Westfield Yoga Center, Co-Owners

Sally Barber & Tom Swochak



The Westfield Yoga Center is owned and directed by two individuals who share a vision of maximizing individual health and community well being through the medium of yoga. Tom Swochak and Sally Barber had been married for 15 years in 1993 when they enrolled in Westfield Yoga Center’s inaugural class. Their intention “to do yoga together” was more than fulfilled: four years later they assumed ownership of the center! Their passion for yoga and commitment to bringing it to as many people as possible caused a part-time endeavor to become a full time venture for both of them. Tom’s business background in management/accounting and Sally’s experience in clinical rehabilitation and supervision create an ideal combination for managing a yoga center. Tom enjoys combining student and teacher support with the myriad business tasks essential for maintaining a viable enterprise. Sally loves teaching yoga to everybody, but balances classes with a variety of administrative and environmental tasks. Both are involved in program development and community outreach. Without its complement of caring and committed teachers, the Westfield Yoga Center would not touch the lives of so many in the greater Westfield area. As managers, Tom and Sally feel responsible for fostering the very best in their instructors. The teachers radiate so much love and support that it is a blessing to be associated with them. Blessings abound in the yoga business! It’s a blessing to ease peoples’ pain. It’s a blessing to make the world a more peaceful place. It is a privilege and a joy to serve in the capacity of directors of the Westfield Yoga Center.

Tom Swochak

Tom does a lot of work behind the scenes. He is available by phone, email and in person to assist students with class selections, questions, payments and other related business and yoga matters.


                    Instructors 




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SALLY BARBER
                                                                         

Sally was initially trained in Kripalu Yoga in 1994. She attended Amrit Yoga Teacher Training in 2001 and completed an advanced Amrit Yoga certification in 2003. Sally is convinced that yoga can benefit everybody: she enjoys sharing yoga with people of all ages and abilities. As an occupational therapist, Sally is skilled in tailoring yoga to each individual’s unique situation. She balances providing clear directions for the physical form with guiding students to be focused internally. Her intention is to help people achieve their highest sense of well-being through the practice of yoga as meditation in motion. 


JOHN BORAL

John teaches an Amrit form of Kripalu Yoga, which combines a sequence of active postures, consistent breath control, and meditation techniques. While approximately 2/3rds of each class is devoted to easily learned yoga postures, John also consistently incorporates yoga philosophy and guided meditation into each class. He intends his sessions to provide a pleasant, fulfilling experience that improves general physical health while gently relieving stress. Amrit Yoga is all about you: spend an hour in a tranquil environment building a happier, more peaceful lifestyle. 


DEBRA CIGAL

Debra’s love for yoga was ignited 17 years ago. It was reawakened with a serious commitment to practice in 1997. She graduated from the Integrated Yoga Teacher Training at the Northampton Yoga Center, Northampton, MA in 1999. Her teaching style is gentle. In gentle yoga, Debra likes to spend time deepening into the postures to allow for recognition of subtle inner shifts or changes. She also teaches in a heart-centered manner. Debra’s wish is to have students honor and respect where they are in each moment and have the courage to express that in their practice. 


SUSAN CRONIN

Shortly before retiring form her position as a state police Detective Lieutenant and Hostage Negotiator, Susan was drawn to yoga for health and stress reduction.  As Her practice deepened, it brought more compassion, acceptance, connection and balance to her life.  After five years of practice she became a certified Kripalu Yoga Instructor in 2007.  Susan is passionate about teaching yoga and making it accessible to people who have not had the exposure or opportunity to experience the many benefits of yoga.


GENEA CRUM



Genea has been practicing yoga for 7 years. She was originally introduced to yoga as a way to help combat migraines and fibromyalgia. Inspired by the healing benefits, she began studying and taking as many classes as possible. During this time she realized that teaching yoga was her natural calling. Genea is a certified Kripalu Yoga Instructor and has studied vinyasa style yoga with Shiva Rea; enabling her to incorporate the beauty and grace of flowing sequences into her classes. People are drawn to yoga for many different reasons and within each class students are encouraged to tailor their practice to their individual needs. Genea's goal as a teacher is to create a safe and compassionate environment for students
of all levels and abilities.


JUDY HARVESTER

Judy Harvester moved to Westfield shortly after becoming certified as a Yoga Instructor in 2003. She studied with Steffi L. Shapiro of the Well Street Station in Watertown, MA. (Shapiro's chair yoga practice is widely available on CD and video.) Judy has a gift for adapting yoga poses to those who are unable to sit, kneel, lie on or rise from the floor. Her dedication to the practice of yoga for every body endears her to individual students and provides a valuable service to the community.

Courtney Hill




Courtney Hill is a Certified Kripalu Yoga Teacher and Reiki Master with a unique insight on how to strengthen the body without strain and heal the body through movement.  As an artist and dancer, her exploration of yoga is creative, graceful and fluid.  She strives for quiet bodies and minds even when delving into intense postures.  Known for her soothing voice and attention to alignment, Courtney is dedicated to keeping students safe, comfortable and aware of their own bodies.  After recovering from numerous injuries and health problems, Courtney teaches yoga, at all levels, that invigorates, strengthens and prepares the Body for life.

Cheryl Hollister



Cheryl has practiced yoga for 15 years. She received her Yoga Teacher Certification in 1999 from the New England Center for Yoga and Healing Arts in Amherst, MA. Cheryl has diverse teaching experience that includes children and families as well as adults. Beginners and those preferring a gentle physical practice are particularly drawn to Cheryl’s classes. Cheryl’s teaching style is gentle, nurturing, playful and compassionate. Attentive to each student, Cheryl expresses her passion and love for yoga to all.

Carol Jeneral



Carol became a student of yoga in the early 70's when Lilias Folan introduced her yoga series, 'Lilias', on PBS television, then the only yoga class available. In 1993 she joined the Westfield Yoga Center, where she was inspired to become a yoga teacher. She was trained in the Iyengar method of yoga founded by B.K. S. Iyengar, one of the fathers of American yoga. Her own teaching style blends technical expertise with caring and compassion. Carol is a licensed nurse who worked many years in the field of women's health. It is her intention to bring yoga to students of all ages, as they go through the various stages of their lives with grace and mindfulness.

Scott Mahakian



Scott was involved in promoting health and well-being even as a very young adult. When he was introduced to yoga, he knew he’d found his calling. His love for the practice led him to become a certified yoga teacher at the Kripalu Center. He received a second certification through Yoga Fit.
Scott’s dual teaching certifications make him uniquely suited to teach a range of yoga classes, from gentle to challenging. His particular specialty is a flowing, vinyasa style of yoga that is at once meditative and strengthening.
Scott enjoys infusing his students with positive energy. He hopes that yoga will remain an important element of a healthy and meaningful lifestyle for many years to come.

Lou Pagano



 Lou Pagano was formally trained in Atma Yoga by Christopher Ken Baxter, one of the founding teachers at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Lenox, MA. Lou's background includes educational classes in yoga, Pilates, meditation, group facilitation, workshops and corporate wellness programs. The former owner and lead instructor of Crane Pond Healing Arts, Lou has over 7 years experience working with men and women, young adults, the elderly, and those with physical limitations. His Pilates~Yoga method consists of a sequence of carefully performed movements designed to stretch and strengthen the entire body while building deep "core" strength. Pilates is currently being used in hospitals and physical therapy centers to rehabilitate injuries as well as in athletic training rooms and dance studios. Lou’s instruction helps people find inner peace, recovery, mind/body awareness and physical fitness. Lou's teachings come from a deeply centered heart and mind, with a passion for helping others.

Prashanti (Carol Pettersen)



Prashanti is a Certified Kripalu Yoga Teacher. Having practiced yoga for more than 10 years, she became well aware of the many physical benefits of daily practice, but it was during the more tumultuous times in life that the centering and calming effects of yoga took root. Prashanti became a teacher of Kripalu Yoga in hopes of bringing this loving internal focus to others.
Her classes combine a rich mix of meditation, asana (postures), and pranayama (breathing techniques), and personal inquiry to provide a well-rounded experience. Prashanti’s teaching style is nurturing and gentle, her intention for each class is to fully support her students in their personal yoga journey.

Sanaa Amel



As owner of LifeDance Productions, Sanaa is well known as a passionate and dedicated belly dance instructor and performer. She was introduced to yoga by Edgar Johnson her personal trainer. Through her background as a certified aerobics instructor, fitness trainer and belly dance instructor, she understands that the vehicle of yoga can be used to achieve overall fitness in a sensitive, safe and compassionate way. She has been practicing yoga for six years and is drawn to vinyasa(flow) yoga because it takes the yoga poses and adds graceful, fluid movement while focusing on breath to bring energy to the body. 
            "Yoga and belly dance compliment each other 
        beautifully keeping you both energized and balanced"

Tulsi (Lisa Gauthier)



After practicing yoga for several years, Tulsi experienced Amrit Yoga in 2002. She was immediately drawn to the sequential flow of postures coupled with the meditative time between each pose. She studies with Yoga Amrit Desai and completed her advanced Amrit Yoga certification in 2004. Tulsi realized the transformative aspects of this practice in her life: being more present, open, calm and focused. She formed the intention to bring this experience to others and does so through her teaching.