Katie Flinn Gardner RYT, is the owner of COIL Yoga and a certified Yoga teacher through the Santa Barbara Yoga Center. She opened COIL Yoga over 8 years ago in downtown Fresno amidst much skepticism about starting any type of business downtown, much less a Yoga studio! COIL Yoga is a thriving Yoga studio that has become the pulse of CONSCIOUSNESS in our Yoga community. COIL Yoga has been recognized by local media as being the “Best Yoga Studio” in the central valley and just recently named “Best Small Yoga Studio” in the US by Fitness Magazine. Katie has been married for almost two years to Jason Gardner, and recently became a mother 9 months ago to her son Noah Flinn Gardner. The challenge of running a business, being in relationship and learning how to be a parent are reasons enough to have yoga as a mainstay in her life. She is a dedicated Yogini and strives to bring Yoga to the masses of Fresno by offering a wide variety of Yoga styles and classes in beautiful space that provides your heart, mind, and body a sacred space to cultivate peace from within.
“I am passionate about life and being able to assist people in finding balance in their lives. Human beings have a basic need to give and receive love. The practice of Yoga shows each person, in their own time, how to cultivate an open heart. Learning how to become conscious and open enough to integrate life's lessons requires guidance and encouragement. Yoga is a means of enhancing our lives through self-realization. I am committed to guiding people, through Yoga, to a place where each student embraces their own authentic self with love, acceptance and compassion. Learning Yoga is truly an invaluable investment in our selves, to the end of improving the overall quality of our lives. I know from experience that the practice of Yoga requires patience, dedication, acceptance and trust that allow us each to be better people. I invite you to begin your personal journey to a more Conscious, Open, Integrated Life at COIL YOGA!”
–Katie Flinn
Diane Engeln
Before teaching yoga, Diane participated in a modern dance troupe at CSUF and choreographed musical theater productions for Fowler and Sunnyside high school. She is full of life and intent on bringing yoga’s life-enhancing benefits to her students. Her skills and experience working with people from ages five to young adult, make her an empathic and encouraging teacher of yoga. She views yoga as the greatest 'change agent' available to humanity, enthusiastically bringing that belief to life through her teaching.
Through her extensive training with Coil founder, Katie Flinn and master teachers such as Peter Sterios, Scott Blossom, Paul Grilley and Anne Van de Water, she immediately embraced the technique and philosophy behind Hatha Yoga's teachings. Observing all the benefits that she has experienced from her own practice, coupled with a yearning to create a more balanced and meaningful life, the path became clear to teach and share.
Currently Diane is pursuing a degree in dietetics at California State University, Fresno. She is intent on integrating her expertise in this area with her yoga practice. Diane strives to help her students find balance, strength and ease in their lives by exploring these qualities in the practice of yoga.
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Marie Pauline DiBona-Herzog
Marie Pauline DiBona is a Southern California native who has just started her career as a Yoga instructor since recently moving to Fresno. On her search for more “good” in life, Marie found beauty at COIL Yoga. Although she has been influenced by artistic expression in different realms throughout her life, Marie views yoga as the ultimate form of creative expression. With a background in ballet, Pilates, surfing, snowboarding and fashion, Marie brings her spiritual and creative influence to a new level on the mat. She has been trained in Anusara Yoga, which is essentially a Hatha Yoga system founded by John Friend, in 1997. Although Marie utilizes the alignment principles of Anusara Yoga in her teaching, she also incorporates additional elements of various Hath Yoga styles. She has been, and will remain to be, a student before a teacher. She brings together her knowledge and love of yoga to inspire students to shine their potential from “the inside out” through asana practice.
Lucy Wells
For over 20 years I have been passionately involved in the health and fitness industry which continues to inspire me to learn more about the path to a healthy lifestyle. Not until about 6 years ago did I truly feel that a complete balance had been experienced. I had just overcome a battle with breast cancer and this is when I began to regularly practice yoga with Katie. She introduced a style of yoga that I could relate to and thus began my journey to a more well rounded experience both physically and mentally. Four years ago I was inspired to begin teaching, which brought even more joy to my life. Yoga has added wonderful health benefits such as less injuries, fewer illnesses, and most importantly , a mind that is clear and calm.Yoga is a wonderful tool in a healthy lifestyle. I am grateful that yoga has taught me to stop reacting to life and instead tho ughtfully acknowledge and clearly deal with it. My intention in teaching Yoga is to help others move through life more gracefully.
Jillian Edwards
As a student of ballet and modern dance in her youth, Jillian has always been drawn to the graceful subtleties inherent in the human form. It wasn’t until later in adulthood, that she found her way into a yoga class and saw the peaceful approach to alignment and flexibility to be a beautiful release from the stresses of life.
Overwhelmed for years by anxiety attacks and bouts of depression she came finally to the realization that no medicine could do for her what yoga did for her body, mind, heart and soul. She couldn't help but to fall quite literally head over heels in love.
She has continued for 5 years to study Hatha yoga graduating from Sisters Yoga School 200 hour teacher training in 2008 and from Ananda Seva Mission 500 hour advanced teacher training with emphasis in yoga therapy in 2009.
Now qualified for 500 RYT with yoga alliance, she has had the great fortune to study with a multitude of inspiring, successful, yogis such as creator of Integrative Restoration (iRest) Richard Miller MD; Clinical Specialist, Jnani Chapman RN BSN CMT CYT; Yoga Therapist, Healer and Ayurvedic Practioner, Shar Lee, CYT; Somatic Health Practioner, Antonio Sausys (B.A. Psychology, M.A. body-oriented Psychotherapy); Yoga therapist and Ayurvedic practitioner, Sarasvati Burhman Ph.D; and many more!
In her classes, Jillian incorporates basic Hatha yoga posturing with an emphasis on body awareness and mindful transitions. With a cheerful spirit and a deliberate approach, she is inspired to share with the world the innumerable ways yoga can change a life.
Kellee Dohrman
When I was seventeen I became interested in yoga as a former athlete. I heard of a woman who taught yoga at an Akido dojo in town and decided to explore being guided. I found it very physically powerful and that was something I liked. I felt like I was good at that part. The hardest thing I found was quieting my mind. When I was reminded to “stay with my breath”, I couldn’t quite grasp the concept. I realized that my ego and other distractions were inevitably going to interrupt my practice and life. Instead of being discouraged by them, I learned I needed to just acknowledge them with compassion and return back to my breath. This is what they meant when they said, “stay with your breath!” My inner lotus flower began to blossom and I felt as if it were spilling out of me and positively changing my perspective of the world around me. I then ventured out to explore other teachings and found Coil Yoga. I instantly took to their teachings and community and knew it was my sanctuary. Yoga is something I am devoted to and in return is transcending beyond my mat and into my everyday activity. I am only human and feel despair just like the rest, yet I now have the tools to comfort that despair with the awareness of the present moment. If I had to describe yoga in one word it would be, liberation! When I started to experience this act of yoking within myself I felt like I had just been told a heavenly secret and I was allowed to share it with whomever I wanted! I thought to myself, “How can I share it with other people?” I knew I wanted to guide people in their practice; I wanted to spread this idea of yoga. Last year I had a now or never inspiring moment and committed to the idea of getting certified to teach. Katie offered me the chance to observe in her classes and that was the first step. Finally, I did my 200 hour teachers training at the Brahmananda Ashram in San Francisco ran by the Yoga Society of San Francisco and taught by Greenpath yoga’s founder Clayton Horton. The training touched on Tantra yoga, prenatal yoga, Partner yoga, yoga philosophy, Ayurveda, with an emphasis on Ashtanga yoga. When I returned home I continued an apprenticeship at Coil and stared to mesh all these insights together. I am starting to come into my own authentic teaching style by incorporating what I have learned from my own inner teacher through my own practice, the teachings and alignment of Ashtanga yoga, and what I have received from my mentors here at Coil.
Tanya Anderson
“Yoga has changed me in every possible way and I’ll never go back!” Tanya Anderson RYT, was certified in Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga through It’s Yoga in Sonoma California. Tanya credits yoga with changing her life, “Before I began my practice I was unhealthy, overweight and just plain unhappy.” Ever since she hit the mat Tanya has been compelled to live a kinder, healthier, and much happier life. Through her practice Tanya has seen many areas of her life impacted in positive ways and believes that teaching yoga is a wonderful way to support others in improving their quality of life. “I believe that happiness is a choice and it is up to each of us to live our happiest life and to help others if we can.” Tanya’s classes are known to range from lighthearted and challenging, to soothing and relaxing. In her free time Tanya enjoys cooking healthy food, working out and spending time with her friends.
