WELCOME TO SHIKOBA, A PLACE OF JOY, HEALING & WELLNESS

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What does SHIKOBA mean?

SHIKOBA is of Native American origin and means "little feather". SHIKOBA represents intuition, enlightenment, creativity and dreams. It means finding balance within two opposing forces, which intern stop confronting and start complementing each other.  

Angela Stevens (BA, CH, RYT, RMT) has always been a healer and drawn to a spiritual way of life for as long as she can remember. There has always been this strong sense of knowing within her and a drive to help others and be of service.  

Early on, she earned a degree in Psychology and went right into being a Social Worker after college.  For 19 years,  she worked for the state in various positions in our child welfare system.  She served children and families with extensive needs and challenges. That work for her was soul stretching and led her to deep reflection on the relationship she had with herself. 

 It also allowed her an opportunity to tune in to what she needed to do to take care of her body, mind and spirit. 

Yoga, Meditation, Hypnosis, Reiki and Chair Tai Chi became an integral part of her own self care and after seeing the benefits of these practices, she decided to obtain certifications with the hope to help others on their journey to wellness. These incredible practices shift our thinking, bring us to calm and let us tap into our unique gifts and strengths. They also allow us to get to the root of our issues and release past experiences that we may be holding.  

She invites you to open up to these practices at her studio, SHIKOBA, and watch your own transformation unfold.  

 Jim discovered yoga 15 years ago when he finally accepted that his arthritic knees could no longer endure the pounding

of distance running. It was a discovery that changed his life. While

he was immediately delighted by the physical benefits of yoga, he

quickly recognized there was more going on, and he embraced the unity

of heart, lungs, breath, movement and spirit that create the mind-body

connection that is the essence of the practice. He completed his

formal teacher training in 2016, and has been a student  ever since,

taking yoga adventures to Bali, Tulum and Peru, while exploring

studios and styles everywhere he goes. He is a regular guy who happens

to love yoga, and he brings this enthusiasm to his class. He makes his

living as a lawyer, is the father of two adult daughters, and lives in

Old Lyme.

 Rose is a Registered Nurse and a devoted Yoga Teacher.  She has taught Yoga both  in Connecticut and Florida for the last eight years.  She is well versed in caring for the body and strives to promote rejuvenation and relaxation for her students.  She continues her knowledge of the yoga practice with regular attendance at yoga retreats and has studied with many gifted teachers such as Rodney Yee and Judith Hanson Lasater. Yoga is a top priority in Rose’s life and she truly enjoys sharing the practice with others..

 Tessa Malcarne has been a neuroplasticity consultant since 2015. You may be interested in what neuroplasticity is, and what she  actually does. Here is a brief explanation!  Neuroplasticity is the brain’s ability to be malleable and change, to reorganize, and to form new connections.

Tessa's work is to teach  clients how to use their brain’s plasticity to improve every aspect of their lives. When we understand how the brain and nervous system function, and we can understand our unwanted patterns, we can always come up with solutions to where we feel stuck.

In sessions, Tessa helps clients to change belief systems, to move through any resistance, to increase confidence and self-love/self-worth, to come into alignment with authenticity, and to learn the inner-resourcing.  In doing this,  eventually, clients feel they can navigate their own lives with informed/educated decision-making, and with intention and purpose. More about my approach can be read on my website at tessamalcarne.com..

Emily discovered yoga 10 years ago when she was searching for relief from a spinal disc injury and neuropathy where surgery and modern medicine failed. She was pleasantly surprised to find that it nourished her soul as well. Since then, she has been on a journey through the final frontier – the inner world. Emily’s focuses are Jungian philosophy and Kundalini yoga. Or how the marriage between darkness and light can awaken a sense of balance and enlightenment in self and how this can direct each of us to a life filled with magic, awareness and opportunities. 

Emily is a Recovery Support Specialist at an addiction and trauma recovery center, where she uses her lived experience to help guide individuals out of the darkness. When Emily took a deep dive into studying the nervous system, she discovered the healing power of yoga and was determined to share this magic with the underprivileged.  Yoga is Emily’s passion and she considers teaching it an honor. While she  is always evolving and expanding the scope of her practice, she is excited to grow with the SHIKOBA community and share her blessings. . 

Jennifer developed a deep appreciation for the importance of stress reduction during her 25-year career in nonprofit management and fundraising. For over two decades, she has turned to the complementary practices of Yoga, Qigong and Tai Chi, as well as Reiki to help stay centered, balanced and positive amidst life’s challenges.

Jennifer received her yoga teacher certification in 2010, and has since earned additional certifications in Reiki, Qigong, and Tai Chi. Over the years, she has enjoyed leading classes at various centers and for corporate wellness programs.

Having retired from nonprofit work, Jennifer now devotes her time leading gentle and creative movement classes. She loves to help others stretch, breathe, relax and enhance their sense of well-being through the integration of yoga, qigong, and reiki.

Grace Osora Erhart brings her deep love for yoga and decades of experience to the mat.  For Grace, yoga is a meditation in motion, and the physical aspects, though important, are simply a vehicle for personal growth and present -moment awareness.  Putting special emphasis on pranayam (breathing exercises), she guides her classes through an energy clearing physical practice so that her students feel more balanced, stable and alive.

Grace's yoga training began years ago at Kripalu at the original Pennsylvania ashram, and she has since integrated her many talents into her teaching, including her roles as a Registered Nurse, Licensed Massage Therapist, and Level Three Dream Teacher in the Robert Moss School of Active Dreaming and Relax and Renew (R) level one trainer. She has studied with teachers such as Amrit Desai, Tom Gilette, Judith Lasater, Michael Lee and many more  as it’s  always important to be a student. Grace holds certifications in Vinyasa,  Phoenix Rising Yoga, Meditation Instruction, and is a level 2 Reiki Practitioner.