About Joni:

Joni is a 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher (R.Y.T), registered with Yoga
A
lliance. In addition to her 200-hour certification, she has over 160 hours of
additional training (details below), plus she has over 700 hours of teaching
experience. Joni is also a certified Relax & Renew (restorative yoga) Trainer.

What Joni says about her personal practice:

"I have practiced yoga almost daily for ten years, plus I’ve enjoyed a regular
meditation practice for nearly nine years. Before having children, I earned
a BA in Communication and was a full-time marketing copywriter, but now I
choose to focus my life on raising my children and teaching yoga. Yoga has
taught me many things about life, and I am grateful to share this wonderful
discipline and experience with others!"


Joni's Teaching Experience

IYoga, Inc., Sewickley, PA, since November, 2008.
Teach meditation workshops

FBI Crime Victims Rights Conference, April 16, 2008, OKC, OK,
Gave a seminar on coping with stress using breath & meditation;
encouraged stretching/yoga/exercise to release physical stress.

Yoga Matrika, Squirrel Hill, PA, since April, 2007
Substitute teach Prenatal Yoga classes

BYS Yoga (formerly Breathe Yoga Studio), Pittsburgh, PA,
since April, 2007
Teach meditation workshops

Schoolhouse Yoga, Squirrel Hill, PA, since January, 2007
Teach monthly meditation workshops and 4 weekly yoga classes

Ohio Township Community Nature Center, PA, since Nov.,2006
Teach weekly mixed level yoga classes

3rd Street Yoga, Carnegie, PA, January, 2007 - May, 2007
Taught monthly meditation workshops, subbed yoga classes, taught
alternating Saturday mornings

Santosha Yoga Center, Gibsonia, PA, December, 2006 - April, 2007
Taught weekly mixed level yoga classes, weekly prenatal yoga classes

FitWell Studios, Wexford, PA, July, 2006 - January, 2007
Taught yoga classes to beginners, mixed level adults, and pregnant women
Taught Meditation, Relaxation, and Pranayama workshops monthly

OSIRIS Wellness & Day Spa, Evans City, PA, Jan. 2006 - Jan. 2007
Taught Hatha yoga classes to beginners, mixed level adults

Roots & Wings Pilates and Yoga Studio, Wexford, PA, February, 2005 – July,
2006
Taught yoga classes to beginners, mixed level adults, and pregnant women
(twice a week)
Taught Meditation, Relaxation, and Pranayama workshops monthly.


Training

  • Relax & Renew Restorative Yoga Teacher Training with   Judith Lasater
    October 13-16, 2009, Pittsburgh, PA             (20 hours + case
    study/project 7 hrs.)

  • Max Strom Workshop - Heart-opening asana practice, plus pranayama
    & meditation, April 5, 2009, Pittsburgh, PA (4 hours) breathwork,
    meditation, philosophy

  • Doug Keller - Yoga Therapeutics, Philosophy, Pranayama & Meditation
    Workshop, Jan. 23-24, 2009, Pittsburgh, PA (9.5 hours). Anatomy, hip
    openers, shoulder work, bandhas, breath.

  • Anusaura Workshop w/Desiree Rumbaugh, Oct. 24-26, 2008,
    Pittsburgh, PA (5 hrs.) Standing poses,hip openers, deepening poses

  • Omega Yoga Conference - Being Yoga, Oct. 10-12, 2008, New York
    City (9 hrs total), classes with Kelly McGonigal, Tias Little, Gary Craftsow, focus
    on meditation and yoga therapeutics.

  • Jill Satterfield workshop, summer, 2008 Yoga Matrika, Pittsburgh. (6
    hours). meditation & asana.

  • Mediation Workshop w/ Doug Keller, ERYT-500, Oct. 27, 2007,
    Pittsburgh, PA(2 hrs.) Philosophy, technique, practice, pranayama

  • Yoga Therapeutics Workshop w/ Doug Keller,ERYT-500, Oct. 28, 2007,
    Pittsburgh,PA (3hrs.) Anatomy, standing poses, poses for low
    back/sacrum.

  • Anusaura Workshop w/Desiree Rumbaugh, Aug. 11,12, 2007,
    Pittsburgh, PA (8hrs.) Standing poses, backbends, forwardbends, arm
    balances.

  • Outer & Inner Aspects of Vinyasa with Cyndi Lee, May 19,20, 2007,
    Columbus, OH (12hrs.) OM yoga Teacher training workshop.

  • Cultivating Mindfulness in Everyday Life Meditation Workshop with
    Cyndi Lee, May 18, 2007, Columbus, OH (3hrs.) Meditation practice
    shamatha (Buddhist mindfulness meditation).

  • Kripalu 3-day Meditation Retreat with Bhavani Loraine Nelson, March 8-
    11, 2007, Lenox, Mass. (14 hrs.) Studied a variety of meditation
    techniques and practiced. Silent meditation for majority of workshop
    - almost 3 days.

  • Living Your Yoga Workshop with Judith Lasater, Sept. 16 & 17, 2006,
    Pittsburgh, PA (10 hrs.) Explored yoga, meditation and mindfulness in  
    everyday life.

  • The Shoulder Joint & Asana, Teacher Training with Judith Lasater,
    Sept. 15, 2006, Pittsburgh, PA (5 hrs.)

  • 200-hour teacher training (200 hr. RYT program) with Joanne
    VandenHengel of 3rd Street Yoga, Carnegie, PA. Completed August,
    2006. Coursework consisted of asana study, anatomy, philosophy,
    ethics, history, meditation and the art of teaching yoga.

  • Anusara Yoga Therapeutics workshop with Todd Norian & Ann Greene,
    April 30, 2006, Pittsburgh, PA (3 hrs.) Explored adjustments, alignment
    and therapeutic details of yoga poses, plus Anusara yoga principles.

  • Profound Alignment Workshop with Mark Taylor, Joanne
    VandenHengel, Wendy Mackin, April 23, 2006, Pittsburgh, PA. Anatomy
    discussion (explored the many diaphragms of the body); body, mind
    and breath connection, explored sensations in yoga poses.

  • Yoga Journal Conference, Boston, April 2006, training with Judith
    Hanson Lasater (Ab-focused session), Desiree Rumbaugh (therapy for
    the hips), Paul Grilley (Yin Yoga), Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa (Kundalini
    meditation), and Sharon Gannon (Jivamukti style yoga)

  • YogaFit Pre/Post-Natal, February, 2005, Herndon,VA

  • YogaFit Level 1, January, 2005, Pittsburgh, PA. Basic yoga teacher
    training; discussed and practiced poses,       anatomy, teaching
    methods.

  • Yoga Journal Conference, Boston, April, 2004, training with Baron
    Baptiste (Power Vinyasa), Rodney Yee (Yoga Through Grounding),
    Gessner Geyer (Kundalini basics), Maty Ezraty (Yoga and the Shoulder
    Joint), and Swami Asokananda (Meditation).

  • Chakras, Tattwas, & Yoga Nidra Workshop with Swami Dharmakeerti,
    Medina, OH, Oct., 2003 Studied yoga history, chakra energy centers,
    tattwas, and expored the process of moving through Yoga Nidra.


A Selection of Completed Readings on
Yoga and Meditation

  • Anatomy of Hatha Yoga by H. David Coulter
  • The Yoga Sutras translated by Prabhavananda and Isherwood
  • Light on Yoga by B.K.S. Iyengar
  • Yoga Body, Buddha Mind by Cyndi Lee
  • Yoga, The Spirit and Practice of Moving into Stillness by Erich
    Schiffman
  • Yoga for Wellness by Gary Kraftsow
  • Wherever You Go There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn
  • Yoga Nidra by Swami Satyananda Saraswati
  • Living Your Yoga by Judith Hanson Lasater, Ph.D., P.T.
  • Relax & Renew by Judith Hanson Lasater, Ph.D., P.T.
  • The Heart of Yoga by T.K.V. Desikachar
  • 8 Minute Meditation by Victor Davich
  • The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh
  • Living Buddha, Living Christ, by Thich Nhat Hanh
  • The Wisdom of No Escape by Pema Chodron
  • ...and many more.
  • Yoga Alliance 200-Hour         
    Registered Yoga Teacher
  • Certified Relax & Renew Yoga Trainer
  • Over 160 additional hours of training
  • Over 700 hours of teaching experience