Teacher Training Level 1

Betsy Davis

Betsy Davis is the founder/co-owner and principal teacher of Bhakti Barn Yoga in Millburn, New Jersey, which has been a vibrant haven for yogis since 2010. Betsy has been teaching yoga since 2001 and practicing yoga since 1999. Betsy began her yoga studies with Dana Flynn and Jasmine Tarkeshi of Laughing Lotus NYC and was a senior teacher at Laughing Lotus NYC for 12 years.

Betsy’s teachings offer an experience of yoga that includes mudra, mantra, pranayama, asana, and yoga philosophy that is infused with a mind-full awareness of alignment. She incorporates music and poetry for a transformative and uplifting experience. Her classes are filled with creative and playful movement, which acts as a bridge to deeper union with the self and the moment, on the path to liberation.

Betsy is also a painter and ran a decorative painting business and set painting/backdrop business out of New York City for 25 years! You can see her handy work at the studio through murals and decorative gold-leaf borders.

Vanessa Nassif

Vanessa specializes in personalized practice and devotes most of her time to private clients and educating teachers. In addition to serving as Bhakti Barn’s Co-Director of Education, where she shapes Bhakti’s esteemed teacher training, Vanessa mentors aspiring yoga professionals and serves as Adjunct Anatomy Trainer in advanced certification programs at studios throughout the northeast. Vanessa’s approach is rooted in embodied anatomy, adaptability, breath-centered movement, and functional alignment.

Since 2006, she has taught thousands of classes in group, private and corporate settings in NY, NJ and CA. Vanessa is grateful to her longtime teachers Amy Matthews and Leslie Kaminoff, authors of Yoga Anatomy; Gil Hedley, with whom she completed a 10-day human dissection; Ayurvedic Astrology expert Sarah Tomlinson; Sat Jivan Kaur and Sat Jivan Singh; Dana Flynn and Jasmine Tarkeshi; and Judith Hanson Lasater.

She holds a BFA in Theatre from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Certifications include Yoga Alliance E-RYT® 500 YACEP®, Kundalini Research Institute, and Relax & Renew®.

Vanessa’s own yoga journey began in 2003 when, on the eve of her NYU directorial debut, she was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Yoga empowered her to play a role in her own healing process. Since returning to health, she’s dedicated herself to educating others and supporting her students’ empowerment through the practice of yoga and meditation. Learn more at vanessanassif.com

Jenny Hoffman

Jenny teaches an alignment based flow class that keeps the student connected with their breath to help facilitate strength, balance and calm in body and mind. Her classes offer modifications of postures for students who are working with injuries. Jenny believes yoga is therapeutic practice that is accessible to everyone regardless of age, strength or flexibility. She received her 200 hour teacher training at Bhakti Barn Yoga in 2014. She received a 50 hour advanced training with Rodney and Colleen Yee at Yoga Shanti in 2017. Jenny participates in annual workshops with Jason Crandall who she considers one of her main teachers to date and most recently completed a 30 hour teacher training on injury prevention in yoga practice in August of 2018. She is currently completing her 300 hour Advanced Teacher Training with her beloved teachers at Bhakti Barn.

”Let your practice be a moving meditation on the mat that creates joy and balance both physically and mentally off the mat”

You can learn more about Jenny at www.jennyhoffmanyoga.com

Tamara Tsoutsouris

Tamara Tsoutsouris (E-RYT500, YACEP), completed her 200 hour and her 300 hour teacher trainings at the Bhakti Barn School of Yoga.

She continued her training with Dynamic Gentle Yoga guru Rudy Pierce, and has taken Coaching for your Breathing Body with Leslie Kaminoff, and advanced Pranayama training with Richard Miller. She has also studied other breathwork modalities such as the Wim Hof method and the Buteyko method. Tamara is also certified in 1st degree Reiki. She is a professional classical singer, and brings a deep awareness of the importance of the breath to her teaching and her practice.

"I first found yoga when, like so many, I was drawn to the physical benefits: general well-being, strength, flexibility. What I found was so much more- yoga offers me a system for clearing space in my body-mind, helping me to see myself and the world more clearly. With a strong desire to share what I had found, and to facilitate well-being in others, I began my teaching journey. I’ve been teaching for over a decade, offering Vinyasa flow, Fundamentals of yoga, Gentle yoga, Chair yoga, and Pranayama (yogic breathwork).

I offer precise and detailed instruction, focusing on helping people to find the poses in their own bodies rather than fitting their bodies to some imagined ideal shape. You’ll experience sensible, intelligent sequencing to guide you on your journey throughout class.

In addition to sharing classes and workshops with students, I have a passion for teaching teachers. I enjoy leading 200 hour trainings and for years have mentored 200 and 300 hour teacher trainees through their trainings. I have been a guest teacher of Pranayama, Asana, Chair yoga, and Chakras in 200 and 300 hour trainings.

I am forever grateful to Betsy Davis (Betsy-ma!) for her generosity and for creating a loving home in Bhakti Barn."

You can learn more about Tamara at www.TamaraTsoutsouris.com