Lotus Care KC - Yoga Therapy & Wellness Studio 

Julianne Hutchcraft, RN, BSN, C-IAYT Yoga Therapist, E-RYT, YACEP, Ayurveda Yoga Specialist As an RN and owner of Lotus Care KC, Julianne has over 25 years of experience in health and healing combining ancient wisdom with modern science. Over a decade of this time has been invested in the study of biopsychosocial therapeutics, with extensive training in yoga as a professional IAYT-Certified Yoga Therapist through the Institute of Interdisciplinary Yoga Studies in Kansas City. Julianne has a unique and valuable skills set in understanding and healing myofascial pain, limited range of motion and injury. She returns annually to the Coaching the Body Institute in Evanston, Illinois to study with her master teacher, Chuck Duff, as pain science and Integrative Pain Care continue to evolve. ​She currently enjoys teaching several weekly therapeutic yoga classes with much of her time and energy dedicated to her private sessions. When working with individuals, she offers personalized Yoga Therapy programs rooted in Ayurveda and Yoga philosophy, including therapeutic movement & yoga postures, the Great Yoga Wall, breathwork, meditation, self-inquiry, Thai Yoga concepts, myofascial health, trigger point theory, polyvagal theory, functional anatomy and modern pain science to restore pain-free movement and optimize the health and well-being of body, mind and spirit.

Prema Snyder, E-RYT 200, RYT 500, Meditation Teacher, Yoga Educator, Pranassage Practitioner Prema is a facilitator of the healing arts, specializing in embodied learning through movement, breath and awareness. She is the founder of Omprov Lab, an innovative space for adult learning through play. She co-directs the Therapeutic Yoga Institute, a school for yoga teachers at the 200-hour level and continuing education in meditation, fascia and therapeutics. Her guided practices support students in cultivating an “inner-felt sense”, re-framing meaning and exploring new ways of being and moving through life. Born and raised in Costa Rica, her experience in wellness allows her to facilitate well-rounded spaces for healing, community building and integration. She studied at the Sat Yoga Ashram from 2012 to 2019, and was later a faculty teacher at Nexus Yoga Institute, facilitating 200-hour and 300-hour yoga teacher trainings. With a background in contemplative religion and psychoanalytic theory, merged with the evolving field of somatics, she continues to circle back to a “bottom-up” approach to healing and wellbeing, providing students with a sense of agency and choice.

Amy Reichart, RYT Yoga Teacher Amy has been practicing yoga for over 20 years. During that duration of time, she practiced alongside a wide range of people under the guidance of a handful of local teachers. Witnessing the benefits of Yoga on hundreds of people plus her own health experiences inspired her to give back to those teachers and the community. She completed her 200hr teacher training in spring of 2022. She has continued her education through hands-on training with senior teachers, daily personal practice, attending courses, and workshops. When not on the mat or in a classroom she loves to be in nature, the gym, reading and spending time with family and friends.

Amy Vance, MS, DTR Yoga Teacher, Registered Dietician & Reiki Master Amy’s passion for teaching yoga stems from over 10 years’ experience in the fitness industry as a group fitness instructor. After earning her degrees in nutrition and kinesiology, she saw the mind body connection and wanted to help others on their journey. She attended her 200 YTT in 2018 and is currently working toward her 500 YTT through My Vinyasa Practice. Amy meets her students where they are in their yoga practice. She guides her students on their journey and encourages them to be responsible for the direction of their journey. Yoga is more than just the asanas, it’s about you, the whole you.

Bri Fischer, Yoga Teacher Bri grew up in a sleepy retirement beach town in Sarasota, FL. She was introduced to yoga in 2006 by a dear friend when she was active duty Air Force. Her practice started with a hot yoga practice and has since evolved into more of a restorative and healing practice. Bri’s main focus is on healing. Being diagnosed with lupus nearly 7 years ago, she found yoga to be impactful on her healing journey. So much so, that she became a yoga instructor to facilitate the collective on their healing journey! Her love for yoga grows every day and she can’t wait to share that love with you in her classes! She is a classically trained 200-hour Hatha yoga teacher and is currently enrolled in a trauma sensitive 300-hour yoga teacher training.

Emily Hiebert, RYT 200 Yoga Teacher Emily began her yoga journey in 2017 and has loved doing yoga for years. After completing her yoga teacher training, she has learned more about how to embody yoga than it only being something you do on a mat. Yoga is not just a physical practice, but rather a way to move through and experience life. Emily’s classes empower students to inquire deeper within and listen to their own inner teacher and wisdom to help ease tension patterns through mindful movement, breathwork, meditation, and awareness techniques. Emily holds a B.A. in Psychology from Drury University and a 200-hour therapeutic yoga teaching certification from the Therapeutic Yoga Institute. Her goal is to blend the two to create a safe space for exploration and to let go of perfectionism. In Emily’s classes you can expect sprinkles of yoga philosophy, thoughtful sequences, and a peaceful space to move, breathe, and rest.

Gayla Kobialka, RYT500 Yoga for Scoliosis Teacher/Trainer Yoga Therapist-in-Training   Gayla has lived with scoliosis since middle school, when she was first diagnosed. Determined not to wear a brace due to the bullying that she perceived she would receive, she went about her life. In her forties, while living in the Washington, D.C. area, she worked with a D.O. that did craniosacral massage for her migraines. It was this D.O. that introduced her to yoga, copying an entire out of print book for her that he had in his collection. He also mentioned that he believed that there was “some woman who does yoga for scoliosis” but couldn’t remember her name. That’s when Gayla found Elise Browning Miller and ordered her DVD. She started her yoga practice with Elise’s DVD and the book from her D.O.   Gayla’s encore career in yoga teaching began in 2020, during the COVID pandemic. She received training at Radiant Child Yoga and Yoga Farm Ithaca. She began teaching yoga via Zoom during the pandemic and continued her yoga studies by enrolling in the Yoga Therapy Program at Inner Peace Yoga Therapy. She is a RYT500, a Yoga for Scoliosis Teacher/Trainer, and a Yoga Therapist-in-Training.

Kristin Rea (RYT) began her yoga journey 22 years ago as a way to gain flexibility and counter some of the side effects of high-impact sports like long distance running. Over time she began to see the benefits of yoga beyond the physical body, in the way it improved sleep and fostered emotional balance. After years of experiencing the positive benefits of yoga on and off the mat, Kristin decided to enroll in Kansas City’s Karma Tribe Yoga Teacher Training. She graduated with her 200 hour teacher training in the fall of 2019 and has continued to share her love of the practice with others since then, teaching in nearby studios and hosting pop up public events. In 2020 she became a certified Aerial Yoga Instructor through Amber Monson of Honor Yoga. She has additional accreditation that specializes in Trauma-informed yoga and teaching Meditation and Restorative yoga. Her teacher mentors include Lauren Leduc, Sam McGraw, Lisa Ash and Jennilee Toner. Kristin lives in the Northland with her husband, two kitties and two daughters. When off the mat she enjoys traveling, acting, hiking, camping, and cooking plant-based meals for the family.

Madeline Daisy Amend is a yogic practitioner, reiki master, artist and herbalist from Kansas City, Missouri. She has spent a large portion of her life travelling and living in various communities and spiritual centers around the world. In 2019 she received her 200 hour YTT in Ashtanga Vinyasa from Asturias Yoga. Three years later she came to study Yin Yoga from Julianne Hutchcraft at Lotus Care KC. Madeline, also known as 'Mariposa,' is passionate about health and wellness. She loves listening to plants, and recognizing the beauty of Nature and how her body is a part of the Earth. She blends her time spent studying plant medicine in Vermont with her lifetime journey of creativity and art. Her teaching style reflects this process of deep listening, intuitiveness, and play that is found in the mysterious rhythms of the natural world. On an ongoing spiritual journey, Madeline is deeply excited to root and grow her practice here with you at Lotus Care!

Makayla Cambiano Yoga Teacher Makayla has been practicing yoga for over 10 years. Kansas City native, with a background in history (B.A.) she has a passion for the study of yoga. She grew up practicing and teaching taekwondo and loves cultivating a mind/body connection. A recent graduate of the 200-hour RYT yoga teacher training from the Therapeutic Yoga Institute she wants to share yoga with the world. She is a self-declared lifelong learner who wishes to continue her studies as a therapeutic yoga teacher. In hope that one day she may become a yoga therapist. Outside of yoga, Makayla is a painter, writer, and lover of books. She loves creating and seeing where her imagination can take her. Self-care and personal wellness are a large part of Makayla's lifestyle, you will always find her with a hot cup of homegrown tea in her hand. She is a pet owner of her wild puppy Freya and a self-proclaimed animal whisperer. Her focus as a teacher is to encourage exploration and play throughout the yoga practice, she enjoys teaching at all levels because everybody has a yoga body. Her classes offer very personal guidance with a focus on breath and supportive movement.

Rachel Rilinger, M.A., MT-BC ​Music Therapist, Reiki Master, Life Coach, Tai Chi Chih Instructor ​Rachel is a Board Certified Music Therapist, Reiki Master Teacher, Certified Laughter Yoga Leader and an Accredited Tai Chi Chih instructor. Rachel has a variety of personal and professional life experiences that bring a unique perspective to help you on your journey. Obtaining their masters degree from the University of Iowa, Rachel is trained in ethics, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), neurologic music therapy (NMT), and has worked with trauma systems therapy (TST). Their professional background includes working in hospice, inpatient and outpatient mental healthcare, addiction rehabilitation, medical hospital, working with individuals with disabilities and is published in the academic journal Music Therapy Perspectives.

Shannon Tajchman, E-RYT 200 Yoga Teacher Shannon discovered yoga in 2014, when she began to notice her body was not able to tolerate running and lifting weights anymore. Three months into it, she realized that she didn’t need her anxiety medication anymore. She also realized that she didn’t’ need to go to the chiropractor as often either. Her life transformed so quickly that she knew she had to help others. Six months later she spent a month in India and became a yoga instructor and received her E-RYT 200 certification. Unfortunately within the next year she kept developing unexplained injuries which made it difficult to teach, let alone practice yoga. Crushed, her confidence in teaching plummeted. In the Summer of 2018 she was finally diagnosed with Chronic Lyme Disease. That meant trying to find ways to heal naturally. So she decided to go to school for Yoga Therapy. Not only was this for her own healing but she wanted to help others who also struggle with chronic illness and pain. She learned that yoga was so much more than a physical practice. By manipulating the breath, using different mediation practices, and modifications in the physical practice she was able to start teaching and practicing again with more understanding and compassion for others. In addition, she is certified to teach Aerial yoga. Loves teach vinyasa flow, slow flow, gentle, basic and chair yoga. Here at Lotus care she will bring in a Slow Flow Vinyasa style practice. Providing modifications and props, this class is available for all levels. Also introducing intermediate poses for those who are ready for progress. She believes in a 15-minute savasana, with guided relaxation to soak up all the benefits of the practice in complete peace and relaxation. She loves helping others, is a reiki practitioner, and can’t wait to help build a community with Lotus Care! Off the mat, Shannon loves being a Cosmetologist, with over 20 years experience. She also loves to travel and explore the world.

Stevie St.Clair, LCSW Yoga Teacher Stevie is passionate about holistic wellness, specifically the connection between the mind and body. She is a licensed clinical social worker, with a background working in school and community mental health settings over the last 13 years. Stevieis eager to learn more about holistic wellness and incorporate somatic movement, breathing, and relaxation techniques into her yoga classes and day to day work. She started her personal practice with yoga to become more grounded and present. Stevie completed her 200 yoga teacher training hours in the fall of 2023 through KC Yoga Kula. She looks forward to leading grounding yoga practices, reminding individuals to breathe and become more aware of the thoughts and sensations within their body.

Tasjha Dixon Yoga Teacher Tasjha’s journey to yoga began in childhood when her mother would extend the invitation to join her on the floor to stretch. She then went on to dance and became a distance runner in high school. She entered the United States Army upon graduation. She was honorably discharged due to injury. Tasjha completed yoga teacher training in 2015 with Darryl Olive, owner of KC Fitness Link. She has taught in elementary schools and non-profit organizations. She is trained in trauma-informed yoga through the Veterans Yoga Project as well as having taught Bikram Hot Yoga at Yoga Fix. She consistently looks to enhance her education by studying yoga therapeutic practices and including those in her personal practice as well as her passion in her offerings. Tasjha specifically enjoys practicing and teaching restorative, yin, and myofascial release techniques. Tasjha is deeply committed to holding non-judgmental space and allowing us to listen to our bodies and make the necessary adjustments, as in life. We come together to widen our scope and explore ways to foster coherent healing. Her career of over 20 years as a social worker informs every aspect of who she is and how she interacts in the world and with others. Her classes will center around compassion. Representation and inclusion are also important to her. She challenges you to seek comfort in the unorthodox. She creates simple, kind, purposeful and accessible classes. She hopes you find something, no matter how small, to take with you off the mat.

Terresa Rodriguez, Yoga Teacher Terresa’s yoga practice spans over two decades. Over the years, she has become deeply invested in understanding and teaching practical movement to bodies of all types; with specific interest in older folks so they may find more freedom in their body and mind. She began practicing in 2001 at 3HO Ashram KC Kundalini and Yoga Connect with Sujata Stephens. In 2010, she completed a three-year study on energy healing for the body at Core Star School of Healing. In 2015, she attended The School of Metaphysics and finished a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training with Om Prana Yoga & Consultants in Parkville. In addition, she enrolled in The Inner Matrix, a nine-week study program on the benefits of meditation, which led to a year-long self-guided meditation practice. In 2017, Terresa taught yoga at the Harley Davidson plant. In 2020, she completed an online program of 150 hours as a Wellness Yoga Instructor through Yoga U Online. For the past seven years, Terresa has led her own yoga class on Sunday mornings at The Wellness Wheel called ‘A Cup of Yoga,’ to inspire folks to fill their cup by connecting to the breath through movement to build strength and move with ease. Raised in St. Joseph, MO, Terresa has lived in the Northland of Kansas City for 35 years with her husband and raised two daughters. During the week, Terresa works full-time as a Corporate Recruiter for an environmental solutions company. She looks forward to retiring and continuing to connect with others through yoga and movement.

Viviane Wolfe, C-IAYT ​Yoga Therapist & Ayurveda Nutritionist ​Viviane found yoga in the crossroads of performance movement and clinical office work. As a dancer, stunt performer, sword fighter and aerialist, she needed the healing and calming practice of yoga to stay balanced. As an assistant to chiropractors, she immediately saw the healthy effects of a consistent practice on the muscles, bones, and nervous system. ​ When pursuing her 200 hour certificate, Vivane was introduced to the therapeutic potential of yoga by her employer, a chiropractor who was also a long-time yoga practitioner. Working one-on-one with clients to improve posture and breath expansion was her first “yoga job.” She graduated with her first yoga certificate in 2017, and started working with group classes and private clients on finding the balance between effort and ease, both on and off the mat. Viviane has continued her love of learning by completing her 300 hour teacher training, and her certificate for clinical yoga therapy. She has certified training in Ayurvedic Nutrition, Trauma-Informed Yoga, Yoga Nidra, Yin Yoga, Sound Healing, Marma and Meridian Healing, and Restorative Yoga. She has also studied somatic works like Feldenkrais, Laban, Bartenieff, Qi Gong, Tai Chi, and Alexander through her dance and theatre studies, which informs her practices. Current topics of study are hormone balance, studies on perimenopause and menopause, arthritis, and mythology. Her clients and students enjoy a mix of movement, breathwork, meditative practices, and expressive freedom to ease them into better holistic homeostasis.

Betheny Clark, LMT, AOS Betheny began her massage therapy career in 2007 after she graduated from Heritage College in Kansas City with her associate degree. From 2007–2011, Betheny worked at Massage Envy and helped the company open three new offices within four years before she became an independent contractor under her business name, Elevated Massage KC. Over the years, Betheny has provided table and chair massage for various local companies and events, including Seize the Day 5K Run/Walk and Planet Comicon. She’s also earned countless certifications in pre-natal massage, myofascial techniques and Asian reflexology, to name a few. Betheny is passionate about improving people’s quality of life, oftentimes by helping them reduce or eliminate chronic pain. Neck and shoulder work are her favorite. She looks forward to helping facilitate healing at Lotus Care KC.

Jacquelyn Haines, LMT Jackie has been a licensed massage therapist for about 7 years. She specializes in Neuromuscular, Trigger Point and Myofascial Release therapies, along with Prenatal massage. She adds in the therapeutic tools of Gua Sha and massage cupping. Craniosacral work is in her future. Blending these techniques and tools allow her to get deeper into the tissues without it being painful for the client. Jackie’s purpose is to facilitate healing in others to allow them to do what they do better, alleviate pain, recover faster, have quality sleep at night, and have more connection to self, emotions, and spirit. She’s always had a passion for helping people, specifically about healing the physical body and educating on how to move forward and know how to use it! When the body feels good and aligned, everything else falls into place. With cupping and Gua Sha, marks may appear on the skin, called petechiae, which vary in intensity and duration. The body heals them at its own pace. Increasing water intake before AND after the session is crucial for the process of moving toxins out of the body. Heat can also help this process like a heat mat/pad or sauna. These tools are always optional. Jackie’s passion is to unite all practitioners in each discipline to practice together for the greatest care for clients. She is ready to serve anyone who feels they are ready for transformative, therapeutic bodywork.

Elaine King, Health & Wellness Coach Elaine's life mission is to cultivate wholeness in body, mind, and spirit. Specializing as a holistic health coach for women transitioning through perimenopause and menopause, she aims to empower and build resilience during this pivotal time. She understands that this journey encompasses far more than the physical changes—it's about nurturing the whole self. As your guide, she provides the support, guidance, and accountability necessary to thrive. Elaine's approach is deeply personal and tailored, offering both one-on-one and group coaching. She creates spaces for connection and growth, virtually or in-person, and also leads enriching group workshops. She is a national board-certified health and wellness coach and is in the process of obtaining her certification as a perimenopause and menopause health coach, further deepening her expertise in supporting women’s health. For those eager to embark on a transformative journey with Elaine, more details can be found on her website at simply-healthy.com/menopause. You can also book a complimentary discovery call to start the conversation about your path to wellness through the studio's app.

Students of the Therapeutic Yoga Institute at Lotus Care KC