



Instructors
Owner and Senior Instructor Kellie Dearman is a Still Point certified Yoga Instructor (200+hour), practicing for over 25 years. She began teaching in 2005 and currently teach 9+ sessions a week. Kellie’s practice is always deepening as she endeavours to always incorporate new ways to adapt this comprehensive spiritual practice into her teaching and her life. Yoga has allowed her to find a deep sense of spiritual connection and inner peace that she knows she can draw on at any time.
Kellie loves teaching gentle hatha yoga, yin and chair yoga and meditation at her home studio in Stirling. She also take private clients for mindfulness/trauma sensitive yoga practices for individuals dealing with PTSD and other stress-related conditions, specializing in anxiety, trauma and mobility issues.
In the fall of 2023, Aware Yoga welcomed teacher Colleen Thompson to the studio. Colleen is a graduate of the Akasha Yoga Academy‘s Hatha Yoga Teacher Training (500-hr) which included 100 hrs of Yin Yoga training. She has also completed Trauma Sensitivity training. Colleen teaches a similar style to Kellie and is running classes Tuesday evening and drop-in by schedule alternate Saturday mornings.
In March of 2025, we welcomed Ember Dawn to our teaching team. Ember was trained in 2018 by Caroline Owen, formerly of Wavelengths Yoga Studio in Norwood. Her 200-hr training was also trauma-informed. Ember’s joy and curiousity has led her to evolve into a Lifestyle Coach, Reiki Practitioner and Death Doula. Her business, Re-Embering, ties togethers all the pieces of your life, and a method of Bringing You Home. To Yourself.
All three teachers follow the lineage of Krishnamachyra, the main principle being that yoga must be adaptive to each individual.
Kellie's Training
Yoga Teacher Training
STILLPOINT YOGA
200+ yoga teacher training with Glenn Mifsud of Stillpoint Yoga (now retired) and Dr. Gerry Lin. This intensive training took place over a one-year period, and followed closely in the Sivananda style and tradition.
Further trainings and self-study have lead me to follow more closely with the Krishna-macharya school and it’s many teachers.
TRAUMA-SENSITIVE YTT
Completed two 30-hour workshops. The first was Trauma-Informed Yoga with Caroline Owen of Wavelengths Yoga, and Sarah Schlote of The Refuge. The second was Trauma Sensitive Yoga Teacher Training with Brendon Abram and Dr. Bob King.
Continuing Education
FURTHER TRAINING and WORKSHOPS
Holy Fire Karuna Reiki Master Teacher
Teachers: Kimeiko Dover, William Lee Rand, Completed 2019
Slow Yinyasa
Teacher: Coby Kolowski
Yin Enhancements
Teacher: Marta Erickson
Bandha Yoga
Teacher: Dr. Ray Long
iRest Yoga Nidra
Teacher: RIchard Miller
The Anatomy and Physiology of Meditation
Teacher: Leslie Kaminoff
Breaking the Heart Wide Open
Teacher: Kelly McGonigal
Ways of Seeing
Teacher: Natasha Rizopolous
Freedom Yoga
Teacher: Erich Schiffman
Kripalu Retreat Centre
The Basics of Yin Yoga
Teacher: Bernie Clark
Restorative Yoga Teacher Training
Teacher: Andrea Pelosa
Wisdom Warriors
Teacher: Desiree Rumbaugh
Embodied Anatomy: Proprioception is a Teachable Skill
Teacher: Jill MIller
Trauma Sensitive YTT
Trauma Sensitive Yoga
hosted by Vidya Yoga
Thornton Ontario
October, 2018
Trauma Sensitive Yoga
hosted by Get Yoga/Aware Yoga
Trenton Ontario
November 2018
Trauma Sensitve Yoga
hosted by Upward Dog
Ottawa, Ontaio
April, 201
Trauma Sensitive Yoga
hosted by Upward Dog
Ottawa, Ontario
September 2018
Trauma Sensitive Yoga
hosted by SOS
London, Ontario
May, 2018
Trauma Sensitive Yoga
hosted by Get Yoga/Aware Yoga
Trenton Ontario
November 2017
Trauma Sensitive Yoga Training
SOS, June 2017, London, Ontario
Trauma Sensitive YTT
(30 hours)
Rama Lotus Yoga Centre
Feb 2016
Trauma Sensitive Yoga
hosted by Living in the Self
Lakefield Ontario
September 2015,
July/Sep 2016
Trauma Sensitive Yoga
hosted by Get Yoga
Trenton Ontario
November 2015