Yoga School Faculty
We believe wholeheartedly that community, social justice, decolonization, anti-oppression, and anti-racism are inherent to trauma-informed care.
A Note from Dr. Melissa Jay
As the program director and lead faculty member, I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to work closely with our wonderful team, whom I have the gift of knowing well. My Anishnabee colleague, Randy White, shared with me something his uncle said: “I don’t know anything; I can only share what I have learned.” This is our guiding principle in acknowledging the privilege we have as faculty members, to share what we have learned along the way. Each faculty member brings their unique skills, perspectives, and experiences to our collective learning journey.
Our faculty is committed to co-creating shared spaces within each cohort, understanding that when we gather, we come together in what I have named a circle of squares. I have learned that when we gather in a circle, no one is above or below another, and instead, our hearts are at the same level. We are all learning alongside each other, in relationship with each other, valuing each learner who brings their own wisdom and lived experiences to our shared space.
After each workshop, I connect with our faculty to intentionally and lovingly pass the baton. This ensures that integration between sessions is thoughtfully supported and that each learner benefits from multiple perspectives and practices. We do not aim to be experts because we believe we are always learning and are grateful to work intentionally to integrate feedback we receive, in relationship with learners.
Thank you for being here and taking the time to learn more about our amazing team!
With goodness,
Melissa
Our faculty is committed to co-creating shared spaces within each cohort, understanding that when we gather, we come together in what I have named a circle of squares. I have learned that when we gather in a circle, no one is above or below another, and instead, our hearts are at the same level. We are all learning alongside each other, in relationship with each other, valuing each learner who brings their own wisdom and lived experiences to our shared space.
After each workshop, I connect with our faculty to intentionally and lovingly pass the baton. This ensures that integration between sessions is thoughtfully supported and that each learner benefits from multiple perspectives and practices. We do not aim to be experts because we believe we are always learning and are grateful to work intentionally to integrate feedback we receive, in relationship with learners.
Thank you for being here and taking the time to learn more about our amazing team!
With goodness,
Melissa
Meet Your Faculty
*please click on our photos, to read our bios*
Canmore Counselling & Trauma-Informed Yoga Psychology School is an Indigenous and Black-owned family business, co-created by Melissa Jay and Michael Yudcovitch.
Our team lives across Turtle Island, and we honour the Nations who continue to nurture these lands. Our primary office is located in Châ Ûpchîchîyen Kudebi (translated from Îyârhe Nakoda as “shooting at the willows”), colonially known as Canmore, on Treaty 7 territory and the current and ancestral lands of the Îyârhe Nakoda (Stoney Nakoda), Tsuut’ina First Nation, and Blackfoot Confederacy. These lands are also home to the Rocky View Métis District 4 within the Battle River Territory.
We are grateful to be students, practitioners, and guides of yoga, an Indigenous wisdom tradition with roots in India and across South Asia and parts of Africa. We are committed to learning from and amplifying South Asian teachers and practitioners while continuing to learn alongside our own students, faculty, and alumni. We believe trauma-informed care requires an active commitment to community, social justice, decolonization, anti-oppression, anti-racism, reciprocity, and meaningful care for people and communities who have been intentionally and historically marginalized.
As a team, we are committed to uplifting Truth, language, culture, and relationship as essential to right relations and to our ongoing work of reconciliation and decolonization. Thank you for being here :)
Our team lives across Turtle Island, and we honour the Nations who continue to nurture these lands. Our primary office is located in Châ Ûpchîchîyen Kudebi (translated from Îyârhe Nakoda as “shooting at the willows”), colonially known as Canmore, on Treaty 7 territory and the current and ancestral lands of the Îyârhe Nakoda (Stoney Nakoda), Tsuut’ina First Nation, and Blackfoot Confederacy. These lands are also home to the Rocky View Métis District 4 within the Battle River Territory.
We are grateful to be students, practitioners, and guides of yoga, an Indigenous wisdom tradition with roots in India and across South Asia and parts of Africa. We are committed to learning from and amplifying South Asian teachers and practitioners while continuing to learn alongside our own students, faculty, and alumni. We believe trauma-informed care requires an active commitment to community, social justice, decolonization, anti-oppression, anti-racism, reciprocity, and meaningful care for people and communities who have been intentionally and historically marginalized.
As a team, we are committed to uplifting Truth, language, culture, and relationship as essential to right relations and to our ongoing work of reconciliation and decolonization. Thank you for being here :)