Susan Volkan

As Director of Teacher Development at OM Old Orchard, she is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of mindful, skilled yoga teachers. She also serves on the faculty of the Somatic Studies Certificate program at Washington University, where she shares her deep knowledge of movement and the body’s potential with students.Susan’s teaching integrates yogic principles with contemporary movement science, creating safe, intelligent, and transformative practices. She specializes in helping students discover efficient, individualized movement patterns that honor their unique structure and life history. Whether in private sessions or group classes, her methods empower students to move with awareness, reduce tension, and cultivate functional freedom. In addition to asana, pranayama and meditation, her studio classes, workshops and university courses investigate yoga ethics, philosophy, anatomy, subtle body concepts and scientific research on yoga and other somatic disciplines.A certified E-RYT 500, YACEP (Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider), and SATYA instructor (Sensory Awareness Training for Yoga Attunement), Susan’s training spans multiple modalities. She is a comprehensively certified Pilates instructor and Mat Teacher Trainer, with additional expertise in Rehabilitative Pilates, Yoga for Trauma, Therapeutic Yoga, Trigger Point Therapy, Myofascial Release Techniques, and the Ellie Herman Method Barre. Her work is rooted in studies with renowned teachers Tias Little (yoga and SATYA) and Ellie Herman (Pilates and Barre), among others.With 25 years of teaching experience, a master’s degree in Performing Arts, and many years teaching movement and performance at the university level, Susan brings both artistry and science to her work. Her holistic approach makes her a trusted guide for anyone seeking to deepen their relationship with body, mind, and spirit.