We respectfully acknowledge that the work of Yoga Outreach takes place across the homelands of 203 distinct Indigenous nations and cultures; with over 30 different languages and close to 60 unique dialects spoken across those homelands. We honour the Elders for their stewardship of the places and people of these nations. Yoga Outreach’s staff work from home offices on the traditional, ancestral, and stolen lands of the Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), Səl̓ílwətaʔ (Tsleil-Waututh), xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), sc̓əwaθenaɁɬ təməxʷ (Tsawwassen), S’ólh Téméxw (Stó:lō), sɛmiˈɑːmoʊ (Semiahmoo), sq̓əc̓iy̓aɁɬ təməxʷ (Katzie), Á,LEṈENEȻ ȽTE (W̱SÁNEĆ), and Kwantlen Nations.
We invite you to take a moment to reflect on whose land you are living and working on and if you don’t know, to research and reflect.
Sarah Holmes de Castro
Sarah was born and raised in the UK where she lived until 2003, and now lives on the ancestral, traditional, and unceded Indigenous territories of the Lekwungen-speaking Coast Salish People. Embodiment has always been her jam, from early days in grad school exploring feminist collaborative art-making and the body, through til now. Her work formerly as the Director of Programs at Yoga Outreach, as a trauma-informed yoga therapist at Fine Balance Yoga, and as a facilitator and trainer in TCTSY (Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga) with the Center for Trauma & Embodiment is all about creating opportunities for people to discover and cultivate embodied resilience in a way that works for them. She’s a firm believer that any conversations about ‘self-care’ need to take place within a context of community care and with a focus on equity.
- Bug-hunting & geocaching with her kids
- Splashing/swimming/surfing in saltwater
- Hot cups of tea on a cold day
- Socializing & solitude, in equal measure
Sadie Bartram
Sadie Bartram is a dedicated, longtime student of yoga and has been teaching for over 21 years in a variety of different settings to people of all ages. Yoga is a very important part of her life and has supported her through the ups and downs of many transitions. Sadie gratefully welcomes the opportunity to teach and share with others the many benefits of this ancient practice. She endevours to honour the authentic roots of yoga in her classes and all areas of her life. Currently, Sadie is deepening her practice through enrollment in the 500 Hour Arkaya Awareness Teacher Training. She has completed teaching certifications in Chakra Yoga, Children’s Yoga, Pre/Postnatal Yoga and Trauma-Informed Yoga.
Sadie respectfully acknowledges that she lives on the unceded traditional territory of the Quw’utsun people with her husband and two teenage sons. She is very grateful for this beautiful place that she calls home. Sadie works at the Cowichan Community Centre in Programs and Events and loves being part of creating events and programs for community members to connect to themselves and others in fun, healthy, meaningful ways.
- growing food and medicinal herbs in her garden
- spending time hiking in the forest and by the ocean
- family game night
- snowboarding
Mercedes Miller
- Hoop dancing with her hula hoop
- Playing in the ocean
- Snowboarding
- Trying new things and activities – and laughing while failing at them
- Playing cards with her parents
Harmeet Kaur Mann
- Adventures with my 3 year old mini me
- Wandering through mountains
- Playing in all forms of water- taking a cold plunge, running in the rain, being held by the ocean
- Cozy and quiet mornings filled with movement, meditation, cuddles and gratitude
- Live music that makes my hips sway
Nadine Apicello
Garima Arora
I am happy to be a part of the team committed to caring for communities and connecting the hearts, a team that believes in the power of healing in creating a peaceful world.
Heather Evans
Heather Evans is a committed community leader, passionate about community development. She has a particular penchant for grant writing and brings this to her role in Yoga Outreach. With over twenty years experience working in the not for profit sector, she has garnered valuable experience working within many different aspects and with many different populations.Heather believes in the importance of strong community connections for all.
Heather’s early career included working with women recently released from prison and helping support their successful re-integration into the community, working on the downtown eastside to support unhoused communities and re-connect them to services. In later years, Heather worked with at-risk youth in Surrey and their families to help reduce risk of incarceration, drug use and school drop out. Heather also managed a youth centre, and ran a community counselling clinic in Surrey to support the development of new clinical counsellors as well as provide free counselling services to those in need. Heather has also managed trauma counselling program for women that have experienced violence and sexual abuse. More recently, Heather has been in private practice providing therapeutic services to individuals and families.
In all her roles, Heather’s compassion for people has driven her work and at a young age she recognized her commitment to serve and support others. In fact, when she was quite young she insisted that her Brownie pack donate their funds from selling cookies to Unicef, much to the dismay of her compatriots.
When Heather is not working in the role of therapist or participating in community development activities she can be found on the slopes, travelling, hanging out with her two dogs or trying to not be a too intrusive mom to her three adult children. She also is diligently trying to learn some yoga herself.
- on the slopes
- travelling
- hanging out with her two dogs
