Niav    Biography | Testimonials


Biography:
Niav discovered yoga in 1987 at age thirteen, and she instantly fell in love! This was unlike any other form of exercise she had ever done. It was a uniquely inclusive experience in that it seemed to address not just the physical body but the mental and emotional bodies as well. From that moment, yoga has played a fundamental role in her wellbeing and personal development.

Niav was so touched by the transformational power of yoga that in 2001 she decided to dedicate a career to teaching. After studying with internationally recognized teachers including Baron Baptiste of Power Yoga in Boston, MA and Cyndi Lee of OM Yoga in NYC she completed her Teacher Training with yoga master Ana Forrest in the winter of 2001. Shortly thereafter she moved to Santa Barbara where she began teaching at the Santa Barbara Yoga Center in the spring of 2002. She has since taught at various studios and gyms in Santa Barbara, Goleta, and Montecito including Yoga Soup, Source Yoga Studio, and the Santa Barbara Yoga Center.

Niav is a passionate and life-long student of the human experience from anatomy and physiology to psychology and spirituality. She graduated cum laude from Mount Holyoke College with a BA in Anthropology and Pre Medicine. Additionally, she holds a MA in Clinical Psychology from the Santa Barbara Graduate Institute and a license in Massage Therapy from Santa Barbara Bodyworks.

Niav is devoted to the pursuit of health on all levels – physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. She brings a depth of intelligence, understanding and compassion to her work, which encourages playful fascination and exploration of the body. With over twenty years of practice experience and nearly eight years of teaching experience, she is knowledgeable in many forms of Hatha yoga including Iyengar, Ashtanga, Kripalu, Power, Vinyasa, and Forrest. Her teaching is creative and joyful focusing on development of core stabilization, mindfulness of breath, and precision in postures.

Niav has extensive experience working with a broad range of clients from adults to teens, and from athletes to those with injuries and disabilities including MS, paralysis, and spinal chord debilitations. She is also certified in Pre-Natal Yoga and is a Licensed Massage Therapist specializing in Swedish, Deep Tissue and Cranial Sacral Therapy.

When Niav is not teaching yoga you’ll often find her cooking, laughing with friends, reading, hiking, dancing or playing on the beach!




Testimonials:
"My wife and I are very fortunate to have yoga as well as massage by Niav. She has taught us to appreciate and listen to our bodies and we are enjoying our time spent on the yoga mats very much. Niav's knowledge of the human body enables her to give us the guidance we need in yoga as well as provide us with absolutely the best massage we have had in quite some time. She is a treasure."
-Ron & Susan Morrow