One Journey

Many Voices

One Journey

Many Voices

One Journey

Many Voices

One Journey

Many Voices

One Journey

Many Voices

Teachers

Alison Bailey             she/her

Alison Bailey she/her

Yoga Instructor

Alison was 18 years old when she took her first Hot Hatha yoga class in 2004. The traditional 26 & 2 sequence has been central to her well-being ever since.

More about Alison

A regular practitioner at Hot Yoga Olympia since 2013, she completed her instructor training there in 2019 and began leading classes right away. Alison is also a freelance writer and editor with an MFA from Goddard College.
Alyssa Hilton Meyer

Alyssa Hilton Meyer

Yoga Instructor

Alyssa completed her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training at True Self Yoga in 2022. Having been drawn to the physical aspects of asana practice intermittently throughout her life, she discovered a deep sense of comfort and healing through a gentle, introspective yoga practice following significant health challenges in 2016.

More about Alyssa

Yoga has served as the cornerstone for her recovery, helping her rebuild physical strength, enhance mental well-being, and manage chronic health issues. Alyssa is passionate about sharing the therapeutic benefits of yoga and is committed to leading classes that are both accessible and inclusive.

Aly Long                    she/her

Aly Long she/her

Yoga Instructor

Aly Long loves yoga! She discovered yoga in college and her practice grew over the years studying both Hatha and Anusara yoga. Aly was called to teach after spending several months in India and Southeast Asia. This clarity came after meeting her Guru Amma(Amritanadamayi). Amma continues to be a strong presence in her life, practice and her teaching! 

More about Aly

Upon returning to the states, Aly completed a 250 hour yoga teacher training in 2008 and since has had the opportunity to teach in Tucson and Phoenix, Arizona as well as St Thomas, USVI. After moving to Olympia, Aly completed a 100 hour yoga teacher training. In Olympia, she discovered her passion for working with children and families! Aly loves to introduce yoga to people of all ages! Aly’s classes encourage you to stay with the breath, listen to the body and to love yourself! Her classes are influenced by her extensive travel, nature and the seasons and embracing the present moment. Beyond yoga, meditation and chanting, Aly loves to be in nature moving her body or playing with her children! She loves to travel, speaks 4 languages and enjoys music from all over the world. Her 2 children bring an abundance of joy to her life and they are her greatest teachers! Aly loves to learn! She has a BA from the University of Arizona. After graduating from Oregon School of Massage, she practiced many forms of bodywork. Her background in massage therapy gives her a deeper understanding of the body and how it is all connected. Aly teaches Storytime Yoga for kids ages 2-6 on Wednesdays at 11am.

Anatole Losa

Anatole Losa

Yoga Instructor

Anatole has always been passionate about movement and the art of being present. In his early years, he delved into this passion through rock climbing. Later, in his twenties, he discovered Hot Yoga and was captivated by it.

Learn more about Anatole

He quickly grew to appreciate the versatility of Bikram Yoga. In 2002, Anatole trained directly with Bikram and went on to open Hot Yoga Olympia in 2004. Since then, he has been dedicated to sharing his love for yoga with the community.

Anela Perez       she/her

Anela Perez she/her

Yoga Instructor

‘Ānela’s yoga journey began in 2009, when she was introduced to her first Bikram Hot Yoga class. Out of desperation and on the verge of considering a major spinal fusion surgery, her partner suggested she try yoga instead.

Learn more about Anela

The physical, mental, and emotional benefits of yoga were felt immediately and she returned to yoga everyday that week – and continues to return to her practice time and again. Her love of the Hot Hatha practice led her to her first teacher training in 2012 with a studio in Seattle, where she found immense joy in sharing yoga with others for 5 years before moving to Olympia. She took a break from teaching to focus her energies on building the family business she shares with her partner, and to dedicate herself to being a stay at home mom. During this time, she was fortunate to find the True Self Yoga studio and community and was inspired to deepen her own practice and understanding of yoga. She participated in and completed teacher training in 2023, followed by an apprenticeship with Christina Lagdameo and is now currently working through a Trauma-Informed Teacher training. 

Her passion is to provide classes that are a welcoming and inclusive space for exploration and growth. She strives to guide classes with a focus on mindful breathing and intentional movement to connect to the present moment. ‘Ānela has a deep appreciation for the transformative power of yoga beyond the mat, encouraging others to carry the sense of peace and awareness they discover and cultivate in class, into their everyday experiences and lives. 

Anne Laderman        she/her

Anne Laderman she/her

Yoga Instructor

Anne is a teacher committed to yoga as a way of life. She is a certified yoga instructor (E-RYT 500HR) and Thai Yoga Therapist.  Anne has taught in California, Arizona, New Zealand and her current home of Olympia, WA. She deeply enjoys living in her beautiful co-housing community and spending time with her children and loved ones. 

More about Anne

Find her at her at True Self Yoga and join in-person or virtual class, as well as teacher training. She also leads retreats and workshops infused with love, yoga and most importantly – JOY!

Anne has studied with many master teachers and is especially grateful for her time with Ana Forrest, Saul David Raye and Monette Goetinck.

Annette McQueen  she/her

Annette McQueen she/her

Yoga Instructor

Annette’s formal yoga training began at the White Lotus Foundation, in Santa Barbara, California, with Ganga White. Inspiration and passion fuel this instructor as she authentically shares her 25+ years of knowledge with yoga students as she guides them through pranayama, meditation, movement and sound. 

More about Annette

Annette regularly teaches Yoga Flow and Gentle Yoga. During meditations or savasana, she may share sound through her beloved Venus Gong or Carnelian Crystal Quartz singing bowl. Sharing yoga and the healing arts is her Dharma in this life.

Brando mataya

Brando mataya

Yoga Instructor

Brando’s yoga journey began in 2008 as a path to self-discovery and healing. Growing up in the Philippines, he faced early challenges, including the loss of his father, which required him to care for his younger siblings while his mother worked abroad. These experiences instilled in him resilience and a nurturing approach to life and yoga.

More about Brando

Yoga has been a constant sanctuary for Brando, deepening through numerous retreats, workshops, and festivals worldwide. His time in Costa Rica was particularly transformative, enriching his understanding of yoga’s healing power and inspiring him to share this practice with others.

After a brief retirement to focus on personal growth, Brando returned to the professional world and eventually made his home in Olympia, Washington. Here, he planted his roots with his partner of 23 years and their two beloved dogs, bringing stability and dedication to his teaching.

In 2023, Brando completed his 200-hour YTT training at TrueSelf Yoga and immediately began apprenticing with various mentors in different yoga styles. At True Self Yoga, he shares not only the physical practice of yoga but also the deeper lessons of resilience, growth, and self-discovery that have shaped his life. Join Brando to explore the dynamic balance of energy and tranquility, finding strength and peace both on and off the mat.

 

Brit Kiessling                              she/her

Brit Kiessling she/her

Yoga Instructor

Brit is a Californian grown, sunshine fed yogi. She completed her first 200 hour training in 2012 and hasn’t stopped teaching since.

 

More about Brit

Her classes are full of energy, connection to breath and leave you with a greater understanding of your body. Yoga has been a gateway of acceptance and transformation for Brit. She aims for all students to utilize their practice as the greatest gift of self care through self discovery. When she’s not in the studio, you’ll find her hiking, backpacking, or spending time with her partner, Grant. 

Carissa Roberts

Carissa Roberts

Yoga Instructor

Carissa discovered yoga in 2013 while in the midst of a deep struggle with disordered eating. The mat became a life raft for her as she embarked on the tumultuous journey of recovery.

More about Carissa

She became a 250 hr RYT with Corepower Yoga in Seattle in 2014 where she studied Vinyasa and Yoga Sculpt – both of which helped her to rediscover her true power. Carissa became a Certified Life Coach with The Life Coach School in 2015 with an emphasis on helping others to heal their relationship with food and body image. Carissa weaves her passion for coaching and thought work into her yoga classes. She works to bring her soul into teaching and cares deeply about the collective awakening of our planet. She is a trauma-informed, body positive, yogini who enjoys making you sweat on your way to enlightenment.
Chelsea Le Brun Gustafson                              she/her

Chelsea Le Brun Gustafson she/her

Yoga Instructor

Chelsea is a registered yoga teacher (RYT), a biochemist and enthusiastic student of life. She believes that yoga can be used as an integrative practice to explore one’s own body, mind and their responses to life experiences. 

More about Chelsea

Her classes are grounding and opening, based on alignment principles with a focus on moving with intention and cultivating balance. By cultivating a sense of light-hearted play and deep inquiry in her classes, she hopes to create a space where students can develop a deeper relationship with themselves and their world. Chelsea studied with Mark Stephens and Erika Abrahamian in Santa Cruz, CA and is constantly learning from her fellow yoga teachers and students.

Chelsea Rosen             she/her

Chelsea Rosen she/her

Yoga Instructor

Growing up a competitive dancer, was an injury that brought Chelsea to her first yoga class at the age of 16. When she discovered that yoga was more than just poses, she was hooked. Through her personal practice, Chelsea has found healing of body, mind, and spirit, and she decided she wanted to be able to share that with others.

More about Chelsea

In 2012, Chelsea completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training, “Yoga and the Healing Sciences,” at Loyola Marymount University in Marina Del Ray, California. This therapeutics-based training gave her insight into using yoga as a tool for healing. Soon after, she began teaching part-time in her then home of Los Angeles but she still wanted more. In May 2014, Chelsea spent a month in the jungle of Thailand and later that year another two weeks in Baja California training with Clara Roberts-Oss for a 300-hour Vinyasa training. There she dove even deeper into anatomy, sequencing, sacred scripture, and prenatal yoga, officially becoming a 500hr RYT in November 2015. She has been teaching full-time for the past few years in Ann Arbor, Michigan recently relocated to Olympia for her husband’s job this past December. Chelsea believes yoga is for everyone regardless of limitations, injuries, or level of flexibility. She strives to help her students find awareness in their bodies in both a nurturing and challenging way. She believes in keeping yoga classes sustainable through thoughtful cues and a strong emphasis on alignment and acceptance.

Christina Lagdameo      she/her

Christina Lagdameo she/her

Yoga Instructor

Various losses in Christina’s life brought her back over and over again to the practices and teachings in meditation and yoga.  The words of the young Buddha in Hermann Hesses’s Siddharta resonated deeply with her, “[God] has robbed me, yet he has given me something of greater value . . . he has given to me myself.” 

More about Christina

Her spiritual quest catapulted Christina into rigorous spiritual training at the Chozen-ji Zen Dojo in Honolulu and in Ashtanga yoga in South India. It was when she lived in Mysore, India for 3 years that Christina witnessed the transformative powers of yoga and meditation. Working with the nonprofit organization Odanadi, Christina shared the practices of yoga and meditation with survivors of human trafficking and was humbled by the experience. With this life-changing awakening, she made the vow to do her best to pass on the teachings to aid in others’ journeys in self-realization. Before focusing on yoga full-time, Christina served the White House for 9 years in the White House Office of Management and Budget; and then served as President Obama’s Deputy Director of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. She helped establish the Asian American Studies Program at the University of Maryland and received her Masters in Public Policy from the New School for Social Research in New York City.

Connie Patnode              she/her

Connie Patnode she/her

Yoga Instructor

Connie has been a Massage Therapist since 1993 and found Yoga around the same time, like many massage therapists-who-turn-yogi in Olympia.  Connie has a holistic approach to health and well being. “What I have found from my own experience is that by connecting with one’s body and breath you can heal the mind and rehabilitate the body. The body is our journal of experiences.”  

More about Connie

Connie started with Iyengar yoga and found Bikram in 2000 and fell in love. She took the teacher training in 2011. What she loves about yoga is the connection and presence to oneself that it brings. It grounds you to your own power and authenticity. Connie strives to bring that connection to oneself to each class. Self love. Self awareness. The journey inward ripples outward. Welcome to the Journey.

Daniel Buscher

Daniel Buscher

Yoga Instructor

Daniel began his Hot Yoga practice in 2014 at Hot Yoga Olympia and knew almost immediately he wanted to guide others in this life-changing practice. 

more about Daniel

He completed his training at Sealevel Hot Yoga (formerly Bikram’s Yoga College of India) in Seattle in 2016 and took the reins for Hot Yoga Olympia in 2019 from his teachers Anatole and Margot Losa. He is thrilled to join the True Self team of teachers and practitioners. Daniel lives in Olympia with his amazing partner and cat. 
Dave Hutton             he/him

Dave Hutton he/him

Yoga Instructor

Dave has been involved with martial arts, sports and athletics his whole life. Throughout High School and College he was a competitive Fencer and after college he was a serious runner. Due to a severe back injury incurred playing sports back in 2000, Dave needed to find a physical, yet therapeutic and healing workout without incurring more stress to his body. 

more about Dave

He attended a Kripalu Yoga Seminar with Bikram Choudhury in 2001 and was immediately attracted to its philosophy and practice. He was inspired to attend Bikram’s Teacher Training program later that year, with his wife, Jean, and then later together in 2002 they opened up their own Bikram Yoga studio called Bikram Yoga Larchmont. After 12 fantastic years of owning a yoga studio, Dave and Jean sold their studio and realized it was time to move to the Pacific Northwest, the land of Valinor! Dave has been a practitioner of meditation and the esoteric for over 25 years and strives to incorporate both Eastern and Western beliefs, ideas, and humor into his yoga practice and teaching. Dave and Jean continue their Jnana Yoga training with their spiritual teacher, Ramtha, at the Ramtha School of Enlightenment. Dave has been a certified Bikram Yoga instructor since December 2001. Feel free to talk to Dave about anything you like, especially his favorite TV show Ancient Aliens!

Elizabeth Drake

Elizabeth Drake

Yoga Instructor

Elizabeth began practicing yoga when she moved to Olympia in 2001. She became a dedicated practitioner in 2009 when her (now) husband introduced her to Hot Yoga.

More about Elizabeth

 The discipline and focus of the traditional 26/2 practice gave Beth a tool for finding calm and balance through breath and movement. Elizabeth completed her instructor training in 2019 at Hot Yoga Olympia under her teacher Daniel Buscher. Beth is a certified mediator, and she teaches communication and conflict resolution skills. She enjoys exploring Washington’s natural wonders and playing the ukulele.

 

Ellie Lucas              she/her

Ellie Lucas she/her

Yoga Instructor

Ellie graduated from True Self’s 200 hr teacher training. She began practicing yoga 3 years ago when she moved to Washington for its physical benefits (and an alternative to the gym). She had taken a class a few years prior from a friend in New York and since then kept the intention in the back of her mind to one day try it out on a regular basis.  

More about Ellie

Since coming to her mat and regularly practicing it has become an important part of her life where she did find the physical benefits but discovered even greater ones on a mental and emotional level.

Completing the yoga teacher training was a way for Ellie to deepen her own practice and her understanding of yoga. The opportunity to teach came as a surprise that she has welcomed with open arms and is now looking forward to introducing and helping others cultivate their relationship with yoga

Fred                               he/him

Fred he/him

Yoga Instructor

Fred has been practicing yoga for over 6 years and discovered True Self shortly after it opened – it was immediately clear that True Self was a very special studio.  After a busy career as an entrepreneur and business leader, yoga was the perfect transition to a more relaxed lifestyle and he took the opportunity to learn many forms and styles of yoga.

More about Fred

He chose to take his practice deeper and completed a 200hr RYT through True Self Yoga where a focused interest in Yoga Nidra developed. An apprenticeship followed where his gentle nature and soothing voice lead him to specialize in teaching Yoga Nidra mediation. Fred committed further by attending an iRest yoga Nidra Teacher Training earning a Level 1 Certificate.

His passion is to help people feel better and learn to connect to their inner place of well-being, peace and ease. He is honored to share the practice and feels a wonderful sense of gratitude for having the opportunity help people relax and deal with the challenges of everyday life.

Holly Anderson          she/her

Holly Anderson she/her

Yoga Instructor

Holly Anderson is a graduate of the first True Self Yoga Teacher Training and is now a RYT-200. She first came to the practice at a young age, but it was not until pain and illness struck her body and began to affect her daily life, that she really pursued yoga more seriously.

More about Holly

She found that yoga began to provide balance and healing of the body and mind that she was struggling to find in other arenas and slowly began to commit to a more regular practice of yoga, meditation, and mindfulness. It was not until her first visit to magical India, however, that she truly saw and felt the ways in which the practice would forever shift her life towards true health and happiness. This new path soon lead her to Olympia and to the wonderful community here at True Self, where she began to bring a more daily practice into her life and felt the draw to share that practice with others.

Her main passions for teaching yoga are to help others to find a place of calm and balance that they can come to within their daily lives and to bring the practice to those who might otherwise feel that yoga is inaccessible to them for any reason.

Jade Land                  she/her

Jade Land she/her

Yoga Instructor

Jade was born and raised in Olympia, WA and enjoys all things PNW. She found yoga when she joined the Quest for Truth scholarship program at True Self Yoga as they opened doors in 2016. She hasn’t left the studio since.

 

More about Jade

After committing to her practice three days a week she quickly saw the benefits of a regular practice.  She believes yoga is for anyone and not just a physical practice but mental and spiritual. In addition to community, confidence and health, yoga has brought a great sense of self awareness and love to her life that she only hopes to share and pass on to others.

After a year of practice she enrolled in the first yoga teacher training at True Self excited to understand yoga on a deeper level. When jade started to study and learn more about the 8 limbs of yoga. Yoga became a way of life.

She enjoys teaching various styles of yoga and strives to offer fun and safe classes that are Inclusive and accessible to all skill levels. She hopes to motivate others to improve their wellbeing by committing to a regular practice themselves. She stays educated on new techniques and brings variety to each of her classes. Her classes have a little bit of everything and can be enjoyed by anyone. Her teaching style encourages letting the breath guide your practice, staying present and exploring your body as well as your mind, cultivating a deeper sense of the self.

Outside of yoga and her office job she likes to spend her time with her husband and two daughters exploring new places and spending time outside.

Jean Cho                    she/her

Jean Cho she/her

Yoga Instructor

Jean has been teaching Bikram and Hot Yoga for over 15 years.  Before that, for many years she taught aerobic classes at various YMCAs throughout New York.  As a lifelong athlete, Jean started to experience the effects of years of high impact stress on her body.  

More about Jean

After developing chronic knee and ankle injuries, she could no longer perform her normal workout routine and sought a different way to exercise and relax. This is when she turned to yoga. When she took her first Bikram class in 2000, the results were astonishing – no more pain and yet the class was physically and mentally challenging. In 2001, Jean attended Bikram’s 2-month Teacher Training program in California, with her husband, Dave, and became a certified Bikram Yoga instructor. Soon thereafter, in 2002, Jean and Dave opened a Bikram Yoga studio in Larchmont, NY. While attending several events at the Ramtha School of Enlightenment, Jean and Dave became very enthused with the Pacific Northwest lifestyle. And, after 12 wonderful years as studio owners, it was time to move on and focus on other business and personal endeavors. In 2014, Jean and Dave sold their studio and moved to the great state of Washington to realize new experiences and to deepen their spiritual practice.

Jenni Tresness            she/her

Jenni Tresness she/her

Yoga Instructor

Jenni was introduced to Hatha yoga in 2013, and since then her practice has blessed her life in ways she never could have imagined.

More about Jenni

In the beginning, yoga provided the mental and emotional relief that she needed while navigating some challenging life circumstances. However, she quickly realized that yoga was so much more than what she did on her mat, and she was eager to learn more. Yoga philosophy books began filling her bookshelf as yoga began extending into all areas of her life. She completed her 200hr YTT training in 2019, and added a Hatha apprenticeship with Vajra in 2021. With a focus on gratitude and joy, her intention is to be a conduit for her students, to the peace yoga brought her. Outside of yoga, Jenni is a full time pediatric echocardiographer, imaging the hearts of babies and kids born with congenital heart defects. Jenni greatest joy is being a mom, and she loves enjoying the Pacific Northwest with her family on their sailboat.

Jessica Riefler            she/her

Jessica Riefler she/her

Yoga Instructor

Jessica was introduced to yoga and meditation by her mother in 2008 at Baltimore Yoga Village, and she has been practicing ever since. True Self’s 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training, and thereafter completed a Hot Hatha Apprenticeship with Vajra Romano. Jessica is inspired by meeting people on their journey to the Self, and enjoys instructing with specificity and precision. 

More about Jessica

When Jessica entered law school in Seattle in 2012, what had become a daily practice gave her coping mechanisms for stress and anxiety, as well as added flexibility and conditioning for the outdoor activities she enjoys, such as rock climbing and running with her dog. Jessica is a 2019 graduate of True Self’s 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training, and thereafter completed a Hot Hatha Apprenticeship with Vajra Romano. Jessica is inspired by meeting people on their journey to the Self, and enjoys instructing with specificity and precision. 

Julia Zhao                  she/her

Julia Zhao she/her

Yoga Instructor

Julia is a trauma-informed yoga therapist and home care aide, with over 1,000 hours of training in Yoga, Tantra, and Ayurveda.

Her experience of immigrating as a young child has fueled a lifelong search for spiritual meaning and wholeness. She discovered yoga in her early twenties, and it has helped her find spiritual connection, resilience, and steadiness through many big and small life challenges.

Kelli Mae Willis         she/her

Kelli Mae Willis she/her

Yoga Instructor, Family Yoga & Retreat Coordinator, community@trueself.yoga

Kelli Mae is a certified teacher of yoga, AcroYoga, CircusYoga, Children’s Yoga, Prenatal Yoga, Meditation and Mindfulness, and Waldorf education. She coordinates our Kids and Family Yoga program and leads Children’s Yoga Teacher Training weekends at True Self.  Kelli Mae brings her dynamic, playful teaching style to all of her classes, for children and adults alike!

Kehle Kaivalya   she/her

Kehle Kaivalya she/her

Yoga Instructor, Co-Manager

Kehle brings a vibrant and uplifting energy to every class. Having embarked on her yoga journey with a passion for both physical wellness and mental clarity in 2009, she completed her 200-hour RYT certification at True Self Yoga in 2018, where she embraces the practice’s transformative power. Her teaching style is a harmonious blend of fun and challenge, designed to make every student feel supported and inspired.

More about Kehle

Kehle is excited to share her love of yoga with you and help you discover the wonderful benefits of this practice in a warm and engaging environment.

 

Kristi Lyons              she/her

Kristi Lyons she/her

Yoga Instructor

Kristi is an E-RYT® 500 seasoned yoga instructor, teacher trainer, athlete, and an advocate for social justice, environmentalism, and inclusivity. Her curiosity keeps her dedicated to learning while constantly evolving, believing that the work – microcosmic to macrocosmic – is never truly done. Kristi is a skillful storyteller, which makes her classes unique and creative as she artfully weaves yogic philosophy and Ayurveda throughout the practice.

More about Kristi

Authentic and charismatic, she is known for her clear, concise instructions as well as her ability to challenge students both intellectually and physically. 
At a young age, Kristi started stumbling upon those rare moments where the veil between humanness and spirit were mysteriously thin. Those moments sparked her curiosity to seek out a wide variety of spiritual teachers and mentors from all walks of life including; long time yoga teachers and desi yogis, fiery social justice advocates, trailblazing movers & shakers, insightful energy healers, unassuming clairvoyants, and an eclectic collection of “adopted moms” she’s gathered along her journey. 
Kristi upholds the truth that yoga is a life practice that includes self-study, social justice, inclusivity, environmentalism, and uplifting the voices of lineage holders in the yoga tradition. She offers the gift of humanness as she walks alongside of her community as a loving witness with compassion, and a big open heart.  
Kristi completed her last 300-hour teacher training in 2019 with yoga therapist and author, Sarahjoy Marsh, who has inspired Kristi to take on one-on-one clients for healing through mindfulness and restorative Ayurvedic practices.

Laura Deaton             she/her

Laura Deaton she/her

Yoga Instructor, Manager, manager@trueself.yoga

Laura first came to the mat for a good workout, what happened was far more beautiful then she could ever have imagined. Linking breath with movement became a peaceful dance for her, a journey with herself, a wonderful way to discover to her truth. This has proven to be hugely healing, and a wonderful way to navigate through life’s ups and downs.

More about Laura

Laura has always felt drawn to be nurturing and show others she cares, whether this is with a smile, a hug, or a body positive message in class, she strives to touch many lives with smiles, love and laughter.  Laura is a graduate of True Self’s RYT-200 followed with an apprenticeship under Vajra Romero.

Laura’s life has been in perpetual motion, from early childhood, she found joy in expressing herself with her physical body, she explored motion through dance, taking ballet, jazz, and tap, she also experimented in gymnastics. As an adult she continued a life of movement, exploring various activities, and techniques, taking pilates, barre, and piyo.  It was not until she made her way into her first yoga class that she realized the true joy she felt on her mat, connecting her breath with movement tapped into her childhood joys of self-expression. Laura believes you are always learning, constantly growing and continuously healing both on and off the mat.  As a wife, and mom of two wonderful children, yoga provides a beautiful blend of self-care, love and community for Laura. 

Lauren Gordon

Lauren Gordon

Yoga Instructor

Leah Harvey              she/her

Leah Harvey she/her

Yoga Instructor

Leah Harvey is a 200 HR RYT, and Certified Holistic Nutritionist. After years of being a dedicated yoga student, she began teaching in 2017. Like so many yogis, Leah showed up for the physical benefits of yoga and found a path that offered so much more, and truly feels honored to share this practice.

More about Leah

She has experience teaching in all settings- gym, boutique, and private- although most notably proud of creating a strong yoga community overseas in Tunisia where she lived prior to moving to Olympia.
Leah completed her YTT through Life power Yoga after falling in love with its unique style. Emphasizing creative flows, her instruction allows each student the freedom to navigate a personal connection between mind and body through breath and movement.
Outside the studio, Leah has dedicated her business to helping women live their most vibrant lives through Mindful Nutrition and Movement. She specializes in helping women overcome obsessive diet habits and patterns by combining so many of the lessons learned on her mat with simple nutrition strategies.
As a Military Wife, she also provides yoga to Veterans and Service Members. She has worked with the Veterans Yoga Project to help raise awareness of the benefits of yoga and meditation for our troops and is currently studying to become a Trauma-Informed Level II teacher with Warriors at Ease.

Lori Capra

Lori Capra

Yoga Instructor

In 1983 Lori attended the University of Connecticut, working in a health food restaurant, where her boss/mentor brought her to her first yoga class! From the age of 17 until now, yoga has been an anchor for Lori.  An anchor for healthy living, healthy thinking, healthy feeling.

More about Lori

Lori’s primary yoga community in the last few decades has been Hot Yoga Olympia and True Self Yoga! She completed her yoga teacher training with Great Heart Yoga at the renowned Yoga Loft which was beautifully perched on Capital Lake in downtown Olympia. In 2016 Lori traveled to Spain to Yogabody to acquire her Aerial Yoga/Yoga trapeze teacher certification. In 2017 she opened a studio for aerial yoga, Gravity Yoga – it thrived until closing during Covid. After having practiced Hot Yoga for over 18 years, Lori decided to pursue an apprenticeship to teach Hot Yoga with Vajra at TSY in 2023. Lori feels so blessed to share her dharma with the True Self Community and truly feels like is home.

Kevin Mattison

Kevin Mattison

Yoga Instructor

I am a lifelong athlete.  I engaged in many ‘gladiator’ type sports that typically have many injuries associated with them. Fortunately, as I approached the BIG-5-OH, I made it to my first Bikram Yoga class in relatively good condition; not perfect, but good!

More about Kevin

Although I practiced other forms, or traditions, of Hatha (Ha-Sun, Tha-Moon) Yoga prior to my Bikram experience, I found that the Bikram method resonated with me and, ultimately, healed me in remarkable ways. I became a Yoga teacher to proliferate the benefits of this practice.  I bring an open mind and heart to the art and science of these physical expressions of Yogi principles.  I regard this gift that we share as a ‘health’ oriented Yoga journey. As our bodies process what we do in the hot room we incrementally fix what needs repair and enhance what’s already working.  In short, I’m here to help you gain physical, energetic, and mental strength on all levels; increase not only your physical range of motion, but your mental and spiritual range as well; detox all systems; including your integumentary system; and, last, but not least, experience a dignified longevity. After all, if we don’t take exceptional care of our exceptional bodies, then what?

Lisa Ostler                she/her

Lisa Ostler she/her

Yoga Instructor

Lisa is passionate about helping others find the tools to live a life in wellness.  
She has extensive (20+yrs) experience as a Registered Nurse. 

More about Lisa

Throughout her career she has witnessed the failures of the healthcare system time and time again. This system breakdown encouraged her to complete her certificate, as an Integrative Nurse Coach with the 
Integrative Nurse Coach Academy.  A role that helps her focus on holistic health and wellness, without the confines of hospital walls. 
As her passion for health and the human body grew, so did her love for Yoga. She initially came to Yoga in college to help with the stressors of Nursing School, as well as a more mindful way to move her body.  Over the past 20 years she has grown as a Yoga student, making her choice to become a Registered Yoga Teacher  both natural and easeful.  Since graduating from YTT at The Yoga Loft in Olympia, she has immersed herself  in the inner teachings of Yoga, graduating with certificates in the history and philosophy of Yoga, as well as Tantra Yoga.  She graduated from the Yoga Behind Bars program in 2020, as well as the 75 hour Social Justice in Yoga Intensive with Michelle Cassandra Johnson, at Skill in Action in 2021.  Her teachings express her deep rooted love for the Inner Wisdom, Philosophy and Roots of Yoga. Lisa has a love for learning and is forever expanding both her knowledge and experience.

Nate Gibbs

Nate Gibbs

Yoga Instructor

In 2008, I discovered hot yoga while recovering from addiction and numerous physical injuries. The intensity and rigor of the practice provided a sanctuary for my return to health.

More about Nate

After completing the 200-hour training at True Self in 2024, I am dedicated to helping others discover their limitlessness through yoga and meditation. As a person of Native Hawaiian descent, I always seek to integrate the value of Aloha into my teaching. I currently reside among the trees in Olympia with our daughter, Naima, and my partner, Anela, who is also a teacher at True Self.

Nika Wolf

Nika Wolf

Yoga Instructor

Bio Coming Soon

More about Nika

Coming soon/learn_more]

Rebecca Steiner       she/her

Rebecca Steiner she/her

Yoga Instructor

Rebecca is originally from New Jersey and has been on the West Coast for over ten years. She has a background in Education, Science and Art.  After many years of dental assisting, she found particular appeal in the rejuvenating and healing qualities of heated yoga, for both body and mind.

More about Rebecca

She began a regular practice at a Bikram studio in San Diego and was inspired to take classes of all styles. Rebecca (Becca) completed her 200-hour teacher training with Yoga Tropics in San Diego California, in 2012. In addition to leading weekly Hatha classes, she volunteered with the Sean O’Shea Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing free yoga classes and nutritional information to San Diego’s youth. She also donated classes every week to help children and families at the Rady Children’s Hospital Oncology unit. Her positive outlook and nurturing energy will leave you feeling rejuvenated and relaxed.

PJ Ramstack

PJ Ramstack

Yoga Instructor

Wendy Diddy

Wendy Diddy

Yoga Instructor

“No one is pain free…” Wendy has been practicing yoga for two thirds of her life. Scoliosis, spondylolisthesis, and an undiagnosed crack in a vertebra caused her years of great pain while practicing yoga, walking and even standing. She ultimately braved a lumbar fusion and after two years of physical therapy, discipline and gentle back-care yoga classes she can now truly enjoy all that yoga has to offer.

More about Wendy

Wendy has always loved what yoga brought to her body, mind and spirit; and, with a structurally safer spine she completed a 200-RYT yoga teacher training in 2020 at the (former) Yoga Loft in downtown Olympia, studying with Maureen Oar and Kristi Lyons. Knowing how important the health of the spine is to your quality of life she focused her training on back-care and yoga’s capacity for healing. Wendy loves the earth and the feel of its good soil between her fingers and toes. She pays attention to nature to better understand its gifts of life. She grows most of her own fruits and vegetables as she listens to the sound of every bird in her garden. She has a background in nutritional therapy and knows the value of real food. You will find Wendy in her kitchen or in her garden when she’s not practicing yoga.

Vajra Romano            he/him

Vajra Romano he/him

Yoga Instructor

After graduating in 1999 from Capital High School in Olympia, Vajra went to the wilderness to contemplate the meaning of life. After a bad judgement in direction, Vajra spent seven days lost in Olympic National Park. During this time of desperation, with no food or certainty of making it out alive, Vajra was forced to turn inward and discover the indestructibility of his True Self. 

More about Vajra

After returning from a week alone in the wilderness, Vajra left Olympia on a pilgrimage to the far East. Arriving in Nepal, Vajra learned intensive meditation training from Tibetan Buddhist monks at Kopan Monastery www.kopanmonastery.com. Wishing to merge his spiritual training with a conventional education, Vajra enrolled at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. www.naropa.edu. and completed the only Bachelor Degree/ Yoga Teacher Training Program in the United States in 2006. For ten years, Vajra taught yoga classes throughout the Northwest, Washington DC and Hawaii. In 2016, now married, Vajra and his wife Christina teamed up to envision a yoga studio of their own. They took a leap, moved from their simple life on an organic farm on Kauai to Olympia, WA. where they would establish True Self Yoga. Life had brought Vajra back full circle to Olympia where he first began, to share what he had learned and fulfill his life’s Dharma.

2 Weeks for $30
2 Weeks for $30

What a magnificent studio oasis!

True Self is the best yoga studio in Olympia by far! Their variety of classes, from heated and regular, as well as their beautiful studio space, and the deeply passionate and knowledgeable owners all create a safe and supportive yoga community. - Sarah Burdette

They've created and hold space for their yogis so well that even the studio seems to have a sense of it's true self.

I've been a yogi in Olympia for about 10 years and True Self Yoga is the first studio that meets all of my yoga needs, and then some. When you visit True Self, you don't walk straight into a yoga room like most studios. - Camy Naasz

The heated room boasts a special heating system that you need to experience!

Beautiful space to practice with a variety of class offerings, great instructors, kombucha on tap and the latest yoga gear. Two studios: one heated and the other non-heated. Floors are always clean and they also have showers in the changing rooms, which is a must for hot yoga! - Rese Kim

With their combined yoga and meditation experiences and with deep roots in the Olympia community, husband-and-wife team, Vajra Romano and Christina Lagdameo, have established True Self Yoga with the mission to bring out your highest good.