About us here at Inner Bliss Yoga Center

Kelly Smith- Yoga Instructor. Teacher Trainer. Pilates.

Kelly's journey in yoga began as a desire to change direction in life. Like many yoga practioners, her yoga practice began as a search for peace and health, and over time evolved into a way of life and source of love. Kelly's dedication to teaching yoga is an extension of her commitment to her practice as well as a response to a call for peace and health among people today. Kelly is the founder of Inner Bliss Yoga Center, a welcoming center established to provide a safe, nurturing and empowering place for anyone seeking physical, mental or spiritual health.

An experienced Yoga and Pilates instructor, Kelly was recognized twice in 2005 by Philadelphia Magazine as one of the best in the city for both Yoga and Pilates instruction. Her studies include multiple trainings in Shiva Rea's fluent and powerful Vinyasa method, the freedom of Angela Farmer's intuitive approach to yoga, and weekly classes with Joan White, a senior Iyengar teacher living in Philadelphia. She has completed trainings is many areas of special interest including prenatal yoga, yoga for scoliosis and yoga therapy. Kelly also studies Indian Ayurveda, holistic nutrition, is informed by 18 years of dance experience and recently began Martial Arts training. She holds a BA in Psychology from Villanova University and has taken many post-graduate courses in the areas of psychology and kinesiology.

The style of yoga Kelly teaches is challenging and nurturing; incorporating yoga philosophy and knowledge of the physical and subtle body. After 7 years of teaching yoga, Kelly believes this blend of balanced yoga will guide students toward a deep experience of yoga on many levels.

Nora Drummond- Yoga Instructor. Teacher Trainer. Prenatal.

Nora stumbled into her first yoga class at Yoga Works (formaly BE Yoga) in 2001. She went for the reasons most people start yoga she wanted to lose weight, and she had pain in her lower back. Having been a dancer for fifteen years, she decided to take the most advanced class. She cant say exactly what happened in that class, but she came back the next day (for a BEGINNER class), and the next day, and the day after that, and soon enough she was asked to join the teacher training program there under the direction of yogiraj Alan Finger. She completed the 200 hour training, and began to teach. While in New York City she had the good fortune to experience teaching to all different levels of physical abilities, from dancers with New York City Ballet, to the elderly, and everything in between.

She moved to Philadelphia in April 2004 and began immediately to teach throughout the city. In 2006, she offered her first 200 hour, Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher training.

After hearing about each other for over a year Kelly Smith and Nora finally met. Brought together by a mutual love of yoga, and of a commitment to the authentic transmission of it, together they created the 200 hour Yoga Alliance Registered Teacher Training certification now offered at Inner Bliss Yoga Center!

Nora's classes are first and foremost responsive to the needs of her students that day. There is a strong emphasis on safe alignment, and innovative sequencing. Through connection with their own breath students are led organically to their own inherent joy.

Tania- Yoga Instructor

Tania is a firm believer that in conscious movement, stillness, and breath – healing naturally arises.

She enjoys the explorative aspects of yoga and encourages her students to discover a deeper understanding of their own bodies from a non-judgmental place. By engaging students to explore their own edges, patterns and challenges she gently guides them through their own boundaries. Along with the physical aspects of yoga, her classes include focus on pranayama (breath), dhyana (meditation), and dharana (concentration).

Tania has been practicing yoga (various forms of asana and meditation) steadily for 6 years and received her teacher certification from the Shambhava School of Yoga at Shoshoni in Rollinsville, CO. She continues her own practice inspired by the guidance of her teacher Rishi Maha Mandaleshwar Sri Shambhavananda, as well as drawing from her own life experiences. She is registered with Yoga Alliance.

Tania is also a certified massage therapist and Reiki practitioner at the Reiki School and Clinic, a performing singer songwriter, has taught various forms of music / movement classes and workshops throughout the northeast, and works in collaboration with Dr. Michael Fowlin to bring assemblies to schools focusing on self acceptance, compassionate understanding, and diversity awareness.

Mark Mattingly- Yoga Instructor

Mark brings a varied background to the teaching of yoga. He has a Master's of Science degree and an Anesthesia diploma from his training at Northwestern University in Chicago, IL. An exercise buff since his undergraduate days in Memphis, TN, Mark has found his true life calling in yoga practice. He has been practicing for over seven years now.

Mark inspires his students to breathe deeply, awakening in them a well spring of strength and stamina. He views yoga as a means of achieving physical fitness, exploring an alternative form of spiritual development and maintaining equanimity in an increasingly challanging world. Mark implores his students to dwell within for a clear mind and a vibrant body

Brittany Policastro- Yoga and Pilates Instructor

Brittany started practicing yoga over five years ago and was captivated by the way it made her feel on so many levels. Less than one year after her first experience with yoga Brittany completed her first 50 hour teacher training. Since then she has taken several workshops and trainings with various teachers including John Friend, Sienna Sherman and Sean Corne. Bri ttany brings an enthusiastic and energetic approach to her classes while focusing on proper alignment and cultivating awareness. A year and a half ago Brittany discovered Anusara Yoga and fell in love with yoga all over again. She finally decided to teach yoga full time and devoted her time to studying and training with Nationally Recognized Senior Certified Anusara Teachers Sue Elkind and Niame Jezzeny. Since then she has completed the 200 hour Anusara Teacher Training, two Therapeutics Trainings, a Prenatal Yoga Training and the Level 2 Anusara Teacher Training.