Julia Crouch

I was first introduced to yoga in Vancouver in 2004 as a student who couldn't touch my toes and knew nothing about the practice. I have always had an intrinsic love of nature, sports and outdoor activities, and it was this love of physical challenge that initially brought me to my mat and then opened up a softer, stiller part of myself. I loved what yoga was doing for my strength, flexibility, stamina, and balance, and soon discovered that these benefits were not just apparent in my body, but in my mind as well. I realized that the practice was changing me into a more peaceful, centered, and ultimately happy person. Fast forward 20 years and I've been teaching what I love for 13, with a myriad of certifications under my belt. Since my original Hatha Flow training at Prana Yoga College in 2011, I’ve continued to study, learn, and evolve as a teacher and person. Most of what I teach in class comes from life experiences, although I’ve supplemented my training with group fitness, STOTT Pilates, meditation, rehab and physio experience, integrative nutrition, doula certification, and a 500 RYT certification. Having taught from Vancouver and Vancouver Island to Newfoundland, the Middle East, Mexico, and now Ottawa, I’ve seen the way yoga can reach different people around the world; this global view and understanding certainly influences my teaching style. These days one of my main passions is supporting women’s health—particularly through prenatal yoga, education around the female hormonal cycle, and nutrition and lifestyle changes. At the end of each of my classes, I ultimately want my students to leave with a deeper level of self-awareness, patience, compassion, playfulness, and perhaps of feeling good in their own skin.