Studio Classes and Private Treatments:

I walk eagerly into the beautiful room for my weekly yoga class.  I have been coming here for several months.  There are plants carefully lining the large windows. Simple blinds have been pulled down against the harsh winter evening.  Candles flicker slightly as each red-cheeked student arrives, carrying in the bustle of the city and our lives. We each settle onto our mats and take slower, deeper breaths.  As we wait for the class to start we are enveloped by the warmth of the room, the softness of the light, and the kind murmur of our teacher’s voice.   She amazes me with her ability to calm and soothe with a few words.  As the class begins and I start to focus on how my body and is feeling, I feel my stress lift and I stretch towards renewal….

I always think back to my first class in this space as the turning point.  I arrived tired, a little nervous and dispirited.  I had seen the class advertised in my neighbourhood and remembering how much I had enjoyed yoga years before,  I pushed myself to sign up.   I walked tentatively into the welcoming room and felt as though my body had been in hibernation and was afraid to come out.  I lay on my mat and tried to calm myself.  And then the class began.  The teacher’s gentle and encouraging voice lead us through the poses and I felt my body awaken and my mind focus.

As I walked home after that first class, I already felt more in tune with myself, more positive and alive than I had in months.  It was the first step, but it was a giant one that brought me both peace and hope. I walked into the night with a smile and a light heart, ready to begin again. - Studio Yoga Class Participant

Annex yoga has been my introduction to regular yoga practice.  I have found Catherine to be an informed instructor who is careful to tailor her classes to suit the needs of each individual student.  Catherine effectively differentiates her teaching so that new students are able to gain the full benefits of the class while experienced students are pushed to their full potential.  Catherine is a dedicated yoga scholar who is able to inform students of the specific benefits of each pose and provide suggestions for specific needs.  The Annex yoga environment is comfortable and inviting and I leave each class feeling refreshed and relaxed! - Matt

I am quite athletic and enjoy many sports.  When my girlfriend first asked me to join her yoga class, I thought that it is not really for men and it would be boring.  After attending my first class with Catherine, however, I discovered that it is more than merely stretching exercise.  Under Catherine’s guidance my yoga practice has helped me locate and ease the tension built in my body and correct my body alignment.   Her knowledge of yoga and its relation with the mind and body helps me build my core strength and tone my body in ways that no other exercises are able to.  - Yves

Yoga classes with Catherine are amazing.  Having a regular private class, she tailors my yoga sessions to my particular needs. Catherine is very intuitive and seems to know exactly what my body is needing at that particular moment.  With her “mindfulness approach” I find her classes spirit me away to another world allowing me to focus on the moment and come back to the present day rejuvenated and relaxed. - Ann

The Annex yoga classes are great because each class is customized according to the needs and level of everyone in the class, the time of year, and the general mood of the group.  In almost two years of attending the class weekly, no two classes have ever been exactly alike, which I enjoy because it keeps things interesting and I always learn new things.  Catherine is a fantastic teacher because she always remembers little details that I tell her about my yoga practice and her teaching style is somehow both motivating and relaxing.  Catherine also does an excellent job of creating a very comfortable and beautiful space for the class.  I have recommended this case to friends who are very experienced in yoga as well as to people who have yet to try it. – Olivia

I felt absolutely terrific after your yoga session last Thursday.  That feeling of openness in mind and body stayed with me for a good 24 hrs afterwards.  I wanted to write to just simply say you do a great job at what you do and you should know your work is having a significant impact on people’s lives. What a gift. - Mark

Catherine is one of the best teachers.  She is patient, relatable, and inspiring.  I always feel instantly refreshed in her presence, and transformed after her yoga classes, reiki classes, and bodywork sessions.  I can’t live without her and The Holistic Way.  - Monique

Retreats

Catherine’s yoga retreat couldn’t be more of a holistic way.  The body is nourished with delicious meals, the mind fed with stimulating thoughts and reflections leading to inner growth, the body expands through rigorous, restorative and core-strengthening yoga classes, and the location is an exquisite multi-sensory experience.  The retreat is the best of Catherine’s yoga classes, spread over a weekend. I couldn’t recommend it more! – Catherine F

I have enjoyed Catherine’s classes regularly for a few years now – participating in her reiki courses, reiki and healing yoga treatments, group yoga drop-in classes, workshops, and yoga retreats. I love her classes and courses, but have to say that some of my favourite yoga time has been at the Cottage Yoga Retreat. She and her husband, Brad, naturally create such a warm, welcoming, safe environment for everyone to explore themselves, and you couldn’t ask for a better location. I find that being in this beautiful natural cottage setting helps me go to a deeper place with my yoga and meditative practice. Along with the yoga, the food is OUTSTANDING – my body always thanks me for giving it such love and care! The yoga practices, time for individual reflection, wonderful people, beautiful location, and delicious meals always leaves me yearning for the next retreat!  – Jessica

Workplace Yoga:

Being able to do yoga in our workplace makes all the difference.  It makes it so much easier not to have to travel to another location.  And doing it with co-workers is a good support system and motivational. Catherine and Sara are excellent yoga instructors and they’re very good at tailoring the classes, no matter how small the space, to each individual and all of our different ailments.  It always amazes me that they know exactly how to make you relax into each pose.  I’ve seen a huge difference in all of us who have been practicing yoga.  Whether you’re a beginner or have taken yoga before, I recommend The Holistic Way to anyone who’s considering yoga! - Rosabelle

Our organization has recently agreed to subsidize our staff lunchtime yoga classes, enthusiastically supporting continued health and wellness in the work-place.  We have found that the convenience of having an instructor come to the office encourages increased fitness activity,  boosts morale, and decreases stress levels – all of which positively affect productivity and employee retention. We have had Catherine as our instructor for a year now, whose positive, spirited and adaptive style has nurtured a strong commitment in all those who participate. - Susan

For me yoga has been wonderful for getting me away from my desk for 60 minutes twice a week, as well as allowing me to incorporate fitness into my day rather than having to add it. Now that I’m pregnant I really need all the fitness I can get and Catherine’s yoga class has been a wonderful way to maintain fitness during this period of incredible bodily changes.  – Danielle

It is such a great idea having yoga classes at lunch-time. Because our instructor comes to us, we can fit the class into a one-hour time slot. It’s a small class, so we get individual attention. Catherine provides clear instruction and encouragement. Her calm, gentle nature sets the tone for an hour of delving into the world of yoga – body, mind and spirit. At the end of the class, I feel simultaneously relaxed and energized, and ready to tackle the rest of my work day. I highly recommend workplace yoga to anyone who wants to learn and practice this fascinating way to maintain balance in your life!  – Janet

Being able to do yoga here in our office is a huge time and stress-reliever. Not only do I enjoy our practice with Catherine and Sara, but it has become a great way to get to know other staff.  We encourage each other to not miss the class and support each other in using yoga to relieve sore backs or achy muscles.  I love not having to race out of the door to get to the gym and have always appreciated the way in which the instructors can tailor the class to suit the individual and collective needs of the class.  - Fiona

For about two years now, a group of us here at SHSC has been practicing yoga after work with our instructor Catherine. It is a good way to stay healthy, maintain balance to sometimes hectic workdays, and to take time for ourselves before we head home. Recently, we have increase our practice to twice a week to respond to a growing number of participants. The Holistic Way workplace yoga has definitely help me maintain a more balanced lifestyle. - Andrew

Pretty much any workplace can be a stress-inducing environment – so what better place to practice Yoga than at the office? Yoga at work with Catherine is a perfect fit for my schedule. The classes take place over our lunch hour which is really convenient. Catherine starts each class by asking how everyone is feeling and what areas they would like to focus on for the session. Sometimes we focus on shoulders, other times it’s the immune system or a straight out relaxation routine. She leads the classes in such a way that both beginner and advanced Yogis feel comfortable and realize benefits from the sessions. It’s a treat to look forward to each week. - Scott

For the past couple of years, I have been popping in and out of different yoga studios trying different kinds of yoga practices, but none of them was able to show me that yoga is more than just exercise.  It was not until I started practicing yoga with Catherine that I found what I want.  Catherine would come to our office once to twice a week during lunch hour and guide us through exercises that address to our specific needs.  Having yoga classes with Catherine twice a week not only helps me to increase my flexibility and core strengths, it also allows me a chance to put my focus on my inner peace and let go of all thoughts and stress.  Catherine’s profound knowledge of yoga, mind and body, and her great teaching style has helped me to find balance and discover what my body can do.  Recently I have joined a partner yoga workshop with Catherine and Brad.  The workshop is not only fun and challenging, it is a great exercise for my boyfriend and me to learn to support and learn about each other.

Through my practices with Catherine I have become stronger, more energized, more focused and relaxed, and most importantly, I find myself constantly challenging myself to reach the next level.  – Quincin