancy, labor and motherhood. She is very passionate about helping other new moms.
All of this experience has inspired her goal of honoring the roots of the practice while bringing in modern alignment principles that consider everyone’s unique anatomy. No one cue fits all!
-
Tim's teaching emphasizes the primacy of breath, the cultivation of a moving meditative state, stability, enduring strength, and function over form. He considers sound, and silence, to be a key part of his classes as well as a sense of humor for the tough bits. He encourages his students to practice self-compassion while on the mat and a whole-hearted approach to living beyond it.
Tim's study of yoga started in the Ashtanga/Vinyasa tradition but soon widened to incorporate learning from many styles of meditation and movement. He feels especially aligned with the traditions of Himalayan Institute and Viniyoga. He is certified E-RYT with well over 1000 hours of formal training in yoga, meditation, shamanism, mantra and other approaches to human movement and health. He is also a certified personal fitness coach and health coach. His formal study of the body/mind connection is ongoing and ever-expanding.
-
Jennifer Craig has always been fascinated with the abilities of the human body, by its movement, its strength, and limitless capabilities. She studied Exercise Physiology and graduated with a degree in Sport Management. It wasn't until her first yoga class that she found a natural healing effect and calming union between the mind and body. “Yoga is so much more than a physical workout~ It’s about letting go, staying present and starting fresh with each new breath.” Jennifer fell in love with the detoxifying qualities and clarity she felt after a hot vinyasa practice and wanted to share this experience with others. Jennifer has studied with Toby Kumin and Natalie Smith of Boston Yoga and also completed Level 1 and Level 2 Teacher Trainings with Baron Baptiste.
-
Julie Helmes discovered the whole-body benefits of yoga after years of playing high-intensity sports. Some of her first yogic inspirations came from teachers at the studio, including; Jennifer Craig, Ivana Ustariz and Lisa Faia. Julie completed her first teacher training with Marianne Wells Yoga School in Costa Rica and returned to Boston to teach. It was during her teacher training that she was first introduced to Ayurveda; the ancient Indian health science. Ayurveda is the perfect complement to yoga and a lifestyle that she wanted to pursue. Through her own health journey, she chose to study deeper and become an Ayurveda Wellness Counselor with Kerala Ayurveda Academy. Julie earned her 200-hour certification from Marianne Wells Yoga School in Costa Rica and is a certified Ayurveda Wellness Counselor through Kerala Ayurveda Academy.
Q&A with Our Teacher Trainee Graduates
Testimonials
“The Yoga Loft YTT was an amazing experience, the studio and teachers were knowledgeable, engaged, talented and inclusive. The Yoga Loft's approach to teaching includes not just the knowledge and skills I needed to teach a yoga class, but the classes also gave me the time to reflect on each part of training which helped me to learn about myself and help me find my voice as a teacher. The best part though - the training gave me a community of mentors, peers and a studio that is there to support me along my yoga and yoga teaching journey.”
— Emily
“The training included so many different facets of yoga and really expanded my base of knowledge, piqued my interest in taking yoga "off the mat" and helped me understand and love yoga more fully. It was such a well-rounded training.”
— Ann
"The Yoga Loft 200 Hr Teacher Training challenged us physically, academically and emotionally - The program immersed us in history , anatomy, asanas , meditation and breath work . It humbled us and inspired us . It was a unique experience that will continue to peak our curiosity and inspire us to know more, do more and share the benefits of yoga.”
— Kathi
“The Yoga Loft Teacher Training was life changing. It gave me the depth of knowledge, support and confidence to teach yoga and connected me with a community of wonderful friends. I have zero regrets and would do it over and over again if I could!”
— 2024 Graduate
”I am so grateful for the instructors and all the other students who took the training with me. There is no other place like the Yoga Loft Marblehead. All of the instructors are wonderful. Kristan is such an outstanding leader with great compassion. The classes were always filled with a peaceful atmosphere. I look forward to Yoga now more than I used to be. My family commented that I look happier after I started training. And yes, I am happier! I don't think I can find a yoga studio like Yoga Loft. It is the best place to take the first yoga teacher training!"
— Yuki
”I feel fortunate to be able to learn from an expert faculty and come away from YTT with a well-rounded background that I see as a springboard to the future of my development as a yoga teacher. My growth within yoga and my personal development far exceeded my expectations. This training was truly life changing!"
— 2024 Graduate
”The support I received in this training was unparalleled. Kristan is one of the kindest, thoughtful people in the world, and I’m so grateful for her continued support even after graduation. My classmates and instructors embodied the true values of yoga. Because of them my practice and my perspective on life is forever changed. I am so honored to have received my 200-hour training at the Loft."
— Gen