Testimonials
"I have seen... the responsibility I have to myself to make changes that allow for self care time and to invest in my own health."
If I'm being completely honest, my most significant challenge to working with Donna would have been the approach to it all. How to see 'What' I needed to work on, and what to work on first, how to make time for all of it, give it focus and then trust the process. In a world of immediate gratification, this experience has taught me more than I expected as I am able to apply the things I've learned in my personal time as well.
I feel that what I'm learning is a work in progress and it's really soon to see results at this point in time from a physical perspective, but what I have seen in an almost immediate way is the responsibility I have to myself to make changes that allow for self care time and to invest in my own health.
I find Donna an incredibly approachable and a fantastic listener. I feel very comfortable discussing my challenges with her and trust that I am being heard and can actually see the interest she has in trying to help me improve my specific challenges. I'm grateful for that.
I feel Donna has the right balance of training, professionalism and personality that can assist people of all walks in life and challenges. She listens and takes the time to provide a custom service that targets 'my' challenges instead of a cookie cutter service. She's truly a gem.
I'm more grateful than she knows to have met her, work with her and continue to. My eyes are open and I have a long way to go, but I've started and that's the point. ---Marcie C.
"Donna has shown me the way back to a life that is largely pain free."
“ I came to Donna about a year ago with a chronic back injury resulting from a car accident. Through her proven techniques, kind encouragement, and caring nature, Donna has shown me the way back to a life that is largely pain free.
I can once again walk straight, go down stairs without turning sideways, get in and out of cars with relative ease, and sit at my desk for longer than I probably should! Since the accident, I have been dreaming of one day being able to skate again. Today, I am awfully close to strapping those skates back on. For this I am very, very grateful.”
--Barbara K.
“ I came to Donna about a year ago with a chronic back injury resulting from a car accident. Through her proven techniques, kind encouragement, and caring nature, Donna has shown me the way back to a life that is largely pain free.
I can once again walk straight, go down stairs without turning sideways, get in and out of cars with relative ease, and sit at my desk for longer than I probably should! Since the accident, I have been dreaming of one day being able to skate again. Today, I am awfully close to strapping those skates back on. For this I am very, very grateful.”
--Barbara K.
"Immediately after my first session I felt instant relief."
"In May 2017, I was in a car accident - rear ended on the highway. As a result of this, I suffered from neck muscle strain, shoulder pain, and numbness down my arm, extending down into my finger tips. I have been attending physiotherapy and massage therapy weekly now for over 7 months. While the muscle strain was relieved, the numbness and tingling was ever present. I was on modified duties at work and would have to depend on my other arm to compensate for the discomfort that I was experiencing daily.
I had heard of therapeutic yoga through my mother-in-law, but never thought it was for me or that I would benefit from it. I decided to try one session; what did I have to lose? Donna walked me through some exercises step-by-step, making sure I was comfortable and moving in ways that were comfortable and tolerable for me. Immediately after my first session I felt instant relief. My arm felt relaxed, and the numbness was nearly gone from my fingertips. Donna showed me some exercises to do at my own leisure that would target the tingling. After two days the tingling was gone!
Now, when I overexert my injured arm (due to the fact that I hardly notice any tingling) I do some of the stretching and exercises Donna showed me and feel relief in a couple of minutes. For those of you who are experiencing chronic discomfort and/or pain, I would highly recommend paying Donna a visit. You will walk out feeling better than you did previously. You have nothing to lose except some (if not all) of the discomfort that you were feeling. Thank you, Donna, for sharing your passion and knowledge of therapeutic yoga with me and for your warm receptiveness when treating me." --- Chantal A.
"In May 2017, I was in a car accident - rear ended on the highway. As a result of this, I suffered from neck muscle strain, shoulder pain, and numbness down my arm, extending down into my finger tips. I have been attending physiotherapy and massage therapy weekly now for over 7 months. While the muscle strain was relieved, the numbness and tingling was ever present. I was on modified duties at work and would have to depend on my other arm to compensate for the discomfort that I was experiencing daily.
I had heard of therapeutic yoga through my mother-in-law, but never thought it was for me or that I would benefit from it. I decided to try one session; what did I have to lose? Donna walked me through some exercises step-by-step, making sure I was comfortable and moving in ways that were comfortable and tolerable for me. Immediately after my first session I felt instant relief. My arm felt relaxed, and the numbness was nearly gone from my fingertips. Donna showed me some exercises to do at my own leisure that would target the tingling. After two days the tingling was gone!
Now, when I overexert my injured arm (due to the fact that I hardly notice any tingling) I do some of the stretching and exercises Donna showed me and feel relief in a couple of minutes. For those of you who are experiencing chronic discomfort and/or pain, I would highly recommend paying Donna a visit. You will walk out feeling better than you did previously. You have nothing to lose except some (if not all) of the discomfort that you were feeling. Thank you, Donna, for sharing your passion and knowledge of therapeutic yoga with me and for your warm receptiveness when treating me." --- Chantal A.
“My anxiety issues were at an all-time high, I felt like my flexibility and balance were declining.”
"Being a large sized woman who has never been all that flexible, I was embarrassed that I would make a fool of myself doing yoga and was worried about being judged for my lack of strength, flexibility and knowledge of yoga. But there is nothing scary about working with Donna. She is welcoming, knowledgeable, helpful and willing to work with you toward your goals, whatever those may be.
I have learned techniques that I use in my everyday life to deal with my anxiety. Just yesterday I couldn’t sleep and used one of her breathing techniques and it worked like a charm. I also learned different moves I could do when I have pain or soreness in other areas. I do feel stronger and that my balance and flexibility have improved. I feel calmer after our sessions and when we do a restorative session I feel refreshed and more focused.
I would recommend her services to anyone at any fitness level. I am so not a person you would look at and say she does yoga, but my husband suggested that I try it out to help with relaxation and it has helped me in more areas that that. Plus, there are always ways to modify moves to suit your fitness or comfort level. In my view, it’s a calm form of exercise, strengthening and working on mental wellness.
Taking her flyer during a walk one day and making that call was one of the best decisions I ever made for myself. I feel stronger for it." -- - Melanie J.
"Being a large sized woman who has never been all that flexible, I was embarrassed that I would make a fool of myself doing yoga and was worried about being judged for my lack of strength, flexibility and knowledge of yoga. But there is nothing scary about working with Donna. She is welcoming, knowledgeable, helpful and willing to work with you toward your goals, whatever those may be.
I have learned techniques that I use in my everyday life to deal with my anxiety. Just yesterday I couldn’t sleep and used one of her breathing techniques and it worked like a charm. I also learned different moves I could do when I have pain or soreness in other areas. I do feel stronger and that my balance and flexibility have improved. I feel calmer after our sessions and when we do a restorative session I feel refreshed and more focused.
I would recommend her services to anyone at any fitness level. I am so not a person you would look at and say she does yoga, but my husband suggested that I try it out to help with relaxation and it has helped me in more areas that that. Plus, there are always ways to modify moves to suit your fitness or comfort level. In my view, it’s a calm form of exercise, strengthening and working on mental wellness.
Taking her flyer during a walk one day and making that call was one of the best decisions I ever made for myself. I feel stronger for it." -- - Melanie J.
"After being on a number of pain medications and narcotics to help with my pain with no success, I'm very glad that I stumbled upon Donna’s services."
"My biggest challenge before seeing Donna was Fibromyalgia, and a pain of 8 of 10 after a motor vehicle accident two years ago. After 6 weeks of therapeutic yoga, my pain is now 2 of 10. My mood and attitude is better about my pain. The meditation has helped tremendously! I have learned to relax and take time for myself in order to start feeling better.
Donna is very laid back and is very easy to work with. She is very calm and nurturing, very soft spoken and that really helps with the meditation. I have recommended her service to many friends and family members. I think it is beneficial for anyone with a stressful life!
Yoga is something that I have been wondering about and wanting to try for a long time but did not feel comfortable going to just any Yoga studio. Donna has helped me feel better and makes me smile. :) "
-- - Andria M.
"My biggest challenge before seeing Donna was Fibromyalgia, and a pain of 8 of 10 after a motor vehicle accident two years ago. After 6 weeks of therapeutic yoga, my pain is now 2 of 10. My mood and attitude is better about my pain. The meditation has helped tremendously! I have learned to relax and take time for myself in order to start feeling better.
Donna is very laid back and is very easy to work with. She is very calm and nurturing, very soft spoken and that really helps with the meditation. I have recommended her service to many friends and family members. I think it is beneficial for anyone with a stressful life!
Yoga is something that I have been wondering about and wanting to try for a long time but did not feel comfortable going to just any Yoga studio. Donna has helped me feel better and makes me smile. :) "
-- - Andria M.
"Thanks to her guidance, I can feel my chronic pain lessening for the first time in over a year."
"Before I met Donna, I had been suffering from chronic pain caused by severe muscle tension for nearly a year, having had little success with physiotherapy. Donna has helped me to decrease tension and pain, and to be more aware of the relationships between movement, breathing, and tension.
Donna takes a gentle and compassionate approach to healing, emphasizing gentle gains."
-- - Katherine M.
"The morning after my session with Donna, the pain was gone - it felt like a miracle!"
"I had a one-on-one session with Donna as I had a repetitive knitting injury (I know it sounds daft) – over the years the pain would be so bad I had to stop knitting for weeks and weeks, I couldn’t lift my arm, put my coat on or put my seatbelt on.
Donna taught me how to explore the pain I was experiencing and how to adjust my breathing so I could explore what was “safe”. By practising what she taught me I have been able to ease the pain I was in. Now, when I have knitted too much I know what to do to alleviate the pain. I’m so thankful!
Working with Donna was a very enlightening experience. She is very knowledgeable about how the “pain system” works and taught me how to explore and alleviate my symptoms. I can’t recommend a private session with her highly enough. Many, many thanks.
-- - Dawn S.
"The therapeutic yoga work I did with Donna made a huge difference."
"By the time I met Donna, I was at the end of my rope. I had suffered from worsening back pain and spasms for five years, and I just wanted to get back to normal and do the things I loved again. I had worked with many practitioners but I couldn’t seem to get to the point of being consistently active and having fun like I used to. I was also tired of having to deal with it each day.
Donna’s approach with me was refreshing. She listened and acknowledged the emotional aspects of being limited by a chronic pain. She didn’t get caught up in the pressure I put on myself to “fix it fast.” Instead, she helped me take my physical needs seriously, and to find a sense of safety again with my back and in my body.
I was able to go on a week-long downhill ski trip for the first time in years! I had no back pain and felt confident and thrilled to feel the wind on my face as I skied down the mountain. It was so exciting, and now I can’t wait for the warmer weather to get out and do more of the things I love. Thanks Donna!"
-- - Maggie D.
"If you want a yoga therapist who is knowledgeable, enjoyable, relaxing and restoring, I have found Donna's no pressured, down-to-earth and genuine caring approach incorporates it all."
"A couple of weeks ago my neck and shoulder had seized to the point of pain. Under her instruction and guidance I could feel the tension ebbing away as she directed me through specific positions and movements. By the end of the session I felt wonderful, no tension, no stiffness, no pain.
In addition however, I also left that evening with the knowledge of how to keep the pain away. Thank you, Donna, for your expert touch."
-- - Rosemary B.
"I've new skills now for pain relief."
"After suffering with chronic pain I was starting to hear "this is your life now." I always felt like a patient or a number. But Donna quickly establishes a connection through a kinder more compassionate approach to healing. With her I was able to make gentle yet positive gains."
-- - Anne M.
"I'm getting stronger and able to move with less pain. I even feel younger!"
"I love yoga because of the body and mind connections and the calm that I feel after a hectic and busy week. I was looking for a Yoga class close to home with hours that would fit into my schedule. I was also looking for a class that was gentle enough for my weak joints and easy for me to follow. I get a great workout and the time goes by so fast. I'm so glad I found YogaSpiritus and my instructor Donna. I look forward to our weekly sessions and always feel energized when we are finished.
The personal attention I get from our small group sessions allows me to develop at my own pace and time. I also love the setting and the props we have on hand. We even enjoy the outdoors when weather permits."
-- - Rosaline P.
"I endorse Donna not only because of her knowledge and her ability but also her down-to-earth way of enlightening the people around her."
"I was lucky enough to win a session with Donna a little while ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. I learned so much about what makes our bodies tick; what we can do to help us overcome some ailments and to listen to what our bodies are telling us So many times, we choose to ignore what our bodies are telling us because of the stresses and pressures of the day.
Knowing that if we do listen, we can improve our day-to-day lives in such a positive way. So if you are someone who is sitting on the fence trying to decide if YogaSpiritus is the way to go, Donna is someone you really do want to get to know. Go try out one of her workshops, open your heart and mind and you will understand the limitless abilities you have to help yourself know and heal your body."
-- - Diane H.
"I am feeling much more comfortable in my own body and aware of my movements."
"At Donna's Shoulders and Hips workshop, I was moving just a little and learning how important even small movements can be, I suddenly thought - I should have done this a long time ago. It helps me to move my body correctly when doing yoga."
-- -Margaret S.
"The exercises have helped me with [my] back pain."
"I also sleep better and I think this is due to the breathing exercises. Yoga helps you with inner and outer strength. Yoga with Donna has made a tremendous impact on my health. Thanks so much."
-- - Judith C.
"After joining Donna's yoga class the breathing exercises have reduced my stress and I am able to have a good night's sleep."
"I now have so much strength, flexibility and balance and have been keeping good health ever since. Thanks for introducing me to Yoga."
-- -Audrey D.
"I had pain in my right leg and by doing yoga, my pain has vanished."
"The exercises have helped me with the tension in my muscles. Yoga has helped me focus on my breathing. Yoga also helps relax the body from daily tensions and stressful life. Donna thank you so much for your help."
-- - Kim R.
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