Michele Dougard

Lead Yoga Teacher and Founder (E-RYT 500, YACEP, and Reiki Master)

An adventurous and curious soul, Michele’s spiritual curiosity sparked at a very young age. When she was as young as 12, she sought knowledge and insight from many different spiritual ideologies. It was through that journey that she found a fascination with Buddhism and where she found meditation. Her devotion to the practice waxed and waned over the years, but it was after a car accident in her 20s that left her in physical pain, that Michele found yoga for the first time, and meditation once again. The relief she found from the physical part of the practice led her down the rabbit hole into a much deeper devotion for yoga. Ever the perpetual student, after investigating different principles and disciplines to form a well-rounded practice, she decided that teacher training was the next step and dove in head-first. Over a decade after taking her first yoga class, Michele has earned her 500 RYT and has studied Katonah Yoga with Ivy Ray, earned a certificate with Laughing Lotus, and learned from many different teachers all over the world. Her diverse education has allowed her to create a wonderful environment for her students and allows her to shift from one style to another as needed.

Michele’s style of teaching is fun and playful as well as insightful, sometimes using unconventional sources for inspiration. She believes her lighthearted approach to teaching puts students at ease, allowing them to fully embrace their practice.