J. Amy Thompson, MA, E-RYT 500, YACEP
Amy brings a depth of experience and a profound appreciation for the practice of yoga to our program. Her journey as a yoga instructor began with the completion of a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) at Samadhi Yoga Studio in 2010.
Deeply inspired by the teachings of Swami Kripalu, Amy continued her studies with a 500-hour YTT through Pranakryia, which she completed in 2016. Amy also completed a 200-hour Kundalini Yoga YTT in 2019, and is a certified LoveYourBrain lead instructor.
Not only has she led a variety of classes (indoors, outdoors, and online) but has also planned international yoga retreats, led workshops, private sessions, and has for years played a role in helping train aspiring teachers in YTTs. Amy is very excited to be co-leading this YTT.
After graduate school Amy worked first as a therapist, and then as a social worker. Her work has been with traumatized children and adults in therapeutic settings and agencies; and most recently through the court system where she has served for the past two decades. She strives to use her skills and expertise to support individuals in need, and has a strong interest in social justice.
Amy is passionate about the physical and psychological benefits yoga offers, and has a great deal of gratitude for having found her way to the mat. She approaches teaching with a sense of openness and a commitment to sharing the potential for transformation that yoga and meditation can bring. Amy’s experience, compassionate approach, and dedication to the practice of yoga make her an ideal lead teacher for Samadhi’s Yoga Teacher Training program.
Sushma Reddy, E-RYT 500, YACEP
Sushma’s career as a yoga instructor began in 2010 immediately after finishing her 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) at Samadhi Yoga Studio. She has shared her expertise in various studios, bringing a wealth of knowledge and experience to each class. Though she has taught in numerous settings and places, she has always considered Samadhi to be her yoga home, and we are thrilled to have her in a leading role in our program. Sushma completed a 300-hour Hatha yoga teacher training program in 2018, and has studied specialized areas such as Restorative Yoga, Yin Yoga, Yoga for Emotional Balance, Tantra Hatha Yoga for Chronic Pain, and Shamanism. She is currently immersed in a rigorous advanced Ayurvedic certification program, which she will complete in 2024. Beyond the studio, Sushma extends her teachings to a wider audience through engaging workshops and enlightening lectures available on social media and YouTube. What sets her apart is the integration of philosophy into asana, creating a holistic and enriching experience for her students. Whether it's through studio classes, Zoom sessions, or personalized one-on-one consultations, Sushma is dedicated to meeting the unique needs of her clients. She offers not just yoga classes but workshops, international retreats, and also individualized sessions encompassing yoga, ayurvedic practices, and life coaching. Lending her expertise in yoga philosophy, Sushma has been an important part of previous 200-hour YTT programs, and is delighted to be co-leading this YTT.
Sarita Nanda, E-RYT 500, C-IAYT, YACEP
Sarita Nanda is a yoga practitioner, an E-RYT 500hr®, and a C-IAYT-Yoga Therapist. She completed her 200hr-YTT at Samadhi Yoga Studio in 2011. Her advanced teacher training, combining the therapeutic application of yoga, was completed in 2017. She has honed her skills through advanced pranayama training with Yoganand-Michael Carroll and yoga therapeutic training from Marlysa Sullivan. In addition, she is certified in Adaptive Yoga Therapy, Prenatal Yoga, and Restorative Yoga. She specializes in accent breathing (pranayam), vedic-mantra tradition, integrating yoga into balance, and fall prevention training for older adults.
Sarita's yoga journey began her early childhood, nurtured by a guru from an Ashram in India. This deepend after her formal education with the ancient wisdom of spiritual knowledge at Swami Chinmayananda school in India. Hence, yoga, for her is a prayer (pooja) that guides her in living life to the fullest. She feels blessed to be trained by many master teachers from East to West. Their guidance has inspired and strengthened her self discovery journey, profoundly impacting both her personal and professional practice. She heartily embraces diversity, integrating her experience, knowledge, spiritual essence, and yoga's wisdom into her teaching to help students learn the transformative power of yoga. She believes in the principle that "living a healthy and happy life is everyone's birthright." Using yoga as a holistic approach, she guides and assists her students in becoming self-aware in self-care practice and, in the process, self-empowerment by applying yogic philosophy, tools and techniques.
Nikki Arel, LMT, RYT-200
Nikki Arel is a LMT (licensed massage therapist) in CT specializing in Thai Massage with two offices. After gaining her RYT-200 through Samadhi, Nikki completed certification through Warriors At Ease to teach yoga to military and veterans with knowledge about adaptive and trauma-sensitive practices. In 2022, Nikki completed her Masters of Social Work and is a LMSW volunteering at Veterans Base Camp in Chaplin. Additionally, she works for The Wall That Heals and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, traveling with the mobile replica and education center. As of Dec 2024, Nikki completed her training in Somatic Experiencing(R). In her free time, Nikki loves to read, hang with friends and her dog, teach, and travel, especially when following her favourite band through the UK and Europe! Nikki posts on her business’s FB page (Essential Touch LLC) about her classes, her work, her trainings, and her travels.
