Get to know your instructors

In 2003, I took my first Bikram yoga class and it was love at first sweat. My mind felt clearer, my energy brighter and I knew this practice was life changing.

What I didn’t realize then was how yoga would actually save my life.

A few years later, I was hit by a car while riding my bike through the streets of Philadelphia. The accident left me paralyzed, with 19 broken bones, a cervical spine injury, and a crushed pelvis. It was one of the most challenging experiences of my life.

With patience, hard work, and a lot of love and support, I began to heal and soon returned to yoga with a fierce determination. Yoga didn’t just help me rebuild my body—it gave me a new purpose.

I became a teacher in 2008 and soon after became the owner of Hot Yoga Philadelphia. The studio was my second home for over a decade where I built lasting friendships and even met my husband. In pursuit of wellness, I dove into the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda and became a registered nurse along the way, for a balanced perspective.

I am extremely passionate about this yoga and I’m pretty sure it shows in the classes I teach. I love using humor as a tool to connect and have fun during classes. Let’s get sweaty together!

I started my yoga journey in 2012 and made a commitment to practice every day for 1,000 days in a row. My routine was regimented: weightlifting in the mornings and yoga in the evenings. I took so many classes that I eventually married my yoga teacher and studio owner (a story for another time!).

I’ve been vegan and straight-edge for over 25 years, so I was naturally very attracted to the discipline of a yoga practice. The discipline helped me build balance, strength, and focus.

Yoga also played a key role in my training when I climbed the highest mountain in the continental U.S., showing me how the practice can support both physical and mental challenges.

I’m known for my chill demeanor and approachable teaching style. My goal as an instructor is to help students find strength, peace, and community both on and off the mat.

I’m Prtha and I was formally trained in Ashtanga yoga. I have been teaching for over ten years. I truly enjoy leading vinyasa (flow) classes because they allow me to connect with my breath, move with intention, and let everything else fade away. I love designing dynamic flow sequences set to a variety of music, creating an energizing and immersive experience for my students.

When I’m not on the mat, I’m supporting pregnant and postpartum mothers as a physical therapist, helping them regain strength and confidence in their bodies. Outside of work, I cherish spending quality time with my husband and daughter, finding balance and joy in every moment we share together.

I am eager to guide you through your class here at Hot Yoga Newberry.

Hi, I’m Anna — a native Floridian with a deep belief in using the tools we’re given to support the body’s natural healing process. I took my first hot yoga class in 2021 and was instantly hooked. It not only helped me detoxify physically, but also made me more aware of how I care for myself mentally, physically, and emotionally.

With a background in sociology, genetics, and statistics, I bring a unique perspective on how environment and habits shape well-being. I’m especially passionate about how yoga reconnects us to ourselves through breath and mindful movement.

In my classes, I aim to create a welcoming space where we can step away from daily demands and focus on mobility, balance, flexibility, and the mind-body connection. My teaching is beginner-friendly, grounding, and empowering.

When I’m not on the mat, I’m usually at my family’s horse farm spending time with my emus and enjoying nature.

I am a yoga teacher trained in Sivananda Yoga, with a continued deepening of my practice through Iyengar Yoga. Growing up in a Bhakti yoga ashram, I immersed myself in Sanskrit, yoga philosophy, sattvic cooking, dance, crafting, and holistic living. I also hold a degree in Psychology from Prescott College, enriching my understanding of the mind-body connection.

Rooted in the belief that we are eternal beings of bliss and knowledge, my teaching focuses on helping others connect with their deeper selves. I’m honored to guide the restorative-yin yoga class at Hot Yoga Newberry, creating a space for deep relaxation and healing.

Beyond yoga, I’m a master herbalist and passionate gardener. My love for plant-based healing inspired Hita’s Herbals, my line of natural wellness products, including body butters, herbal salves, hemp “CBD” creations, and teas. I also practice horticulture therapy, blending psychology and plant medicine for holistic well-being. Whether on the mat or in my subtropical meditation garden, I find joy in fostering balance, healing, and connection.

Namaste friends – I’m Allyson, a somatic practitioner supporting female identifying bodies in deepening their relationship to their bodies, their expression, their grief and pleasure, and with Grace. I’m devoted to empowering others towards greater Wholeness, Authenticity, Vitality, and Ease.

Through dynamic yoga & movement classes and personal containers for bodywork and healing arts, I support you to deepen into somatic safety & authentic expression to renew your relationship to Self and Life – dancing in depth, play, flow and freedom.

You can find me (maybe;) with my pack of 2 huskies Nala & Kunja playing in the forest, running trails and exploring the Florida creeks & springs.

My name is J.P., though some call me “Doc.” While I’ve trained in several traditions, my primary teaching background and lifelong practice are rooted in hot yoga, where my journey as both student and teacher began.

My research in mindfulness has reinforced what yoga has long taught: through steady, intentional practice, we can change the mind. What science calls neuroplasticity, yoga calls transformation.

In my classes, students can expect a traditionally cued, high-intensity practice with a strong emphasis on breath, posture, and present-moment awareness. My approach blends discipline with compassion, encouraging focus, growth, and self-honesty.

Outside the studio, I enjoy playing guitar, working on personal projects, and spending time with my pit bull, Cheyenne.