About Mamata Yoga
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About Mamata Yoga
The Sanskrit word Mamata means “mother’s love” or “affection” in English, which is beautifully symbolic of all our teacher training programs as we build a community of love and support.
The intention behind our courses is to unite and create a dynamic group of professional yoga teachers, mothers, nurses, doulas and midwives who are passionate about creating a mindful connection between mother and baby during the process of pregnancy as well as labour and delivery.
Prenatal yoga classes are currently among the most popular specified classes offered at studios or privately. Expectant mothers are seeking out qualified yoga instructors to ensure safe and effective yoga asana to soothe physical and emotional changes as well, specialized techniques such as pranayama and meditation for a more focused and calming birthing experience.
About Clare Newman
My journey into birthing began after the completion of my initial yoga certification program in 2005. After assisting in a prenatal yoga class, I was overwhelmed with a sense of raw beauty while witnessing the connection between mother and baby. I knew during inspirational breathing and guided meditation at the end of class I wanted to be a part of this extraordinary and blessed gift with expectant mothers in preparation for my own journey into motherhood…one day.
I wanted my students to be confident in my ability to teach yoga asana but needed the knowledge to help create a calming and nurturing environment for expectant mothers, as I didn’t have any children of my own. I enrolled in a program with the Global Birthing Institute in 2006 to prepare for another journey as a Doula. I volunteered at the Terra Association and assisted in helping teens prepare for labour, delivery and motherhood.
For years I continued to teach several weekly pre-natal yoga classes in Edmonton and surrounding cities as well, served with much gratitude as a Doula for many local couples. Retirement as a Doula called early when I discovered I was pregnant with my son and made the decision to focus my teachings on yoga.
After the birth of my son in 2008, I returned to teaching yoga and became passionate about uniting mother and baby through the use of traditional yoga practices such as pranayama (breath), meditation and mantras (healing sounds) while incorporating mindfulness techniques I learned as a Doula. I created Mamata Yoga in 2010 after I discovered I was pregnant with my daughter and decided to create a prenatal yoga teacher training program to help create a solid unification of current yoga instructors and professionals who are interested in assisting women throughout pregnancy.
Clare, a mother of three, has been a practitioner of yoga for over 18 years with experience in Hatha, Bikram, Anusara, Ashtanga, Vinyasa Flow, Kid’s yoga and Pre & Post Natal yoga. She studied Iyengar yoga intensively for over 4 years, attending the teacher training program at the Yoga Studio College of Alberta in 2005 (Certified).
Clare is an Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (E-RYT 500), Registered Children’s Yoga Teacher (RCYT) and a Registered Prenatal Yoga Teacher (RPYT) with the Yoga Alliance.
Clare has assisted and lead 200-hour Teacher Training courses with Yoga Alliance since 2007 and is honoured to be the Program Director and co-facilitator for the 200 Yoga Teacher Training at Vikara Yoga Academy.
Our Instructors:
Kate Nguy
Program Facilitator
Kate Nguy has been teaching yoga since 2011 and specializing in yoga for Fertility, Prenatal yoga and Postnatal yoga since 2012.
In the past few years, she has completed a variety of training from Prenatal & Postnatal Yoga with Mamata, Yin Yoga with Bernie Clarke, 500 HR Yoga Certification with Empowered Yoga, and is now completing her final year in the 800 HR Yoga Therapy program at Empowered Yoga.
She became invested in women’s health, and in particular fertility when she went through a few years of struggle in conceiving her first child. During her journey, she experienced 3 ectopic pregnancies all of which resulted in a loss. Although the medical specialist was convinced that she would not conceive without intervention (IVF Procedure with a second surgery to remove her remaining fallopian tube), she believed in the body’s ability to heal and repair.
Before going down a very expensive and physically taxing road, she decided to see if she could heal her own body by trying a variety of holistic approaches, through yoga and through meditation and mindfulness. To her determination, she was successful and now has two beautiful little girls (both conceived without Artificial Reproductive Technology – ART). Since then she has worked with women and men to help them regain trust in their bodies and to feel empowered in light of their diagnosis.
Kate teaches weekly fertility yoga classes in Edmonton, provides one on one support and coaching for couples struggling with conception, and is starting up an online store where you can find a library of fertility yoga videos on a variety of topics available for streaming. For more information on her programs check out www.sacredspacesyoga.com.
Heidi Mason
Program Facilitator
Heidi has had the amazing opportunity to be a part of the Mamata yoga training program from its conception as both a student and Anatomy & Physiology Instructor. She blends her training and experience as Yoga Teacher (E-RYT 200 and RPYT), Physical Therapist (BScPT), Professional Yoga Therapist in training (PYT-C) & Mom to bring unique and passionate perspectives on topics related to pregnancy, labour, birth, postpartum recovery and women’s health.
Heidi looks forward to sharing insights on “holding it all together” in pregnancy, physiological and postural changes, pelvic floor anatomy, awareness, training and recovery, prevention and management of incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse (keeping the “groceries in the bag” so to speak), connecting with and mobilizing the pelvic girdle in preparation for labour and birth, pain, diastasis recti management and recovery, re-establishing connection and coordination of the “core” and how the tools of yoga can help…just to name a few!! These topics are extremely relevant for yoga teachers, new and expecting moms, anyone who’s ever had a baby and pretty much any woman with a pelvis ;)!!
As a Mom, she can attest to the benefits of applying this information prenatally, during labour, birth and postpartum.
Knowledge is power and Heidi is passionate about empowering you all!! She strongly believes yoga teachers are in an ideal position and have unique opportunities to shed the light of awareness on these important yet often misunderstood and overlooked women’s health issues!!
“My journey with Yoga began over 20 years ago and has been there as a constant through my personal growth as a student, friend, wife, mother, traveller, healthcare professional, yoga therapist in training, dog lover, women’s health enthusiast, anatomy geek and the list goes on… I am grateful and blessed for opportunities to share this holistic practice with so many others! Yoga means union and I am passionate about uniting the many aspects of my world to share the teachings of yoga through the filter of my personal experiences and professional background as a Physical Therapist. I am grateful to be a part of the Mamata team and I look forward to connecting with you all!!”
Lauren Mary
Program Facilitator
Lauren Mary is a Clinical Herbalist, Certified Holistic Nutrition Consultant, Birth and Post Partum Doula from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Her company, Lauren Mary Holistics, is a multifaceted business that supports and nourishes women and their families by providing full-spectrum support to various stages in life focusing primarily on fertility, pregnancy, birth, postpartum and parenting.
In addition to providing wellness and doula services, Lauren Mary also has an extensive line of organic herbal teas, remedies, and botanical skincare + baby care.
Lauren has a passion for sharing the wisdom of plant medicine, natural nutrition and ancient healing practices and holds space for others to discover the power of plants by holding workshops and retreats all over Canada. She believes that this abundance of knowledge has been inherently lost since the modernization of society today, but advocates the use of traditional practices in a contemporary, harmonious way that betters the people and the planet.
Aysia Platte
Director of Relations
Aysia Platte (she/her/hers) is a perinatal through preschool practitioner. She integrates multiple specialties into a cohesive practice, in order to support growing families as they strive for greater wellbeing.
She offers support in the childbearing year as a full-spectrum doula, trained Birthing From Within childbirth mentor, and prenatal yoga instructor. Aysia completed her 200-hour training via Breathe for Change, then she initiated her 85-hour Registered Prenatal Yoga Teacher certification under the guidance of Clare at Mamata Yoga.
After the baby’s arrival, Aysia continues to nurture relationships with families in her community as a trained Montessori guide and parent-infant facilitator. She has been called to pursue additional education in babywearing, lactation counselling, holistic sleep coaching, and elimination communication combined with non-coercive toilet learning as a Go Diaper Free Certified Coach, based on the needs of the families for whom she cares.
As Director of Relations, her goal is to extend this same loving attentiveness to the Mamata Yoga community: encouraging members with advice, support, and mentorship, while seeking to promote equity in all her interactions.
She currently is a resident on occupied indigenous territory, in what is colloquially known as Fargo, North Dakota, USA.
