TRAINING, MEMBERSHIPS & TESTIMONIALS:
I
The yoga therapy components of my teaching are based on my advanced training at the YogaLife Institute, not derived from my status as an RYT with Yoga Alliance.
- Associate Director, Utica University Institute for the Study of Integrative Healthcare
- Advisory Council Member & Nominating Committee Chair, Utica College Institute for the Study of Integrative Healthcare
- Founding Director, Resilience Mind-Body Institute
- International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT), Member, Certified Yoga Therapist, C-IAYT
- YogaLife Institute, IAYT-accredited Comprehensive Yoga Therapy, under Owner Dr. Bob Butera plus C-IAYTs and E-RYT500s Dr. Staffan Elgelid, Erin Byron, Kristen Butera, Erika Tenenbaum, Dr. Jennifer Kreatsoulas, Jen Hilbert
- Psychophysiologic Pain Disorders Professional Level 3 Course in Mind-Body Management of Chronic Pain, Psychophysiologic Pain Disorders Association
- Somatic Movement Center, CEI3: Certified Somatic Movement Exercise Instructor Level 3
- Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher, E-RYT 500
- YogaLife Institute, 300-hour training in Classical Yoga
- Infinite Light Yoga, 200-hour training in Hatha Yoga in the Kripalu lineage, under Kripalu-trained E-RYT500 Owner Tony Riposo & Cindy Yaple E-RYT 500, Therapeutic Yoga Teacher and former teacher at Kripalu
- Certified 85-Hour Prenatal Yoga Teacher (Yoga Alliance-accredited RPYT Training) through Arhanta Online Academy
- Clinical Somatics Systems Institute, 30hr workshop in Somatic Exercises Teaching
- Introduction to the Alexander Technique, Paul Barrett, ATI
- The Science of Stretch: Anatomy Trains for Stability & Resilience, Tom Myers
- Anatomy Trains & Slings Myofascial Foundations Training, Art of Motion
- Kelowna Feldenkrais Training, Workshop in Feldenkrais Fundamentals
- National Posture Institute Certified Posture Specialist
- ShivaShakti School of Yoga, Certified Yoga Nidra Teacher
- Aura Wellness Center, Certified Insight (Vipassana) Meditation Teacher
- Om Yoga/Yoga International, Certified Restorative Yoga Teacher
- White Crow Yoga: Yoga for Weight Loss
- Holistic Coach Academy, Louise Anne Maurice, Holistic Health & Wellness Coach
- Dianne Bondy Yoga & Amber Karnes of Body Positive Yoga, Yoga for All
- Institute for Restorative Qigong and Tai Chi: Fundamentals of Rehabilitative Qigong & Tai Chi
- Body Soul Wellness Pilates Matwork Certified Instructor
- BarreFlow Certified Instructor
- ISSA Certified Personal Trainer & Certified Nutritional Specialist
- ASFA Certified Functional Fitness Trainer
- TRX Suspension Trainer
- Mad Dogg Spinning Instructor
- Biologix Solutions: IASTM
- Adult & Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED
The yoga therapy components of my teaching are based on my advanced training at the YogaLife Institute, not derived from my status as an RYT with Yoga Alliance.
TESTIMONIALS :
"I have tried to like yoga for years. For whatever reason it hasn't happened for me 'til I found your class." (a yogini in her 50s who is active in many different types of fitness classes)
"Over the four months that I have been practicing yoga under the teachings of Sharon Kanfoush, I have learned how to breathe, how to think, how to move, how to adjust, and how to be resilient in all areas of my life. It’s hard to express, without sounding clichéd, just how much I appreciate Sharon Kanfoush and her yoga classes... her routines are sophisticated and thorough, and it is clear that she has a deep and holistic understanding of the practice of yoga, and what yoga can do to improve your mind, body, and life." (a very regular, devoted ~30-year old yogini)
"I came to Sharon having some background in yoga, as well as a natural ability for balance and flexibility. This meant that I was a bit arrogant, and I was skeptical that I would learn much or continue Sharon’s classes. I was wrong. Sharon can explain and demonstrate the nuances involved in yoga, and do so in a way that is welcoming and reassuring. Every yoga class that I have taken with Sharon feels like a journey for my mind, my body, and my soul, and each routine has taught me something new about my body, and about how to approach and understand various yoga poses better." (a young, fit, adventurous yogini)
"Sharon Kanfoush is a gifted teacher, and all of her strengths are evident in her role as a yoga instructor. She has a particular talent for seeking to discover where her students are and where they want to be. She seeks to help students find their own path and she guides them gently in the direction they want to take. Sharon is exceedingly patient. She is at once humble and confident. Her suggestions are consistently thoughtful and crafted to the student. She makes frequent references to her training and to her own practice, establishing empathy throughout the lesson." (a recent retiree getting back into yoga after many years away)
"She is always striving to learn more and... bring that knowledge back to her students." (a yogini in her 40s)
"Sharon’s style is unique in that she is knowledgeable and skilled, yet she is also comforting, inviting, and very approachable. Her routines are well paced and well timed, and always have just the right balance of serenity, challenge, exercise, training, and calm. She can just as easily teach an intermediate student as she can a beginner, and even teach both in the same class. I have seen her interact with people new to yoga, as well as with people who are older or who have injuries, and she is very good at making sure they do not hurt themselves, and gives them many ways to adjust and work on their bodies in the ways that best suit their needs. Her care and concern are evident, which is why I think that many people who would not necessarily try yoga, feel comfortable learning from her." (a career woman in her early 30s)
"I never want her classes to end. I feel as though I could do yoga with Sharon for hours. And when I do finally leave, I leave with a feeling of satisfaction, a calm happiness that only yoga can produce." (a yogini who works too hard and wrestles with anxiety)
"I can vouch for Sharon's classes! They are so wonderful for finding a way to do yoga that isn't part of this toxic (yoga) culture... It's so funny, I went into her class initially with the typical yoga mindset and was surprised to see there weren't mirrors on the wall and it was so much more about inner strength. It took me a few classes but then I was able to rid myself of the mindset that I was doing yoga for how others would see me and instead focus on how I felt and what my body was telling me. It sucks though that so many people are intimidated by yoga (and all other forms of exercise) because of the incessant ads for super thin bodies on top of mountains or paddle boards contorting in $85 tiny bra tops." (an experienced, skilled, fit & fashionable yogini who found what she didn't even know she was looking for!)
"I have tried to like yoga for years. For whatever reason it hasn't happened for me 'til I found your class." (a yogini in her 50s who is active in many different types of fitness classes)
"Over the four months that I have been practicing yoga under the teachings of Sharon Kanfoush, I have learned how to breathe, how to think, how to move, how to adjust, and how to be resilient in all areas of my life. It’s hard to express, without sounding clichéd, just how much I appreciate Sharon Kanfoush and her yoga classes... her routines are sophisticated and thorough, and it is clear that she has a deep and holistic understanding of the practice of yoga, and what yoga can do to improve your mind, body, and life." (a very regular, devoted ~30-year old yogini)
"I came to Sharon having some background in yoga, as well as a natural ability for balance and flexibility. This meant that I was a bit arrogant, and I was skeptical that I would learn much or continue Sharon’s classes. I was wrong. Sharon can explain and demonstrate the nuances involved in yoga, and do so in a way that is welcoming and reassuring. Every yoga class that I have taken with Sharon feels like a journey for my mind, my body, and my soul, and each routine has taught me something new about my body, and about how to approach and understand various yoga poses better." (a young, fit, adventurous yogini)
"Sharon Kanfoush is a gifted teacher, and all of her strengths are evident in her role as a yoga instructor. She has a particular talent for seeking to discover where her students are and where they want to be. She seeks to help students find their own path and she guides them gently in the direction they want to take. Sharon is exceedingly patient. She is at once humble and confident. Her suggestions are consistently thoughtful and crafted to the student. She makes frequent references to her training and to her own practice, establishing empathy throughout the lesson." (a recent retiree getting back into yoga after many years away)
"She is always striving to learn more and... bring that knowledge back to her students." (a yogini in her 40s)
"Sharon’s style is unique in that she is knowledgeable and skilled, yet she is also comforting, inviting, and very approachable. Her routines are well paced and well timed, and always have just the right balance of serenity, challenge, exercise, training, and calm. She can just as easily teach an intermediate student as she can a beginner, and even teach both in the same class. I have seen her interact with people new to yoga, as well as with people who are older or who have injuries, and she is very good at making sure they do not hurt themselves, and gives them many ways to adjust and work on their bodies in the ways that best suit their needs. Her care and concern are evident, which is why I think that many people who would not necessarily try yoga, feel comfortable learning from her." (a career woman in her early 30s)
"I never want her classes to end. I feel as though I could do yoga with Sharon for hours. And when I do finally leave, I leave with a feeling of satisfaction, a calm happiness that only yoga can produce." (a yogini who works too hard and wrestles with anxiety)
"I can vouch for Sharon's classes! They are so wonderful for finding a way to do yoga that isn't part of this toxic (yoga) culture... It's so funny, I went into her class initially with the typical yoga mindset and was surprised to see there weren't mirrors on the wall and it was so much more about inner strength. It took me a few classes but then I was able to rid myself of the mindset that I was doing yoga for how others would see me and instead focus on how I felt and what my body was telling me. It sucks though that so many people are intimidated by yoga (and all other forms of exercise) because of the incessant ads for super thin bodies on top of mountains or paddle boards contorting in $85 tiny bra tops." (an experienced, skilled, fit & fashionable yogini who found what she didn't even know she was looking for!)
My own personal journey toward wellness...
I came to pursue my own wellness in mid-life out of necessity. As I approached 40, I began to notice aches and pains, fatigue, an ever-expanding waist-line, and out-of-control stress... I was a mess! Although I played sports in high school, I was by nature a nerdy, happy bookworm and - when not at a practice or game - very sedentary. I went on to college and graduate school and got a job as a college professor which I absolutely loved -- and still do! But the lengthy academic pursuit had taken a lot of time, energy, and attention that I coupled with having a family. So, after ~15 years of not paying attention, reality hit, and I knew I needed to get back on track.
My son and daughter both played youth hockey and my husband coached. So, at 38, I taught myself to ice-skate & played "old lady" (co-ed adult) hockey for 2 years. What a blast! After losing a bit of weight and strengthening my knees with that, I shifted my attention to running. I. Am. A. Turtle. But I love running anyway -- especially the mental escape it provides. I ran several 5Ks, our beloved local Boilermaker 15K, and then set my sights on a marathon. Still somewhat heavy and frequently plagued with knee injuries, I took up Spinning to strengthen my knees and yoga to stretch -- to help my running. It worked. At the age of 46, I ran a 1/2 marathon in the spring and then a marathon in the fall. I came in dead last. BUT I finished! And I am the proudest last place finisher ever!! Along the way I fell in love with spinning and yoga. And I realized they kept me just as fit, and I wasn't in pain all day as I typically was with running. I gave it up - except for short runs when the mood strikes and an occasional 5K with my son & daughter. I miss the head-game of running, which to me is actually a wonderful form of moving meditation. But since I jumped with both feet into yoga, I get this aspect from yoga instead.
I became a certified Spinning instructor then a certified Yoga teacher. I trained under the owner of Infinite Light, Tony Riposo, a Kripalu-trained yogi with over 30 years teaching experience and Cindy Yaple, a yogini who is also a Therapeutic Yoga Teacher and is certified in Divine Sleep Yoga Nidra. I also previously practiced extensively with Kripalu-trained yogini Susie Hamilton. From her I learned that moments of challenge on the mat are an opportunity to practice breathing into them and thus practice slowing down and more calmly responding rather than simply reacting unthinkingly -- and that we can carry those valuable lessons learned on the mat to life off the mat. She also taught me gentle self-compassion and the importance of taking time for self-care. For all of this I will be forever grateful.
Both spinning and yoga, and the pranayama and meditation associated with the latter, have had a tremendous impact on my life -- helping me to build a much better work-life balance as well as a stronger body, mind, and spirit. That is much more than just a tagline to me. It is, in my opinion, something that saved me from the downward spiral I had not even realized I had been on. I wake up each day now with renewed energy, renewed optimism & a renewed sense of gratitude for life and the many precious gifts spinning and yoga have given me.
As a still-dedicated nerdy bookworm and former workaholic and couch-potato (ok, that latter one may still apply), it is my sincere hope to help others get or stay moving and sometimes to slow down(!) to achieve greater health -- body, mind, and spirit -- as well as a better work-life balance. My yoga is traditional Hatha in the Kripalu style and is somewhat slow, meditative & inward-focused in comparison to some other forms or classes taught by other teachers that are of a more fitness style. Having said that, I am confident my classes will provide a good stretch and some challenge to balance and strength, and I can speak from experience that it will help build or maintain noticeable increases in resilience -- of both the physical body and the emotional being.
I developed this web-page and an accompanying Facebook page (search "Sharon Kanfoush Wellness") to post my schedule of spinning and yoga classes as well as any class changes or cancellations and special events. So please check back often. I hope to see you in class! Namaste.
I came to pursue my own wellness in mid-life out of necessity. As I approached 40, I began to notice aches and pains, fatigue, an ever-expanding waist-line, and out-of-control stress... I was a mess! Although I played sports in high school, I was by nature a nerdy, happy bookworm and - when not at a practice or game - very sedentary. I went on to college and graduate school and got a job as a college professor which I absolutely loved -- and still do! But the lengthy academic pursuit had taken a lot of time, energy, and attention that I coupled with having a family. So, after ~15 years of not paying attention, reality hit, and I knew I needed to get back on track.
My son and daughter both played youth hockey and my husband coached. So, at 38, I taught myself to ice-skate & played "old lady" (co-ed adult) hockey for 2 years. What a blast! After losing a bit of weight and strengthening my knees with that, I shifted my attention to running. I. Am. A. Turtle. But I love running anyway -- especially the mental escape it provides. I ran several 5Ks, our beloved local Boilermaker 15K, and then set my sights on a marathon. Still somewhat heavy and frequently plagued with knee injuries, I took up Spinning to strengthen my knees and yoga to stretch -- to help my running. It worked. At the age of 46, I ran a 1/2 marathon in the spring and then a marathon in the fall. I came in dead last. BUT I finished! And I am the proudest last place finisher ever!! Along the way I fell in love with spinning and yoga. And I realized they kept me just as fit, and I wasn't in pain all day as I typically was with running. I gave it up - except for short runs when the mood strikes and an occasional 5K with my son & daughter. I miss the head-game of running, which to me is actually a wonderful form of moving meditation. But since I jumped with both feet into yoga, I get this aspect from yoga instead.
I became a certified Spinning instructor then a certified Yoga teacher. I trained under the owner of Infinite Light, Tony Riposo, a Kripalu-trained yogi with over 30 years teaching experience and Cindy Yaple, a yogini who is also a Therapeutic Yoga Teacher and is certified in Divine Sleep Yoga Nidra. I also previously practiced extensively with Kripalu-trained yogini Susie Hamilton. From her I learned that moments of challenge on the mat are an opportunity to practice breathing into them and thus practice slowing down and more calmly responding rather than simply reacting unthinkingly -- and that we can carry those valuable lessons learned on the mat to life off the mat. She also taught me gentle self-compassion and the importance of taking time for self-care. For all of this I will be forever grateful.
Both spinning and yoga, and the pranayama and meditation associated with the latter, have had a tremendous impact on my life -- helping me to build a much better work-life balance as well as a stronger body, mind, and spirit. That is much more than just a tagline to me. It is, in my opinion, something that saved me from the downward spiral I had not even realized I had been on. I wake up each day now with renewed energy, renewed optimism & a renewed sense of gratitude for life and the many precious gifts spinning and yoga have given me.
As a still-dedicated nerdy bookworm and former workaholic and couch-potato (ok, that latter one may still apply), it is my sincere hope to help others get or stay moving and sometimes to slow down(!) to achieve greater health -- body, mind, and spirit -- as well as a better work-life balance. My yoga is traditional Hatha in the Kripalu style and is somewhat slow, meditative & inward-focused in comparison to some other forms or classes taught by other teachers that are of a more fitness style. Having said that, I am confident my classes will provide a good stretch and some challenge to balance and strength, and I can speak from experience that it will help build or maintain noticeable increases in resilience -- of both the physical body and the emotional being.
I developed this web-page and an accompanying Facebook page (search "Sharon Kanfoush Wellness") to post my schedule of spinning and yoga classes as well as any class changes or cancellations and special events. So please check back often. I hope to see you in class! Namaste.
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