The Yoga Space Retreat Instructors
Caro is a Yoga Therapist and the Owner of The Yoga Space at the Farm. She has been teaching Yoga since 2007, completing her 200hr Training with Alan Finger in NYC in 2006, and her 500hr and Advanced Yoga Therapeutics Trainings with Bo Forbes in Boston in 2013. Caro currently teaches Yoga at The Yoga Space and throughout the Boston Area, and leads Student Workshops and Teacher Trainings on Therapeutic Yoga and Meditation. Caro is specifically interested in cultivating a 'soft' approach to mindful disciplines with compassionate space and breathing room for human experience, challenges and (sometimes life-changing) questions.
Caro founded The Yoga Space in order to blend her love of the land, organic food and community with her life-practice of yoga and meditation. At TYS she teaches Vinyasa Yoga and Yoga Therapy to individuals and small groups, and leads Wellness Retreats that explore meditation, restorative yoga, self-care and yogic philosophy. She looks forward to welcoming all students to The Yoga Space, to the TYS Organic Farm-to-Table Kitchen (yup, she cooks!) and to our Incredible TYS Family... and hopes for it to be as nourishing to others as it has been to her.
Tam Willey is a trained Forest Therapy Guide through the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and Programs. Living in a fast-paced urban environment she seeks refuge in her local parks, gardens, and green spaces. Tam has first hand experience of the healing benefits of spending time in nature. Through an evolving love for outdoor adventure such as hiking, backpacking, camping, and cross country skiing, she has spent extensive time outside, particularly in the mountains and deep forests of Northern New England. Part of Tam’s training includes learning about Shinrin-Yoku/Forest Bathing and gaining a deeper understanding of the scientific framework for how deepening our connection with nature can enhance well-being and support healing.
Bill Morgan, PsyD is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Cambridge, MA. He has participated in intensive retreats in the Theravada, Zen, and Tibetan schools of Buddhism during meditation practice over the past 35 years, and recently completed a silent four-year meditation retreat at the Forest Refuge in Barre, MA. He is a board and faculty member of the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy and contributing author to Mindfulness and Psychotherapy. Together with his wife Susan, he has been leading mindfulness retreats for 15 years.
Susan Morgan, CNS is a long-standing meditation practitioner and psychotherapist in Cambridge, MA. She consults with therapists who are interested in deepening therapeutic presence. She has practiced in Theravada, Zen, and most recently, the Tibetan schools of Buddhism. She is a board and faculty member of the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy and contributing author to Mindfulness and Psychotherapy. Susan has co-led mindfulness retreats with her husband Bill for the past 15 years. Loving kindness and mindfulness of the body are integral to her mindfulness teaching. She recently completed a silent four-year meditation retreat.
Betty Riaz believes in embracing life and all it’s imperfections as catalyst for change. Through practice, both on and off the mat, she seeks to develop her perception of the world and help others reach their greatest potential. In 2009 she co-founded Stil Studio with Kevan Gale, and has since completed her E-RYT 200 and advanced 500-RYT in Fluid Yoga. Her trainings in Thai Massage Yoga have yielded her super-luscious SPA Yoga classes and workshops, and she is a leading member of The Fluid Yoga Sangha, fostering a sense of togetherness and community through Dharma talks, continued education, yoga trainings and meditation workshops. Betty is a Lululemon Ambassador, holds workshops and retreats through out the US and Mexico and is grateful to all the Bodhisattvas that have entered her life with the mission to transform. You can find Betty hanging out or hanging upside-down at Stil Studio any time. You can also practice with her through My Yoga Online.
Jaime Villanueva is known for a creative, intelligent yoga flow that joins breath, alignment and awareness. She invites students to a welcoming practice that weaves together Buddhist-inspired philosophy, breath work and mindful movement. Students are encouraged to delve deeper into their innate strength and stability by using slow breathing techniques and efficient movement of the body. Jaime says: "I derive great joy from sharing a practice with students and hope to be a support system throughout their journey, from familiarizing new students with the basics to offering workshops, retreats and trainings for those looking to challenge themselves in new ways." Jaime currently leads group classes and teacher trainings through Stil Studio in Dedham.
Erin Sweeney is the Founder and Owner of The BodyWise Wellness Center in Newton, MA and holds advanced training in injury assessment and orthopedic treatment, myofascial and neuromuscular therapy, scar tissue therapy, sports massage and stretching techniques. She is a graduate of the Muscular Therapy Institute in Cambridge, MA (now known as Cortiva Institute in Watertown), where she also taught Muscular Therapy Technique and Sports Massage for several years. She is an ALACE trained birth doula and has studied midwifery through the Massachusetts Midwives Alliance. Most recently, she has added advanced training in the Arvigo Techniques of Maya Abdominal Therapy, a form of massage that addresses the position and health of the pelvic and abdominal organs to restore balance in the body. Erin is committed to providing a truly relaxing space for people to discover their bodies’ inherent healing wisdom and to feel supported in their self-care. Her ability to genuinely listen to her clients, her innate compassion and kindness, her vast experience, and her wealth of knowledge about the body combine to create a deeply nourishing practice.
Meghan Hallowell was inspired by the healing power of touch at an early age, and brings a unique focus and intuition to bodywork. Meg’s goal in practicing massage is to provide a space for her clients to fully let go and release chronic holding patterns of stress and physical tension. She incorporates elements of myofascial work, orthobionomy, and acupressure into her practice, and creates a safe, nurturing space to truly listen to the body and help facilitate healing. Her slow, deep style of work is restorative and relaxing, and clients often report a feeling of “floating” after their sessions. Meg enjoys working with all people to develop deeper body awareness and self-care, and she is honored by the invitation to witness each client’s individual healing process. Meg trained at the Muscular Therapy Institute in Cambridge (now, Cortiva Institute in Watertown), where she graduated in 2002.
Irischa Valentin is a community herbalist in the Wise Woman Tradition, teaching folk medicine, local plant knowledge for self-healing, and sustainable living. In her work she integrates Earth-based practices with Community Wellness and Social Justice, leading group workshops on plant-medicine, oils and natural healing within communities that do not have access to alternative health care options. Irischa has been formally studying and learning about plant-healing medicine and essential oils since 2013. She studied plant medicine for two years with Sage Maurer at The Gaia School of Healing and Earth Education in Vermont, apprenticed at Twin Star with Lupo Passero in Connecticut, and studied Aromatherapy with Linda Patterson at the Boston School of Herbal Studies. Irischa is initiated in the first degree of the Usui tradition of Reiki.
