Mindful Body Massage

Amy Johnson Chong has worked as a community organizer in the Dominican Republic, a clinical social worker with trauma victims, a massage therapist, a yoga instructor and a stay at home mom. Opening Mindful Body of Maitland, LLC comes from a personal journey toward wellness and a deep desire to combine her three passions: children, massage therapy and yoga.

From Amy Johnson Chong, founder of Mindful Body of Maitland, LLC ----

“I hope that my deep compassion and desire to build community and holistic wellness will come through daily here at Mindful Body of Maitland. I am a mother of two children and understand directly the multitude of physical and emotional benefits massage therapy and yoga can bring to a stressful life. Over the years. I have found myself constantly referring massage clients to yoga classes in order to achieve long-term health and holistic balance. For that reason, I decided to learn more about yoga on a deeper level. WOW - what an amazing journey. I am looking forward to continued personal growth through my yoga practice and through personal relationships with all of you!”

Amy provides massage therapy services, upbeat yoga classes for children and peer mediation courses for school age children. Amy's adult yoga classes will combine traditional Hatha yoga (incorporating breath, mindfulness and asanas) with a flow vinyassa format. Amy is 200 Hour Certified from The Yoga Matrix and Edely Wallace. Amy is certified in Radiant Child Yoga Levels I and II. Amy is nationally certified in Therapeutic Massage and Pre- and Peri-Natal Massage. State of Florida License No. MA 55303. She holds a Masters Degree in Clinical Social Work and a Masters Degree in International Peace Studies from the University of Notre Dame.

Dana Kaplan has been practicing yoga since 1998, and has earned her 200 hour Teacher Certification through Yoga Master, Edely Wallace. Dana loves to share the joy that yoga has brought to her life with her students. A mother of 2 school-aged boys, she knows how important it is to take some time daily for health and personal reflection. No matter how gentle or challenging the series of postures may be, Dana always focuses her classes on quieting the mind through the steadiness of the breath.

Sherrie Flack represents the epitome of commitment to family and children. After working as a stay at home mom during her children’s early years, she entered the preschool system and later went on to teach and assist at the elementary level - specializing in working with children with autism and learning disabilities as well as their families. After years of receiving school recognition and awards for her outstanding service Sherrie decided to leave the school system and to embark on a new journey. In 2008 Sherrie became licensed to instruct Nia and she is truly honored to bring the work of the Nia Technique to this area for all to learn, heal and grow from. Nia stands for Non-Impact-Aerobics or Neuromuscular Integrative Action. It is a fusion of the Dance Arts, Healing arts, and Martial Arts. The Nia Technique is a unique fitness program, not like any other you may have experienced. The work of the Nia Technique allows each person to develop a personal relationship with their body and the work. Nia allows each person to find joy and comfort in their movement. Sherrie’s compassion for all will come through in each class she delivers.

Debbie Parsons has been practicing Yoga since 2002, beginning as most people do with a desire to get in shape physically. She explored many types of Yoga including Power Yoga, Kundalini, Bikram’s, and Ashtanga. But it was in a class that she took in India, overlooking the Himalayas when she realized how Yoga was much more than just a workout. Soon she began to witness how her own confidence boosted, her self-image improved, and her ability to simply love life blossomed. The saying “find the peace within” finally made sense! She truly believes that world peace begins with a decision that each individual makes to take responsibility for their own happiness.

It was a simple decision for Debbie to take her passion for the Yoga teachings and turn it into a career. She received her 200hr Teaching Certification in May 2007 and continues to expand her knowledge of Yoga seeking instruction from such masters as Doug Swenson, Max Strom, John Friend, Larissa Carlson, Paulie Zink, and Amrit Desai. Her classes have been described as “nurturing” and “explorative”, giving you the freedom to grow and discover your own practice with her guidance. She also creates and facilitates several workshops taking her instruction beyond the asanas (postures), showing you how to apply the lessons of yoga off your mat, and into your everyday life.

Julie Roach - Julie is a certified yoga instructor and personal trainer. She has a triathlon and running background and, as a result, teaches an athletic style of yoga. A native of Central Florida, Julie has been teaching yoga for the past 10 years. Some favorite instructors she has trained under: Shiva Rea, Bryan Kest, John Friend, Desiree Rambaugh, David Williams, David Swenson, Tim Miller, Moses, and Baron Baptiste. Julie travels regularly for YOGA JOURNAL and OMEGA yoga conferences in the US and the Caribbean. Julie has "The path of yoga is never ending, and my journey feels as though it's only started. Each and every time you come to your mat there is a series of breakthroughs and growth. There's not a single person out there that doesn't benefit, in some way, physically, mentally, or spiritually from a yoga class."

Julie's yoga classes are challenging, but anyone, at any level, is welcome. Julie encourages you to take what you want, go with what feels right for you, and leave the rest behind. Her classes will have you leaving with a smile, remaining clear and calm, and present and connected to your intentions for the rest of the day. Julie leads group, semi-private, and private yoga classes, as well as personal training for adults and children.

Tara Russel - first came to Yoga with physical goals in mind. Practicing Bikram, Power and Vinyasa yoga - she was on a body quest. After seeing the benefits of yoga in recovering from an injury, she began to understand the mind/body connection that yoga brings to one’s whole life and re-prioritized “living the yoga lifestyle.” With that transformation in mind, she was certified at the 200-hr level at the amazing “It’s Yoga” in San Francisco, with a focus on Ashtanga Vinyasa. It’s through that training and the consistent practice of yoga that she’s able to aid her students in remarkable transformations of their own.

Erin Savage - is a certified group fitness instructor specializing in mind-body exercise. She places great value on her experience teaching yoga to populations of varying capacities, and with an integrative approach she challenges the individual limitations of her students. A firm believer in the power of positive action, Erin’s philosophy in life is “Love what you're doing and be who you are”. Her unyielding enthusiasm for the infinite benefits of yoga invites exploration of asana and the heightened awareness that practice induces. You can expect precision in alignment and perception of sensation to be strong focal points in her classes.

Kathy Shannon discovered the healing power of yoga in her first class in 1998. Kathy is certified to teach yoga for beginners and is in the process of obtaining her 200-hour certification through Yoga Matrix with Edely Wallace. Kathy describes her practice of yoga as an extension of her own 12-step recovery and as a revealing exploration and growth in spirituality common to all. Please join Kathy as she gratefully passes on what has been so freely given her.