Kayla Pates

She takes a mindful and compassionate approach to the practice, and guides her students through various yoga postures, breathing techniques, and meditation practices that can improve health and well-being in body, mind, and spirit. Her passion for yoga began when she discovered the practice and its philosophy as a teenager, and her own practice has evolved as she moved into adulthood, through pregnancy, and on to motherhood. Her teaching reflects her skills, knowledge, and experience living the practice of yoga – on and off the mat. Her passion for health and wellness in body, mind, and spirit guided her pursuit for a well-rounded education. Kayla received her Associate’s Degree in Biology from Burlington County College, where she gained a solid foundation for understanding the science of the body. She then moved on to earn her Bachelor’s Degree in Arts and Sciences from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, where she studied Religion and Psychology. There, she was able to deepen her understanding of the philosophical underpinnings of Yoga, as well as other Eastern religions and philosophies including Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism. She also explored topics around religion and psychology, religion and science, and issues in religious thought. Kayla completed her Master’s Degree in Health Promotion and Community Health Education from Maryland University of Integrative Health, where she was able to deepen her skills and experience around creating and implementing effective, evidence-based, and holistic-minded health promotion programs and interventions that can benefit various different populations and communities. She is also a corporate Health Promotion Specialist and Certified Health Education Specialist. She has experience creating and implementing evidence-based wellness programming for employees in a workplace setting, as well as health education curriculum and lesson plans for students within a school-based setting. Her intention is to further contribute her efforts to a field that focuses on improving the lives, productivity, and health status of individuals and diverse populations and restore health in body, mind, and spirit. Kayla also completed training from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition to become a Certified Holistic Health Coach. She combines her skills, knowledge, and experience as both a Yoga Teacher and Health Coach to create individual and group programs that guide clients through the process of developing simple, healthy habits that improve well-being in a sustainable and effective way. Kayla believes that mindful awareness and self-compassion are an important aspect of the individual journey toward optimum health and wellness, and she feels grateful to be able to support and guide others through practices that have helped her along her own unique wellness journey.