Meet the Happy Dog Yoga Studios Team


All of our instructors have met the training and teaching experience requirements under one or more of the following Yoga Alliance designations.

 

Emilee Hartwig

E-RYT500 & Thai Yoga Therapist, LMT, Reiki I & II and YACEP Provider, Studio Owner

Hi! I’m Emilee! I purchased the yoga studios in November 2019. I’ve been practicing yoga since 2011 and earned my 200-hour training in 2016. I followed my yoga training with Thai Massage training in 2017. In November 2018, I taught my 1,000th yoga class and became an E-RYT200 (experienced registered yoga teacher). I have heard people say “It isn’t work if you love what you do” but I never believed that until I started teaching yoga. I LOVE what I do! In every yoga class I teach, my goal is to challenge the student both mentally and physically by encouraging them to reach for their limits, grow and learn from these limits, and gain a whole new appreciation for their bodies. You will find my classes are built around creative flows and a few jokes to keep it fun!

 
 

Rhonda Jones

ERYT200

Hi, thank you for stopping by our Team Page! Here is a little bit about myself. After earning my Bachelors Degree in Business Administration, raising a family, and building a successful 27-year career in the corporate world, I decided it was the right time in my life to help bring a dedicated Yoga Studio to our area. I earned my RYT200 and Happy Dog Yoga Studio (named after our dog Morgan) was born in February 2015. As the studios and our community have grown, I have witnessed the transformation yoga can provide for so many that are searching for a holistic way to balance their physical and mental health. Through mindful movement and breath you can find peace amidst the chaos of life. Furthering my education feeds my passion for this practice and I will complete my RYT500 Therapeutic Specialist training with Yoga Medicine in 2020. Their 500hr advanced training focuses on a deeper understanding of western anatomy & physiology and its application to the traditional yoga philosophy. I have completed modules focused on: Restorative yoga and the nervous system (60 hours), Shoulder anatomy, dysfunction and application (60 hours), Yoga anatomy (20 hours), Spine anatomy, dysfunction, & application (60 hours), Mental Health & Wellness (55 hours), and Hip anatomy, dysfunction and application (55 hours/Dec 2020). I also hold certifications in RAD Yoga (self myofascial release). In the summer months, I manage our sister company Happy Dog Paddlesports and spend my time on the water leading Sunrise Paddle Tours and teaching standup paddle board (SUP) yoga as an American Canoe Association (ACA) Level II SUP & Coastal Kayak instructor.

 
 

Alyssa Sullivan

RYT200, Reiki I & II Certified

Yoga and I were introduced by divine intervention when I was in college at Central Michigan University in 2013. This was a very challenging time in my life and Yoga became my saving grace. Simply put, practicing yoga makes me feel good and nourishes my mind, body and spirit. This good feeling has reverberated through every aspect of my life. No matter how often I step onto my mat, Yoga always welcomes me like an old friend. Never judging, no expectations, and is a compassionate and quiet reminder that I’m worthy. Yoga has provided me with so many benefits; a remedy for mental challenges such as chronic anxiety, panic attacks, and depression. I gained spiritual healing from negativity, numbness and self-doubt. And physical benefits like relief from lower back pain, migraines, and obesity. I believe in the power of Yoga and this past Fall 2017 I completed my RYT 200 teacher training through Updog Yoga in Rochester! I’m excited to share my knowledge and love for Yoga with you all and continue to grow our Yoga practice and our community!
Om Shanti

 
 

Tammy Ward

LMT & RYT200

I started my healing career as a licensed, Thai certified massage therapist in 2001. After years of practice and expertise under my belt, I decided to become certified in the teaching of Restorative Yoga in 2014. In 2017, I completed the RYT 200-hour yoga training program. I also received certification in teaching of Yin Yoga in 2018. Relaxation Yoga is my specialty, as it is an important step in keeping not only the mind quiet, but the body open and healed. My classes include healing essential oils, beautiful music, and a massage tailored to the needs of the body, all to relax each student in every single class.

 
 

Kristyn Weeks

RYT200

I have been practicing yoga since 2009. Yoga has carried me through many obstacles and difficult situations in my life. I continue to find much peace, serenity, and healing on and off the mat through asanas, pranayama (breathwork) and meditation.

Feeling the need for a shift and new focus after retiring from my career as a classroom teacher in 2018, I decided to complete 200-hour yoga teacher training at Bodhi Seed Yoga in Mt. Clemens where I earned my RYT-200 in 2019.  The experience was transforming!  I gained more strength and confidence in both yoga and in my personal life as a result of the training. I also tapped into my creative energy through designing my own yoga flows and expanding my personal practice to include other styles of yoga.

Since then, I have been humbly and joyfully teaching and learning at Happy Dog Yoga Studios. An early riser, leading the “early birds” through their morning practice has been an awesome way to begin my days. My classes are thoughtfully crafted with flows that increase strength, balance, and flexibility by incorporating multiple styles of yoga. I’ve also discovered a special passion for yin yoga – gentle, mindful release through asanas held for several minutes - and enjoy making each yin class a celebration of our gifts and bounty in this life.  I incorporate relaxing meditations, soft mantra music, and poses to stretch the fascia, ligaments, and connective tissue. Yin opens up the energy channels to expand our life force. I love to mix things up with different pranayama techniques, inspirational quotes, and themes to open the mind and the heart. 🖤 I look forward to holding space for you in one of my upcoming classes.

 
 

Alma Aletić-Konjevod

RYT200, Reiki Master

I started regular yoga practice relatively late in life, and it quite literally changed my life for the better. I only took teacher training because I wanted to learn more, know more - however, I soon realized that I wanted to bring this gift to everyone I can. Having a Master’s Degree in music and teaching music classes and lessons all my life, made it an easy transition.

I enjoy teaching different types of classes, and I usually have a specific theme or a goal in mind. It is my belief that it is equally important to do something challenging, and take the time to nurture your body. Our lives are so busy that we rarely take a moment to quiet down.

Yoga, just like music, is for everyone. And I mean absolutely everyone. We challenge our bodies; we challenge our minds - to achieve that perfect unity. The point is not to be able to fold so far that we can kiss our toes, or tie ourselves in a pretzel; it is to take the body to its own edge, to take control of the mind. That takes time. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is to honor our body, to accept that it has some limitations. The best thing you can do for yourself - is to just keep coming back to your mat.

 
 

Jacqueline Neisz

RYT-200

Yoga entered my life when I was 21 years old, not only was I a new mom, but a new nurse as well. I found myself struggling with new onset anxiety and depression for the very first time in my life.

I will never forget when I took my first yoga class, the feeling I felt during and after the class is something I still struggle to describe to this day. I was absolutely hooked from that moment on! Yoga healed me, yoga saved me. To me, Yoga is more than just a class at a studio, it is a way of life. I am beyond honored to be able to spread the knowledge of this beautiful practice with my community. Looking forward to guiding you :)

 
 

Meagan Kavanagh

RYT-200

Hello fellow yogis! I’d like to introduce myself for those who don’t know me, I’m Meagan Kavanagh. My yoga journey started about four years ago after I had my third child and I was looking for something less stressful on my body. Enter yoga and I haven’t looked back. I have just recently graduated from the Ground and Center Yoga group and I’m looking forward to sharing my appreciation and love for this practice with my students. I enjoy creating fun and engaging classes and I love to throw in some creative movements and poses for my students to experience and play with. I look forward to seeing new and known faces in my classes. Namaste.

 
 

Vicki Dobberowsky

RYT-200

I have been practicing yoga since 2015. Yoga came into my life at a time when I was searching for something unconsciously. I have a great job, a wonderful husband and family, but there was something missing. I needed something that was just for me, and I found it in yoga. My practice started through a work friend who was a yoga instructor and she wanted to give back, so she started to teach yoga to a few of us after work once a week. It really stuck, I was in love!

Soon after I started practicing, I was searching to see if there was a yoga studio nearby, and to my surprise and great joy, Happy Dog Yoga Studio had just opened in Port Huron! I immediately started attending as many classes as I could manage. I really challenged myself to try as many different styles of classes and teachers as I could, falling in love with all of it, but especially the more mindful movements in slower styles of asana and meditation.

Wanting to learn more, I attended a variety of workshops offered at Happy Dog, including the RAD Yoga training in March 2019. After receiving my certification for RAD Yoga, I decided to really dive deeper into the yoga world, eventually deciding that teacher training was in the cards for me.

In 2019 I signed up for the 200 hour yoga teacher training program offered through Ground and Center Yoga, and received my RYT200 in May 2020. My practice continues to have a positive effect on every aspect of my life, mentally, physically and spiritually. I find I am happier, more relaxed and calm; I sleep better, and have had a mind-shift, moving away from limiting beliefs and becoming more positive in general.

In my classes, I hope that you will find time to take space for yourself and see what comes to light in your own journey.