Denise Orsulak, MPT,E-RYT200, RCYT, RPYT, IAYT Certified Yoga Therapist, Balanced for Life Yoga Therapy and All Kids Yoga founder
Denise is a licensed physical therapist who graduated in 1996 with a Masters in PT from Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science (now University of the Sciences in Philadelphia). Denise has worked in a variety of settings as a therapist with individuals across the spectrum from ages 9 months to 104 years old. After 4 years working in school districts, she noticed the need for other activities for kids with special needs. Having practiced yoga herself since 1997, she found her way to her first Yoga for the Special Child course with Sonia Sumar in 1999 when she was pregnant with her 1st child. She went on to complete 200 hour Classical Yoga teacher training in 2007 at the Yoga Life Institute in Devon, PA. She became a certified Child Light Yoga teacher in January 2009. She completed 200 hours of Yoga for the Special Child and Integral yoga teacher training in August of 2010. She has over 100 hours of Vedic Thai Yoga training with Michael Buck of the Vedic Conservatory and loves to take continuing education course in yoga and physical therapy. She is a yoga teacher with Yoga Alliance and a member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists.
She currently teaches kids, preteen, prenatal, and adult group and private yoga classes and runs her own business, All Kids Yoga and Balanced for Life Yoga Therapy. She provides Vedic Thai yoga body work to a variety of individuals to help eliminate pain and stress and to promote deep relaxation. Denise teaches CPR and First Aid to individuals and groups through the American Red Cross. She integrates all her knowledge of the body through her work as a physical therapist and adapts to the needs of her students- children and adults alike in their yoga practice. Her goal is to have everyone have a better understanding of their own bodies and minds so they can live their best life.
Denise is a licensed physical therapist who graduated in 1996 with a Masters in PT from Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science (now University of the Sciences in Philadelphia). Denise has worked in a variety of settings as a therapist with individuals across the spectrum from ages 9 months to 104 years old. After 4 years working in school districts, she noticed the need for other activities for kids with special needs. Having practiced yoga herself since 1997, she found her way to her first Yoga for the Special Child course with Sonia Sumar in 1999 when she was pregnant with her 1st child. She went on to complete 200 hour Classical Yoga teacher training in 2007 at the Yoga Life Institute in Devon, PA. She became a certified Child Light Yoga teacher in January 2009. She completed 200 hours of Yoga for the Special Child and Integral yoga teacher training in August of 2010. She has over 100 hours of Vedic Thai Yoga training with Michael Buck of the Vedic Conservatory and loves to take continuing education course in yoga and physical therapy. She is a yoga teacher with Yoga Alliance and a member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists.
She currently teaches kids, preteen, prenatal, and adult group and private yoga classes and runs her own business, All Kids Yoga and Balanced for Life Yoga Therapy. She provides Vedic Thai yoga body work to a variety of individuals to help eliminate pain and stress and to promote deep relaxation. Denise teaches CPR and First Aid to individuals and groups through the American Red Cross. She integrates all her knowledge of the body through her work as a physical therapist and adapts to the needs of her students- children and adults alike in their yoga practice. Her goal is to have everyone have a better understanding of their own bodies and minds so they can live their best life.
BALANCED FOR LIFE YOGA TEACHERS
Josette Cicacci, BS, PTA, LMT, NCBTMB, E-RYT200
Josette is a licensed physical therapist assistant (PTA) and massage therapist who integrates the practice of mindful breath-work into both her yoga teachings and manually based therapy sessions. Josette obtained her BS in Exercise Physiology from Temple University in 2007. She interned, and ultimately became employed, by The Fighting Back Scholarship Program (FBSP), where she currently still serves as a board member. It was through this experience in which Josette realized that she would like to be able to intervene earlier on in the healing process. She went on to attend Harcum College and upon completion of their PTA program, Josette obtained licensure in 2011. While working at a physical therapy clinic, Josette realized the benefits of physically touching a patient and was led to study under the guidance of John F. Barnes in Myofascial Release (MFR). Josette utilizes MFR as the foundation for her one-on-one therapy sessions.
Through juggling work and studies, Josette began to realize the correlation between the conditions under which one places their body and its ability to function optimally. Josette turned to yoga as means of grounding and serenity. Josette completed a yoga teacher training at Ocean Earth Wind Fire in 2013, and is currently an RYT 200 with Yoga Alliance. She believes that by integrating her background in fitness and physical therapy with yogic principles, she is able to create a unique offering of mindfulness for her clients. Josette's personal website provides additional information on the extent of her offerings.
Josette teaches group yoga and meditation classes as well as meets with clients for one-on-one therapy sessions. In these sessions, Josette manually targets pain and myofascial restrictions, and strives to educate clients on ways in which they can ward off symptoms through lifestyle modifications in an effort to optimize function and quality of life. Josette also offers In Home private and small group yoga and/or fitness training. Her objective is to teach her clients how to be independent within their bodies and give them the knowledge and resources to manage symptoms. It brings Josette joy to be able to assist her clients in taking responsibility for their well-being.
Josette is a licensed physical therapist assistant (PTA) and massage therapist who integrates the practice of mindful breath-work into both her yoga teachings and manually based therapy sessions. Josette obtained her BS in Exercise Physiology from Temple University in 2007. She interned, and ultimately became employed, by The Fighting Back Scholarship Program (FBSP), where she currently still serves as a board member. It was through this experience in which Josette realized that she would like to be able to intervene earlier on in the healing process. She went on to attend Harcum College and upon completion of their PTA program, Josette obtained licensure in 2011. While working at a physical therapy clinic, Josette realized the benefits of physically touching a patient and was led to study under the guidance of John F. Barnes in Myofascial Release (MFR). Josette utilizes MFR as the foundation for her one-on-one therapy sessions.
Through juggling work and studies, Josette began to realize the correlation between the conditions under which one places their body and its ability to function optimally. Josette turned to yoga as means of grounding and serenity. Josette completed a yoga teacher training at Ocean Earth Wind Fire in 2013, and is currently an RYT 200 with Yoga Alliance. She believes that by integrating her background in fitness and physical therapy with yogic principles, she is able to create a unique offering of mindfulness for her clients. Josette's personal website provides additional information on the extent of her offerings.
Josette teaches group yoga and meditation classes as well as meets with clients for one-on-one therapy sessions. In these sessions, Josette manually targets pain and myofascial restrictions, and strives to educate clients on ways in which they can ward off symptoms through lifestyle modifications in an effort to optimize function and quality of life. Josette also offers In Home private and small group yoga and/or fitness training. Her objective is to teach her clients how to be independent within their bodies and give them the knowledge and resources to manage symptoms. It brings Josette joy to be able to assist her clients in taking responsibility for their well-being.
Leslie Wright-Riley, E-RYT200
Leslie is a Registered Yoga Teacher and Thai Massage Therapist. She has taught yoga for 12 years and began practicing Thai Massage after Training with Michael Buck (Mukti) and at the Thai Institute. Leslie’s goal for yoga students is to bring both beginners and current practitioners to new levels of body awareness and help them feel strong and flexible in body, mind and spirit. In her classes, she focuses on how we respond to yoga’s challenging and strengthening in-the-body experiences, helping students connect to their practice as a powerful metaphor for their everyday lives.
In Thai Massage her goal is to offer relaxation, increased range of joint motion, and stress relief. This healing bodywork involves movement through stretches and yoga postures designed to encourage blood flow and pain relief. Every session is tailored to your specific needs and can help alleviate many kinds of aches and pains, including problems with back, shoulders, neck, hips, legs, and much more. Whether it’s for yoga, Thai massage or both, Leslie looks forward to helping you further your wellness at Balanced for Life Yoga.
Leslie is a Registered Yoga Teacher and Thai Massage Therapist. She has taught yoga for 12 years and began practicing Thai Massage after Training with Michael Buck (Mukti) and at the Thai Institute. Leslie’s goal for yoga students is to bring both beginners and current practitioners to new levels of body awareness and help them feel strong and flexible in body, mind and spirit. In her classes, she focuses on how we respond to yoga’s challenging and strengthening in-the-body experiences, helping students connect to their practice as a powerful metaphor for their everyday lives.
In Thai Massage her goal is to offer relaxation, increased range of joint motion, and stress relief. This healing bodywork involves movement through stretches and yoga postures designed to encourage blood flow and pain relief. Every session is tailored to your specific needs and can help alleviate many kinds of aches and pains, including problems with back, shoulders, neck, hips, legs, and much more. Whether it’s for yoga, Thai massage or both, Leslie looks forward to helping you further your wellness at Balanced for Life Yoga.
Carrie Sensenich, MSS, LCSW
Carrie Sensenich is a psychotherapist with a private practice located in Devon, PA. She has over ten years of experience working with individuals and groups. Carrie began her career working in a corporate atmosphere and found she was not satisfied. She felt the calling to help others move through personal challenges. This realization inspired her to work as a rape crisis counselor and crime victim advocate leading her to go for further education. She graduated from Bryn Mawr with her master's degree in Social Service (2008) and is a licensed psychotherapist. Following a three year intensive training program, she became a certified Gestalt therapist in 2017. Once experiencing the healing and loving power
of Reiki, she began studying Usui Reiki in 2015 and completed training as a Holy Fire Reiki Master in 2017.
Carrie offers reiki sessions and chakra balancing for Balanced For Life Yoga Therapy clients and students. She comes from the belief that each individual has the wisdom and strength within for their own healing and growth. Reiki serves to empower us in our wellness as it helps to more readily access a state of balance, clarity, and calm during life's ups and downs. Even unconscious patterns or self defeating behavior may begin to dissolve through regular reiki sessions. Reiki can support the physical body and is a great tool for stress reduction and relaxation as well as a complement to traditional medicine and other holistic traditions.
Carrie Sensenich is a psychotherapist with a private practice located in Devon, PA. She has over ten years of experience working with individuals and groups. Carrie began her career working in a corporate atmosphere and found she was not satisfied. She felt the calling to help others move through personal challenges. This realization inspired her to work as a rape crisis counselor and crime victim advocate leading her to go for further education. She graduated from Bryn Mawr with her master's degree in Social Service (2008) and is a licensed psychotherapist. Following a three year intensive training program, she became a certified Gestalt therapist in 2017. Once experiencing the healing and loving power
of Reiki, she began studying Usui Reiki in 2015 and completed training as a Holy Fire Reiki Master in 2017.
Carrie offers reiki sessions and chakra balancing for Balanced For Life Yoga Therapy clients and students. She comes from the belief that each individual has the wisdom and strength within for their own healing and growth. Reiki serves to empower us in our wellness as it helps to more readily access a state of balance, clarity, and calm during life's ups and downs. Even unconscious patterns or self defeating behavior may begin to dissolve through regular reiki sessions. Reiki can support the physical body and is a great tool for stress reduction and relaxation as well as a complement to traditional medicine and other holistic traditions.
Daria Gibbs, RYT 200
Daria trained at ContempraDance School and was a member of ContempraYouth Dance Ensemble from age 7-18. She debuted in ContempraDANCE Theatre's "Woman" as the daughter at the age of 4. She performed in Disney World, Ladek Zdroj International Dance Festival in Poland, Schuylkill Valley Dance Company's Nutcracker and Melange Dance Company. Daria trains with Meghan Braun of Waves Dance Company and currently dances with ContempraDANCE Theatre Company as one of their lead dancers. In June 2014, Daria received her yoga teacher training certification for Jivamukti Yoga attending a 300 hour program in Costa Rica training with Sharon Gannon and David Life. She has studied for many years with these yoga teachers as well as many others all around the world. Daria has been teaching yoga all over the area for the past few years teaching children as well as adults. She received her BFA from Temple University receiving the College of Liberal Arts’ Annie Hyman Award for Outstanding Service & Honors Society. Daria presently teaches dance & yoga throughout the Philadelphia area.
Daria trained at ContempraDance School and was a member of ContempraYouth Dance Ensemble from age 7-18. She debuted in ContempraDANCE Theatre's "Woman" as the daughter at the age of 4. She performed in Disney World, Ladek Zdroj International Dance Festival in Poland, Schuylkill Valley Dance Company's Nutcracker and Melange Dance Company. Daria trains with Meghan Braun of Waves Dance Company and currently dances with ContempraDANCE Theatre Company as one of their lead dancers. In June 2014, Daria received her yoga teacher training certification for Jivamukti Yoga attending a 300 hour program in Costa Rica training with Sharon Gannon and David Life. She has studied for many years with these yoga teachers as well as many others all around the world. Daria has been teaching yoga all over the area for the past few years teaching children as well as adults. She received her BFA from Temple University receiving the College of Liberal Arts’ Annie Hyman Award for Outstanding Service & Honors Society. Daria presently teaches dance & yoga throughout the Philadelphia area.