OUR TEAM
A diverse group of well-rounded yoginis, ready to begin a journey with you.
KELSEY
Ekatra Founder
YTT Lead Trainer - E-RYT 500 + YACEP
As the founder of Ekatra Yoga and the Lead Trainer of Ekatra’s School of Traditional Yoga, Kelsey holds a wealth of knowledge and experience in both living and sharing Yoga. She is certified in every style of Yoga (Vinyasa, Hatha, Yin, Restorative, Pre and Post Natal, Kundalini, Yoga Nidra and meditation), and holds additional certifications in many advanced areas of yoga philosophy, somatics, energetics, the soul’s path and Vinyasa Krama.
She brings this passion into her classes and leans toward sharing sentimental and soulful lessons, often touching on Yoga philosophy teachings and how we can both better understand and honour this ancient wisdom from a place of embodied peace. Yoga is the path to help us arrive in this experience, this place of knowing. Yoga is the path that reminds us of who and what we truly are, and the universe that we are so intimately a part of.
Kelsey leads thoughtful and inclusive classes, encouraging students to challenge themselves while practicing honesty, openness, attention and self-compassion. From the bottom of her heart, she thanks all of her teachers and students, past, present and future, for sharing in the gifts of Yoga and loving connection.
MOLLY
Cape Breton Retreat Facilitator
YTT Trainer
Molly started practicing Yoga in 2006 and completed her 200 hour teacher training in 2015.
Yoga is a gift Molly feels compelled to share. Her classes foster a deep connection to the wisdom of the body, and strive to gently quiet the mind.
She has taught people from all walks of life, from the ages of 5 to 85. Molly has taught classes at music festivals, corporate conferences, Yoga retreats, private sessions and group workshops.
Molly also works full time in holistic health and wellness as a Registered Massage Therapist. Helping individuals feel better in their bodies (and minds) is her passion. On and off the mat, Molly creates and holds space for individuals to embrace the wisdom of their bodies and their intuition.
KRISTINE
Edmonton Anatomy Lead
YTT Trainer
After graduating from the University of Alberta with a BScPT in 1999, Kristine spent several years exploring different practice settings before finding her groove in private practice physiotherapy in St Albert in 2004.
An observer of people, Kristine has always been fascinated with how people move through this world. Part of Kris's curiosity in becoming a physical therapist initially came from the desire to work with people along their journey to good health. Now, her professional journey is one of complete curiosity and fascination with the human experience, and the desire to truly help people experience moving through life with the most ease possible.
Kris is a physio nerd who is constantly striving to learn more and better understand how we fit together and how she can better help her clients. She is constantly taking professional development courses to help her learn and grow as a therapist. She is the first Albertan certified in the Integrated Systems Model of Assessment and Treatment (Diane Lee) and also trained with LJ Lee in both ConnectTherapy ™ and the Thoracic Ring Approach ™ .
She has taken over a dozen courses in craniosacral therapy, visceral manipulation and neural manipulation through the Barral Institute and is certified in Anatomical Acupuncture. She completed Susi Hately's/Functional Synergy Yoga Therapy Intensive in 2019 and her 200Hr YTT in 2021.
Kristine is excited to learn with you through this experience of discovery and connection.
VERNA
Cape Breton Anatomy Lead
YTT Trainer
Verna is trained as a 200 hr Hatha Vinyasa yoga teacher through the Therapeutic Approach to Yoga studio in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She also has a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from the University of New Brunswick.
She has been practicing yoga since 2009 and started teaching in 2013. Verna is passionate about developing yoga classes that are accessible to everyone while still providing some challenge and flavor. Yoga has enriched her life both on and off the mat and she is thrilled to share this with her students.
KAT
Cape Breton YTT Trainer
Kat discovered her passion for yoga over a decade ago, completing her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training in 2014 in Fort McMurray, Alberta. Upon returning to her roots in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, she began teaching full-time in her local community. With extensive teaching experience, Kat offers a diverse range of styles, blending dynamic flows with restorative postures to cater to both beginners and seasoned yogis. In her classes, students are encouraged to open their hearts, cultivate compassion, and turn their awareness inward, creating a deeply personal practice.
What Kat loves most about teaching is the meaningful connections it fosters between herself and her students. She enjoys introducing themes and ideas for reflection during practice. This often leads to insightful conversations after class that continue to inspire her own practice. In her free time, Kat loves hiking with her family, travelling, and savoring moments at home.
VALERIE
Cape Breton YTT Trainer
Valerie Dolhanty is a certified Yoga Instructor specializing in Hatha Yoga, with a passion for blending her teaching with chakra balancing.
Valerie is also a Reiki Master Practitioner, a Certified Reflexologist and is certified with the Mental Health Commission of Canada as a Working Mind Facilitator. She also offers webinars specializing in mental health and well being. She is an advocate for the powerful healing potential of the human body through working with our natural life forces and energy.
MASA
Edmonton Advanced Asana YTT Trainer
To this day, I can’t tell you with certainty if I found yoga or if yoga found me but the connection was there! Throughout my life I’ve engaged in many different sports and physical activities but nothing has left an impact quite like yoga. You can get an adrenaline rush after any workout, but to also gain this sense of balance and wholeness which I felt after a yoga practice was very new to me. It felt incredible — almost medicinal both physically and mentally! It brought a sense of clarity and calmness to my busy lifestyle. The more I practiced the more I felt how this beautiful practice was creating positive changes within me and with that in other aspects of my life. At first I was passionate about stronger, more Ashtanga based practice, but with time I developed the love and appreciation for many other styles of yoga. The more I grew my practice the more I desired to share what yoga did for me with others. So, I decided to pursue this by taking my 200 hours of Yoga Teacher Training, and in 2021 I opened up “Flo n Glo Yoga Studio”. Today I am able to share this love of yoga with anyone coming through the studio door.
ABOUT US
The foundational value of Ekatra Yoga is connection. This is our heart. This is our truth.
Ekatra translates to, “together, in one place”, or “in one place, in close connection.” Ekatra is a first person felt experience of Yoga in community. We honour this union in the sacred space of yoga practice. And we feel into this knowing, even when physical distance divides us.
We honour this culture of connection with Yoga classes that go deeper than the physical postures, with teachings that inspire curiosity, wonder and awareness of our innermost being. We share a wide range of offerings in all styles of Yoga, including; workshops, retreats, events and will be sharing a quality Yoga Alliance approved 200hr and 300hr Yoga Teacher Training Program.
Our hope is to remind you that our practice does not end within the four walls of a space, or the walls of your physical body- this is only the beginning. Our mission is for you to live from a place of connection- connection to body, to nature, to your community, to your higher purpose, to your spirit. Our mission is for you to connect to peace. Our mission is to remind you of joy. Our mission is to inspire you to live with love.
What a gift it is to share in this. Together. In one place. At and in and with Ekatra.