Our Team

We have a talented, dedicated group of instructors and specialists, committed to improving the health of our students and clients. We are honored to share our diverse depth of knowledge and infuse our teaching and healing arts from the heart. It would be our pleasure to put our extensive experience to work for you! Our practitioners adhere to the highest level of professional standards and are fully certified and insured. Each instructor offers their own practice/treatment schedule and fees. Please contact each instructor directly if you have any questions about the practices or treatments they offer.

Cheryl Paulson

Cheryl was lucky to find yoga years ago in the midst of health struggles, such as asthma and thyroid disease. She trained extensively under Paula (Padmasri) Tepedino and received her certification in Hatha Yoga. She has gone on to bring her training to the Advanced Professional Level (500-hour), furthering her studies in meditation, posture adjustments, restorative yoga, senior yoga, Sanskrit, sound and hands-on healing. Her style is eclectic, with influences in the Kripalu, Vinyasa and Iyengar traditions. She is the head asana instructor for the 200-hour In-depth Study & Yoga Teacher Training Program at BRC. Cheryl has taught both privately and professionally in studios, universities, corporate centers, senior homes, churches, schools and gyms and is thrilled to have “Breathing Room!” She enjoys watching the many remarkable ways in which her students grow from the practice and is honored to guide them along the way.

Ieva Alverson

I’ve made a new friend with myself through yoga. We dance a beautiful, slow dance through postures and stretches. When I close my eyes, I feel my breath in my body – in my nostrils, in my chest. I feel like the movements allow my energy to flow outward into the space around me. I imagine energy beaming out of my side bends and every time I move my arm my fingers, they flare forth like sparklers. Throwing off little sparks and when I move my arms in, the energy moves back to my center. It’s a time I close my eyes and experience my human experience.

Hatha Yoga training has provided me with movements through which I feel life energy flow. Over the years, my yoga practice has helped me hear what I was saying to myself. What I say to myself is how I treat myself, what I think of myself, How I love or not love myself.

And although I was doing yoga and saying kind things to myself during practice, it was what I was saying off the mat that was real. Hearing myself talk revealed old patterns and beliefs that kept me ruminating in the same difficult experiences. Yoga and the continued study of Michael Cavallaro’s Living Concepts have shifted my awareness of the human experience in a new direction. I am more mixed up than ever but more excited than ever to be living on this earth. As I learn to move forward with uncomfortable experiences, as I begin to talk more to my scared/sacred self and unloved/loved self, I am getting to know a whole different Ieva. There is a different experience of Ieva beyond beliefs, patterns, attitudes, thoughts, emotions and feelings. I want to go there.

Kelly Lyons

Kelly found yoga in 1998 when she was searching for a way to relieve stress and anxiety. She soon found that yoga was a great way to promote relaxation while also bringing an inter-connectedness to the mind and body. In 1999 she received a 200-hour certification with teacher Raji Thron. Just recently she completed a 200hr YTT program with teachers Paula Mari Tepedino and Cheryl Paulson at the Breathing Room Center. Kelly looks forward to sharing her knowledge of yoga with others while continuing to deepen her own practice. Her studies and certifications in holistic health also include massage therapy, reflexology, natural childbirth (doula), and whole foods cooking. Kelly currently lives in Newton, NJ. Email Kelly at kellykiaran@hotmail.com.

Lauren Jones-Rabbitt

Lauren Jones-Rabbitt is a long time student of Buddhist meditation and philosophy and graduate of Breathing Room Center’s 200hr YTT program. Lauren hopes to encourage in her students’ connection to, and exploration of the truths of their hearts. She sees her role in the
good work of teaching yoga as providing a safe space for her students to self-question, find necessary boundaries, awareness, acceptance and ultimate healing through their practice. She enjoys seeing beauty in people and nature, writing poetry, hanging out with her family, practicing loving kindness and extending her hand and heart to those who cross her path. Lauren has also been a doula (birth assistant) since 2003, helping many women and families in
the process of welcoming their babies and new selves. Recently she has added herbalism to her busy life and enjoys making healing remedies for her community Contact: lauren.jonesrabbitt@gmail.com and on Facebook and Instagram@MotherJonesHerbs

Carolyn Fenton

I love what my yoga practice has brought to my life! I truly enjoy learning, practicing and sharing yoga. Graduating from YTT with Paula and Cheryl in 2012 was a transformative experience. I enjoy being a catalyst to people having purpose, grace and ease by sharing the benefits of the poses regardless of their ability. I want everyone to experience the peace that yoga brings. Contact me at fenton.carolyn@gmail.com or 973-214-2166

Diane Hynes

Diane Hynes, B.A. CBT, AOBTA, Nationally Board certified and NJ licensed practitioner, has been in privatae practice for 19 years and teaching since 1992 . She currently has a privatepractice in Blairstown and Denville NJ, instructs at ISS, Warren County Community College, and holds classes throughout the area. Treatments using Shiatsu/Shin Tai, Cranio Sacral therapy, myofascial and chakra energy work are suited to the current needs of the client accessing their own healing abilities. Suitable for all ages, infant to adult. Contact Diane at 973-202-9075 or shiatsudiane@gmail.com.

Guest/Special Instructors

Paula M. Tepedino

Paula M. Tepedino, CRYT, brings her 35 years of living yoga and her gentle wisdom to the unique and inspiring teacher training courses offered at Breathing Room. She has a way to tailor each student’s level of understanding while maintaining integrity of course material. Her lineage is from the Kripalu and Iyengar traditions and she holds Certifications from Kripalu, Integrative Yoga Therapy, Yoga Research Society, Wise Earth School of Ayurveda, Greens Ayur School of Yoga (India), as well as Reiki 2 Practitioner and Massage Therapy. She served on the Executive BOD as VP of Marketing at Yoga Alliance, the national registry of Yoga schools and teachers, and helped to create policy on the Ethics and Grievance Committee. She continues to be the ‘perennial student’ and is working towards completion of the Yoga for Sound courses in Sanskrit Mantra, Music and Meditation with teacher, Russill Paul. Send Paula an email at yoga2light@gmail.com.

Vivian Sammartino

Vivian Sammartino is a Reiki Master and Certified Hypnotherapist specializing in Past Life Regression, Crystalline Light Therapy, Spiritual Counseling, Angel Readings and Color Therapy.

She has spent the last 23 years helping others to heal and connect with their own spirituality. She has appeared as a guest speaker on New York radio station WEVD with Dr. Majid Ali, internationally acclaimed author of several published books and practicing physician of holistic medicine at the Institute of Preventive Medicine in Denville, NJ, and local station WMTR-AM “Healthwise” as well as WSUS.

Vivian has presented workshops to organizations and given seminars on Angel awareness, stress management, spiritual development and past life regression, as well as various subjects related to healing physically, emotionally and spiritually.

Dale Orlando

Dale Orlando is an Intuitive Healer. She has been offering readings and healing sessions professionally throughout NJ and PA for 20 years. Your spirit and soul speak directly to Dale and show her past , present and future issues/ situations affecting the individual on their soul’s path. She removes negative entities , astral tags and balances and clears the energy to promote healing of the mind , body and spirit. She is able to see between realms of consciousness to give the client a clearer picture of who they are and why they came forth. This enables the person to walk forward in life with greater clarity, peace and understanding. Dale sees through the eyes of LOVE, which enables her to see beyond what the world sees. Let the wisdom of your Divine Spirit speak through Dale and guide your journey to the Love and Joy you deserve. Sessions available at BRC – contact Dale at goldenfeather1177@yahoo.com or call 862-268-4881.

Meg Lyding

Meg Lyding, MFA, is a certified sound practitioner, composer, and visual artist with a Master’s Degree from Parsons School of Design and certification in Integrative Sound and Music through the Open Center in New York City. She is a multi-instrumentalist and her creative work is multi-disciplinary. As a sound practitioner, Meg has been working with the healing aspects of frequency and vibration and offering therapeutic sound events since 2013. In 2019, she created Make a Wave Productions as a way to integrate her creative and therapeutic endeavors, harnessing sound, music, and the creative arts as practices of self-care and personal transformation. www.makeawaveproductions.com

Breathing Room Center

Yoga Class Prices

$15 – drop-in class
$60 – 5 classes
$100 – 10 classes