Our Teachers
Cathy Ahearn, Owner
I began my Yoga journey in May of 2009 at a local library while living in Michigan. Immediately I fell in love with the practice. While searching for a Yoga studio tragedy fell. My husband of 33 years suddenly died of a heart attack. Working remotely and not really knowing anyone in the area, I fell deeply into my practice. It felt safe and healing. After moving back to St. Louis I found my home at Prana where I eventually received my 200 hour YTT in 2015. In 2021 I received my 500 hour YTT designation from South River Yoga. My passion is teaching Yoga to beginners. Helping beginners gain strength and confidence in their Yoga journey is so rewarding.
In 2017 I said "Yes" and became the owner of Prana Yoga. Owning the studio has given me so much joy. The Prana Community is supportive, comforting and inspiring. Our instructors are the best. Not only in their teaching skills but as people.When the pandemic hit they immediately rose to the occasion and hopped right into teaching virtually. Their dedication to Prana is far and above. Prana would not be here without them.
Carine Terres
Carine was born and raised in Paris, France and she has earned her Ph.D. in French Literature at Washington University. She has been practicing yoga for over 16 years. She completed her Vinyasa teacher training at Prana yoga in 2018 and recently, she completed her Vinyasa Yin teacher training at Urban Breath in 2020. Carine also completed a mindfulness training in 2018 in St. Louis. She has been teaching yoga for over 5 years.
Conscientious, caring, and energetic, Carine loves hot yoga, Yin yoga, and Vinyasa. On a more personal note, Carine loves to travel, swim, go on her paddleboard, and scuba dive. She has traveled extensively in Europe.
Lucy Volding
My daughter brought me to my first yoga class and I’ve never looked back! The benefits of yoga have helped me so much in my life that I wanted to learn more and share it with others. I have my 200 and 500 hour certifications and have taken many workshops and continuing education courses. In addition to teaching, I love to participate in all kinds of yoga classes as I learn something from every teacher. My focus in my classes is mindfulness and meditation. I like to use slow mindful movements in order to connect with the body, mind and spirit. I believe that yoga can help us be the best version of ourselves!
Diana Brockman
I started practicing yoga at home more than 20 years ago when I purchased a VCR tape titled Yoga for Dummies. I figured I didn’t know anything about yoga, so this was a good place to start ;). It turns out I loved doing the 20-minute routine a couple times a week. After a few years of practicing at home, I decided to take a 180 and try Bikram yoga. It took some time, but I began to crave that sweaty, exhausting, invigorating practice and continued practicing hot yoga for several years. Then after hearing my daughter rave about her yoga experience, I attended a vinyasa class with her. I remember during that first class thinking, what in the world is drishti and chaturanga?, but there was something intriguing about it and I enjoyed the philosophical teachings that the instructor shared, so I continued to practice that and a variety of yoga styles for some time. Eventually, having such admiration for some wonderful yoga teachers (that I now call guru!), I made the decision to take a dive into teacher training.
In August of 2016, I completed 200-hour yoga teacher training at Prana Yoga in Des Peres. A couple years later, I enrolled in 300-hour advanced teacher training at South River Yoga in St. Louis and completed training in May of 2020. I also hold certifications in chair yoga and kids’ yoga.
I have found the movement, breath work, and philosophical aspects of yoga benefit me every. single. day. Whether it’s laying in child’s pose for a few minutes in the morning, focusing on deep breathing to calm myself throughout the day, or participating in a structured yoga class, the benefits are immense. My reason for teaching yoga is to share what I know to hopefully bring a sense of lightness, calmness and healing to others’ daily lives as well.
My favorite yoga sequence is actually a sun salutation, which takes me full circle, back to that VCR tape, and doing sun salutations in my living room. Namaste.
Amy Allgeyer
Yoga has been an integral part of my life for the past 15 years. I initially turned to yoga to help relieve stress and anxiety. As a runner, I was strong and in shape, but missing the mind/body connection. Ever since, yoga has had a significant impact in my life. Practicing yoga has improved my flexibility, increased my strength, and helped build self-confidence both on and off the mat. Most importantly, yoga inspires me to live in the present and live each moment mindfully.
I completed my 200 hour teacher training in July 2015 at Prana and began as an instructor. I have regularly attended continuing education workshops in order to enhance my skills and earned E-RYT200 designation in 2020 . Currently I teach Prana Hot, Power, and Mixed Vinyasa classes. As an instructor, I love to combine creative sequencing with a spirit of playfulness to help deepen your practice. Yoga is journey and I strive to remind my students and myself it is a practice to which there is no end, allowing us to be perfectly imperfect. If you step off the mat feeling refreshed, nourished and balanced both inside and out, I have accomplished my goal.
Michaela Schweiger
Michaela began her yoga journey more than ten years ago, when she moved to the US from Germany. An active teacher of gymnastics, skiing, ballet and Pilates for many years in Germany, yoga was an instant fit for Michaela and she immediately took to the practice.
The process of integrating mind, body and breath literally opened a new world for Michaela, as she became a registered yoga teacher through Prana Yoga in 2015.
In 2015, Michaela also began teaching in several yoga studios in St. Louis. Her classes are the perfect mix of playfulness, strength and calmness that we could all benefit from in our lives.
Michaela believes in inspiring her students to find their confidence and courage on and off the mat. She is also a certified Reiki Master, Yoga Alliance RYT-200.
Mary Beth Nelson
My passion is practicing yoga, teaching yoga and sharing that passion with others and I am thrilled to be a teacher with Prana Yoga St. Louis
I began practicing yoga in 2008 as a way to reduce stress, alleviate back pain and to become stronger and more flexible. My expectations were exceeded by the physical and mental benefits which I experienced and I realized that yoga is a comprehensive approach to wellness on all levels. The desire to learn more and take my practice to a new level brought me to completing a 200-Hour Certification in 2012. Additionally, I discovered Bikram Yoga and immediately fell in love with a sequence that is accessible to all skill levels. As a result, I became certified in that discipline and have taught the Bikram series for over 6 years. Each day’s practice encourages me to observe, assist, breathe, laugh and live life with joy.
Emmet Schmelig
Emmet Schmelig, E-RYT-500, LMT, attended his first yoga class in 1992. A lifetime of experience in athletics and interest in physical fitness coupled with his study of yoga, massage therapy and personal training have enhanced his yoga teaching skills. Emmet has accumulated more than 10,000 hours of yoga teching and has earned Yoga Alliance Experienced teacher status. Emmet has participated in many yoga workshops, and led several yoga workshops of his own and has led several week long yoga retreats in Mexico and Germany. Emmet is also a Licensed Massage Therapist. Emmet is certified through AFFA, personal fitness training and certified to teach yoga to older adults through Duke Integrative Medicine Center, Duke University, Durham N.C.
Janine Benjamin
Janine has been teaching the Yin Yoga style at Prana Yoga for the past six years. As a young girl, she loved dancing, the arts and the freedom of moving her body, which led her to a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree.
However, it was when she found yoga, that she discovered how our body, emotions and mind all work together.
After years of taking yoga classes, she took her Yoga Teacher Training at Prana Yoga, receiving her 200 RYT in 2015. She explored many styles of yoga, but was intrigued by the Yin Yoga style. She has taken additional Yin Yoga Teacher Trainings including Paul Grilley,
Bernie Clark, Jee Moon, and Jennifer O'Sullivan.
Feeling a little jumpy and restless at night? Try Yin Yoga! Does your body feel a little stiff and doesn't move as freely as you would like? Yin Yoga can help. Is your mind filled with thoughts, some not so helpful? In a Yin Yoga class, we slow life way down, calming our central nervous system. The poses are almost all on the mat with the use of props to support the body. Although not a restorative class, one can feel a deep connection to the mind and body.
Come see for yourself. Join me on the YIn-side!
Nicki Hamrah
Hi! My name is Nicki. I have a background in competitive gymnastics and nutrition and fitness. I’ve been teaching group fitness for over 10 years and came to yoga about 4 years ago looking for a way to exercise more mindfully with my body.
Completing the 200 hour YTT really opened my awareness to everything Yoga is and has to offer. It also brought back a lot of the familiarity of gymnastics which I love and didn’t know I was missing. I teach power and vinyasa style classes with creative sequences that will provide strength and agility.
Michelle Waite
My journey to yoga began 20 years ago as a way to heal my injured back and now it continues as a great love of my life!
Lessons I continue to learn on the mat through teaching and practicing - to check my competitive nature, breath awareness can be calming and energizing, change is constant, time spent in practice is sacred, being present is a moment to moment endeavor, self love is worth the continued effort, yoga is for everyone, "comparison is the thief of joy”, beginners mind is a helpful tool, and finally, when I roll up my mat, the practice of yoga is just beginning!
My background is in Physical Education and Exercise Physiology, I completed the first Teacher Training offered at Prana in 2012. I continue my yoga education by attending as many workshops as possible, online and in person. My classes focus on connecting breath and movement, finding stability and balance through proper alignment in the postures and appreciating the way our bodies move!
Finally, from the Dalai Lama, “There are only two days in the year that nothing can be done. One is called yesterday and the other is called tomorrow, so today is the right day to love, believe, do and mostly live."
Meg Gwyn
Meg fell in love with yoga in college. Today she enjoys incorporating yoga throughout her life including with her 3 children. Meg received her 200 hour YTT certification in 2016 and has been practicing yoga for 20 years. She enjoys emphasizing her Vinyasa training in practice and teaching - a mix of flows in Vinyasa, Fundamentals and Power classes.
Lisa Malone
I fell in love with yoga after recovering from a running injury 10 years ago. Initially I taught a wide variety of yoga classes, but after recovering from a fractured hip, I found a passion to share how yoga can help optimize pelvic health. My interest in science, anatomy & physiology and nursing led me to further study and teach pelvic and core optimizing yoga classes.
I am certified as a RYT 500 through Yoga Alliance. I completed my 200-hour certification with Prana Yoga in Des Peres, Missouri and completed my additional YPS 300-hour Advanced Yoga Psychology Teacher Training with Ashley Turner MA, LMFT in Venice California. I am a member of Pelvic Health Professionals and received specific training from them in Yoga for Pelvic Girdle Pain and Yoga for Pelvic Health. I love to take courses to expand my knowledge, I am an avid hiker and I feel a deep connection to the animals in my home and world.
My classes are designed to create a healthy pelvic floor by strengthening and stretching the Core 4: your diaphragm, transverse abdominis, multifidus and pelvic floor. We dive in deep to explore so you can optimize pelvic muscle coordination, engagement and release. My classes are aimed to help anyone with a pelvis, but especially anyone curious about, experiencing or healing from hip/pelvic pain, incontinence, prolapse, diastasis recti and digestive issues. I practice daily meditation and my favorite poses are lizard & figure 4. See you in class either in person or online!
Teresa Undurraga
Hola! I’m a 500 hour Certified Yoga Instructor based in Saint Louis, Missouri with almost 2000 teaching hours under my belt. Before becoming a yoga instructor I was fortunate to be a student of yoga for 15 years learning from outstanding teachers in New York, Tokyo, Geneva and Mexico City. I completed my 500 hour Yoga Teacher Training through South River Yoga. I love teaching Vinyasa Flow, Deep Stretch, Power Yoga, Slow Flow and Buti Yoga.
When I'm not teaching yoga I spend my time with my crazy Argentine husband and two precious young daughters. There's never a dull moment in our casa!
Yoga is a powerful healing tool that ignites, transcends, nurtures and awakens the mind, body and spirit. I wish to share my experience and passion with my students so they can also ignite the light within.
Nice to meet you, mucho gusto!
Victoria Cornelius
Yoga is a miracle to me. This system evolved 5000 years ago and is as relevant today as when it was first conceived to help humans cope with suffering. As a physician with a background in anatomy and physiology, I believe that yoga aids the body-mind connection to remain vital. My own yoga practice began in 2003 and I became a Registered Yoga Teacher in 2007. I can not imagine aging without this practice. And truly, its principles are so much more than the asanas, the poses.
My focus in teaching is to help each energy center in the body, called a chakra, to flow and create the pose for power and flexibility. Each pose is a reflection of these energy centers. With this practice, the life force, prana, flows in us and touches all aspects of our lives. I want to share these tools with practitioners to enhance their journey with more energy and stability.
Lynne Mollahan
I discovered my passion for yoga in 2011 after my friend invited me to a class. She was helping me work through some major life challenges and anxiety. We began taking several classes a week together, and before long I became a daily yoga student. I learned to let go of mental chatter, find stillness and focus.
In 2019, I completed my 200 hour teacher training at Prana Yoga in Des Pere, MO. I signed up initially to improve my personal practice, but started practicing and teaching Hot Yoga. I enjoy practicing all types of yoga but have a passion for the hot sequence.
For me, yoga is about the balance between strength, flexibility, exertion and releasing. My classes combine both strength and mobility work in a dynamic, hot yoga style. Expect to sweat, move and breathe.
Rachel Gaffney
I teach yoga so that I can help people enjoy spending time in their bodies. So that we can grow a little stronger together, try to practice with curiosity rather than criticism, and focus on “play” rather than perfection - on and off the mat.
Growing up, the media had always given me the idea that yoga was about extreme flexibility and unattainable shapes, and it was only done by the fit and people who wore expensive midriff baring tops. I couldn’t do yoga, and I certainly could never teach it! I’m proud to say that I continue to prove myself wrong over and over again: I completed my 200- training program with Prana Yoga St. Louis in 2019, and have had continuing education in Yin Yoga as well. I teach now to help others do what they might not have previously thought possible.
I enjoy teaching vinyasa classes, but will often incorporate some Yin style poses into our flows, encouraging us to slow down and find a little balance! Looking forward to seeing you in the studio!
Suzy Kotaska
I began taking yoga classes in 2008 at a studio near my home. I loved the feeling yoga gave me before, during and after class. In 2016 I sustained back and leg injuries from an accident.
I found my way to Prana after receiving the okay to resume my Yoga practice. With the help of the instructors, props and modifications, yoga became accessible for me. Shortly thereafter I began working the front desk and had more opportunities to practice. In 2018 I took the leap and registered for Prana's 200 hour teacher training, earning my 200 hour designation in July of 2019.
Currently, I am working on my Chair Yoga certification under Sherry Zak Morris and continue to take chair yoga workshops to further my education. I enjoy teaching chair yoga and seeing the progress with the students.
For me, Yoga has been mentally and physically healing.