ABOUT US

What makes Adaptive Healing different?

We know how intimidating it can be to walk into a yoga studio. At Adaptive Healing we strive to create a diverse, safe, and inclusive environment, demonstrating that yoga is beneficial for all cultures, genders, ages, religions, body types, and abilities. If you have ever felt that you did not belong in a yoga space, Adaptive Healing is the place for you! Our skilled instructors, many with clinical backgrounds, have specific training and certifications to create practices appropriate for those experiencing a variety of physical and mental issues, adapting the practice to your specific needs. Our studio is ADA compliant, AED equipped, wheelchair and mobility device friendly, and LGBTQ+ welcoming.

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Mission

To provide an accessible yoga experience for all bodies and abilities.

Vision

To share the unrecognized benefits of adaptive yoga with humanity.

Core Values

Core Values

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Inclusion

We shall continuously strive to include all people, from any background, with every ability type by catering movements to each person’s ability.

Community

We shall actively and regularly participate in the growth, development, and betterment of people and the communities.

Honor

We shall honor and respect the origin and roots of yoga by inclusively teaching the full offerings of yoga, and not solely the practice of Asana.

Empowerment

We shall empower students to heal and nurture their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing through dedicated practice.

Gratitude

We shall incorporate gratitude in our practice to encourage the detoxification of the mind and connect to a larger reason for being.

Inclusion

We shall continuously strive to include all people, from any background, with every ability type by catering movements to each person’s ability.

Community

We shall actively and regularly participate in the growth, development, and betterment of people and the communities.

Honor

We shall honor and respect the origin and roots of yoga by inclusively teaching the full offerings of yoga, and not solely the practice of Asana.

Empowerment

We shall empower students to heal and nurture their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing through dedicated practice.

Gratitude

We shall incorporate gratitude in our practice to encourage the detoxification of the mind and connect to a larger reason for being.

Adaptive Yoga Defined

Instead of trying to force your body into one-size-fits-all poses, adaptive yoga fits movements to one’s ability. It uses props such as blankets, chairs, straps, and bolsters to make the poses accessible to more people, and it recognizes and embraces that yoga poses are only one piece of the practice. From a yoga therapy perspective, all yoga is adaptive. Adaptive yoga is yoga that’s therapeutic in nature and modified to meet students’ needs. We practice yoga together as a form of healing. Any time we modify a pose, practice, breath, or cues to meet students’ needs with the intention of therapeutic healing, we facilitate adaptive yoga. From an Ayurvedic perspective, healing is a rebalancing of the wholeness that’s present within. When we work with students in adaptive yoga, the goal is to help them find balance so they can heal and prosper.

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Evidence Based Research

Scientific research on Yoga, Disease and Disorders

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Scientific research on Yoga, Special Populations

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Scientific research on Yoga, Cancer

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Meet Our Staff

Adrienne Heist


Owner | Yoga Instructor

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Annette Vazquez


Studio Manager | Sound Practitioner | Yoga Instructor

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Dee Fey


Yoga Instructor

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Judy Curiel


Yoga Instructor

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Carly Benjamin


Yoga Teacher | Reiki Practitioner

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Kate Simmons-Souell


Yoga Instructor

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Lisa Rogers


Yoga Instructor

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Jacquelyn Whitelock


Yoga Instructor | Reiki Practitioner

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Sharon Marino


Yoga Instructor

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Elizabeth Capps


Yoga Instructor

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Jenn Boerer


Yoga Instructor

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Nancy Walsh


Yoga Instructor

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THE Studio

We believe that a yoga studio must foster relaxation, focus, and tranquility while accommodating the needs of various mind-body practices. A well-designed yoga studio should provide the perfect environment to encourage practitioners to fully immerse themselves in their practice. At Adaptive Healing, we have considered all of the factors such as layout, wellness lighting, color schemes, and decor, to ensure our space not only meets the functional requirements of an inclusive yoga space, but also promotes a sense of serenity and well-being to our students and staff. Although we think the pictures here speak for themselves, you can find more details below about our space at Adaptive Healing and how it became to be what it is today.

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LAYOUT

We believe the layout of a yoga studio should allow for ample space for practitioners to move freely and exercise comfortably, without feeling cramped or restricted. Adaptive Healing’s studio was designed with this in mind by utilizing the majority of the ~2,200 sq./ft. space to give students the opportunity to practice comfortably. Our studio has 2 studios within the space which allows us to offer a greater selection of classes and services to our students.

LIGHTING

Lighting plays a significant role in setting the ambiance in yoga studios and rooms. Adaptive Healing has created a calm, inviting, and restorative environment by incorporating a combination of abundant warm natural light, soft energy-efficient LED light, and candle light to create the perfect mood for any class while remaining environmentally conscious.

ACOUSTICS

Acoustics are another important aspect of our yoga space. Sound-absorbing materials like cork-backed flooring and acoustic panels have been installed to help reduce external noise levels and create a more serene atmosphere for practice. Additionally, we have incorporated a high-quality sound system for playing curated music playlists or guided meditations to further elevate the yoga experience.

VENTILATION

A well-ventilated space is essential for maintaining a comfortable environment for practitioners, particularly in hot yoga studios. Adaptive Healing utilizes a new and efficient HVAC system, supplemental heaters, and room humidifiers to ensure that optimal air quality and temperatures create the desired environment for any of our offered classes and/or services.

ACCESSIBILITY

Above all, we believe a safe and successful yoga studio must be accessible to all, regardless of physical ability. Adaptive Healing is wheelchair accessible, AED equipped, and includes an ADA accessible water fountain, ADA accessible restroom, and ADA Braille signage throughout the space for the visually impaired. Yoga truly is for everyone!

Studio SpaceRental

A Trauma Informed, Inclusive studio space for rent:

Ideal for Health and Wellness Practitioners

Become part of our community of health and wellness professionals and elevate your practice in a supportive and serene environment. Contact us today to learn more!

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Adrienne Heist

Adrienne discovered yoga after exhausting every possible lifestyle change to manage an undiagnosed chronic illness and persistent pain. After twenty years of symptoms, thirteen doctors, and doing everything she could to heal naturally, she was finally diagnosed with Endometriosis. She credits yoga with saving her life, helping her navigate both the mental and physical challenges she faced.

She has been a Registered Nurse (BSN) since 2010, working in end‑of‑life care, palliative care, oncology, hematology, and now as a PACU nurse with US Digestive Health. Adrienne completed her 200‑hour yoga certification in 2019 and her 300‑hour certification in 2025, along with additional training in trauma‑informed yoga, adaptive yoga, gentle yoga, yin yoga, and meditation foundations. A natural healer and caregiver, she is passionate about supporting individuals through life’s most difficult transitions, including illness, grief, and mental health struggles. She understands firsthand the weight of anxiety, depression, and PTSD, and how yoga can be a path toward healing.

Adrienne’s personal yoga journey began in private, behind closed doors, until she found the confidence to explore studios and pursue certification. Along the way, she realized that many yoga spaces claim to be accessible to all levels but often prioritize fitness over the deeper, spiritual aspects of the practice. Westernized yoga frequently uses exclusive language and focuses on achieving “perfect” poses rather than adapting to the unique needs of each individual. This realization inspired Adrienne’s mission to help create a truly inclusive yoga space where people of all backgrounds and abilities feel welcome to practice and heal.

Now, she is proud to bring that vision to life in Phoenixville, a community she has served with dedication throughout her nursing career.

Annette Vazquez

Studio Manager | Sound Practitioner | Yoga Instructor

Annette Vazquez is a Yoga Teacher, Certified Multi-Instrument Sound Healing Practitioner, and Studio Manager who is passionate about making movement, mindfulness, and deep rest accessible to every body.

After a 27-year career in the financial industry, Annette followed a calling to share the practices that had profoundly transformed her own life. Yoga became an essential part of her healing journey, helping her manage arthritis, reduce stress, and reconnect with herself through mindful movement, breath, and restorative practices. That personal experience continues to shape the compassionate and inclusive way she teaches today.

Annette specializes in accessible, restorative, gentle, yin, and chair yoga. She creates thoughtfully paced classes that support mobility, balance, nervous system regulation, and overall well-being. Her teaching encourages students to meet themselves with curiosity rather than judgment and honor their bodies exactly as they are. Whether someone is stepping onto a mat for the first time or returning after years away, she strives to create an experience that feels welcoming, supportive, and empowering.

Her training includes a 200-hour Vinyasa Yoga certification, advanced studies in Accessible Yoga and Making Restorative Yoga Accessible with Jivana Heyman, restorative yoga with Judith Lasater and YogaRenew, yin yoga with Corina Benner, specialized chair yoga training, Reiki Level I, and certification through the Sound Healing Academy as a Multi-Instrument Sound Healing Practitioner. She is committed to lifelong learning and continues to expand her education to better serve her students and community.

As both a teacher and studio manager, Annette is dedicated to cultivating an inclusive, trauma-informed environment where students feel safe, seen, and supported. She believes healing does not require perfection. It begins with feeling welcome. Whether guiding a gentle yoga class, restorative practice, meditation, or sound experience, her intention is to help students reconnect with themselves and discover that yoga truly is for every body.

Dee Fey, Yoga Instructor

A yoga practitioner since 2012 and an instructor since 2018, Dee is an RYT500 teacher. Her classes offer a meaningful, alignment-based sequence where students are encouraged to link breath and movement as a form of meditation.

Dee came to her mat looking for gentle exercise to ease the aches and pains she was experiencing as she approached a milestone birthday. What began as a form of exercise soon evolved into a spiritual practice that brings balance both on and off the mat.

Her 200-hour yoga certification was earned in 2018 with BRV Yoga. In October 2018, Dee received her first YIN certification under the direction of Corina Benner at Wake Up Yoga in Philadelphia. In May 2020, she completed her 300-hour certification online with Jason Crandell. February 2021 saw the completion of Reiki Level 1 and certification by Kathleen DiGiorgio. In March 2022, Dee received her Therapeutic Yin certification online from Nyk Danu. In 2025, Dee received her 20 hour Yoga Nidra certification from Ajna Yoga.

Her classes are highly sought after for her grounding presence and the steady, compassionate guidance she brings to every student who steps into the room.

Judy Curiel, Yoga Instructor

Judy Curiel, Ph.D. , ERYT 500, YACEP, has practiced yoga daily since first stepping onto her mat in 2004. She began teaching in studios and fitness clubs in 2007 and has since trained in four respected lineages: Kripalu, Viniyoga, Classical, and Inner Fire. Her gentle classes are a thoughtful blend of these traditions, offering a wealth of modifications and adaptations to meet each student where they are.

Judy has a deep love for Restorative Yoga and has taught hundreds of local teachers. She is also trained in Yin Yoga, trauma-informed yoga, yoga dance, and children’s yoga. In addition to her signature Restorative Yoga Teacher Training, which she launched in 2010, Judy offers specialized trainings in Meditation, Chair Yoga, and Gentle Yoga. She recently co-led a 300-hour advanced teacher training and has co-created and co-led five 200-hour teacher trainings since 2017.

Judy’s teaching philosophy centers on accessibility and inclusivity. Early in her career, props were rare, modifications were few, and gentle classes were anything but. In response, she developed a style of mat-based yoga that is truly accessible, not just for the young, lean, or athletic, but for every body. She especially loves welcoming brand-new beginners who think they cannot do yoga.

Off the mat, Judy gives back to her community by volunteering as an English teacher and tutoring high school students in Spanish. She also enjoys Aqua Fit classes, reads over 100 books a year, and cherishes time with her adorable little dog. A retired college professor and high school teacher, Judy is a lifelong educator, a dedicated caregiver for a family member, and a proud Chester County native.

Carly Benjamin

Carly has always been drawn to yoga, and her practice has changed shape in reflection of the changing needs of her body and life over the years. She found herself turning to the mat in times of challenge and struggle, seeking a path inward and looking to the spiritual practices of yoga as a way to find connection, and groundedness.

In 2023, when her longtime nursing friend Adrienne decided to open a studio that felt safe and approachable to people of all abilities and backgrounds, Carly gratefully joined her in serving her beloved hometown of Phoenixville. She achieved her 200+hr certification in 2024. Attuned in Reiki since 2012, she collaborates with other practitioners in various Reiki workshops. She is awed and humbled by the ways her life has already been transformed since becoming a yoga teacher, and looks forward to a lifetime of learning, growing, and sharing her yoga practice.

For years in her work as a hospice nurse, Carly developed skills in creating safe spaces within her community, learning how to use her words, actions, and energy to help people feel seen, validated, and empowered. She brings those qualities now to her yoga classes, hoping to help her fellow students find a way to move and honor their bodies through all stages of life, and to find their way back to themselves on and off the mat. She is particularly interested in sharing how yoga, meditation, and energy work can help support her fellow service workers and those in her community experiencing grief and life-changing transitions.

Off the mat, Carly loves spending time w/ her husband and two kids, as well as her village of family and friends. She is an avid hiker and reader, and loves to draw, specializing in mandala art. She also learned how to crochet last year and it has taken over all her free time in the best way possible.

Kate Simmons-Souell, Yoga Instructor

Kate discovered yoga in 2007, and the practice has played a vital role in her recovery from a life-threatening eating disorder. As her experience and understanding grew, her initial quest for a sweaty workout evolved into a commitment to appreciate and care for her body after many years at war with it.

Kate completed her 200-hour teacher training program at The Light Within Yoga in 2014, her first 300-hour training with My Vinyasa Practice in 2022, her 50-hour Yin training with Devi Daly in 2022, and a second 300-hour training with Inner Fire Yoga in 2025. Her path as a lifelong learner has led to the next phase of her education, which she will begin this fall with a doctoral program in Exercise Science.

Kate has been teaching studio classes in Chester County since 2014. She teaches a college course at West Chester University and helps to lead teacher training programs at the University and within a correctional facility. Drawing from her work with trauma-informed practice and her own experience with mental health and addiction, Kate strives to share the power of breath and movement in healing and strengthening from the inside out.

Kate lives in Chester County with her husband and two cats. In addition to yoga, she adores indoor cycling, the beach, books, music, and animals of all kinds.

Lisa Rogers, Yoga Instructor

Lisa first discovered yoga in her 40s while managing chronic knee pain and facing the prospect of a knee replacement. What began as a search for physical relief grew into a lifelong passion for movement, mindfulness, and healing. Thanks to her consistent practice, she not only found lasting relief but never needed the knee replacement after all.

With over 20 years of personal practice and more than a decade of teaching experience, Lisa brings deep knowledge, empathy, and encouragement to every class. She holds a BS in Biology, a PhD in Physiology, and specialized certifications in Yin Yoga (50 hours) and Yoga for Healthy Aging (30 hours). Her background as a researcher in vaccine science and neuroendocrinology fuels her passion for understanding how the body works and how yoga supports lifelong mobility and resilience.

Outside the studio, Lisa enjoys hiking, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, traveling, volunteering, cooking, and spending time with her grandchildren.
Join Lisa on the mat and experience yoga as a path to strength, ease, and vitality at any age.

Jacquelyn Whitlock, Yoga Instructor | Reiki Practitioner

Jacquelyn is a registered nurse with over 11 years of experience, with a focus on end-of-life care. This specialty deeply values the power and presence of the breath, something Jacquelyn carries into all aspects of her work. She has been practicing yoga for more than 20 years, and the peace and clarity it brings to her life inspired her to begin teaching and sharing its healing potential with others.

She is certified in adaptive yoga and is also a Reiki practitioner. Jacquelyn teaches in studio settings and brings her yoga and Reiki services into the community. After the birth of her son, she felt a strong calling to support the pre- and postnatal community. Her clinical background and deep appreciation for the birthing experience enrich the support she offers in her classes.

Jacquelyn also holds a master's degree in education with a focus on Health Promotion. Both yoga and Reiki are central to her personal and professional life, guiding her in creating inclusive, supportive spaces for healing and growth.

In her free time, she enjoys practicing aerial arts, spending time with her two children, and taking relaxing trips with her family. She looks forward to working with the community and adapting the practice to meet each person's individual needs.

Sharon Marino

Sharon Marino is a 500-hour Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance. She has been an athlete her entire life and started practicing yoga in 2010 when, due to injuries, she realized she needed to be kinder to her physical body. Sharon quickly learned that yoga is much more than the physical “asana” practice and the benefits to the mind, heart, and spirit in many ways outweighed the physical practice. In 2022, Sharon completed her 200-hour YTT with Breathe for Change, whose mission is to support and train educators in wellness, social emotional learning, and yoga to drive social change and healing. She completed her 300-hour YTT in January 2024.

As a former principal and educator in Philadelphia for over 20 years, Sharon believes in empowering teachers, staff, families, and students as leaders, partnering with communities to create change, and that it is our collective responsibility “to advocate for opportunity and access for all.” Adaptive Healing’s mission “to provide an accessible yoga experience for all bodies and abilities”, is what drew Sharon to want to be a part of the team.

Sharon serves as an educational coach and consultant through her LLC, Marigold, is also a member of her local school board and other organizations committed to ensuring equitable opportunities. She lives in Conshohocken with her husband, loves to travel, be outside, learn new things, and is excited to be a part of the Adaptive Healing team!

Elizabeth Capps

Elizabeth Capps is a 200 Hr. registered yoga instructor, 85 Hr. pre-postnatal yoga instructor and a labor/postpartum doula. She has been a yoga student for the past 10 years.

Elizabeth's focus is on functional movement and inclusivity from a trauma informed lens in her classes. Her goal is for everyone to feel welcome and heard to create an empowering environment. She wants to give her students the tools to find balance and breath in their bodies that they can use throughout their daily lives.

Her passion also lies in reproductive justice. It is her belief that all families should have access to evidence based research to make the most informed choices around pregnancy, birth and creating a family. When she had her daughter in April of 2020, Elizabeth had no idea of the support and community she craved so badly. This community is what Elizabeth wants to bring to life in her classes and offerings. Let's create our village together!

In her free time Elizabeth enjoys dance, music and anything outdoors from biking and hiking to breweries and concerts.

Jenn Boerer, Yoga Instructor

Jenn Rose found yoga in her late 20's as a form of therapy. Her practice has continued to show up through the years, nurturing all phases of her life. Her deepest desire is to serve the perinatal community, driven by the experiences of her own pregnancies.

When pregnant with her first child, she felt alone in her regular yoga classes...not knowing what was safe, what to adapt, and how to relax into this new body. During her second pregnancy, she set out to repurpose that uncertainty into empowerment, pursuing multiple certifications while pregnant and postpartum so she could experience the journey from both the student’s and teacher’s perspective.

In addition to her 200-hour yoga teacher training, Jenn’s perinatal-specific experience includes Prenatal Kundalini Yoga with Brett Larkin (20 hours), Prenatal Yoga with Flow of Life Yoga (85 hours), and Postnatal Yoga with Awakened Spirit (20 hours). She also integrates supportive modalities for the perinatal community, including Reiki for Birth and Energetics work.

Jenn Rose is passionate about demystifying prenatal yoga, guiding students through intuitive, functional movement and breathwork while honoring both the spiritual and physical connection to body and baby. Her classes support birthing people with evidence-based education, a safe and nurturing environment, and space to acknowledge the challenges, strength, and transformation of this journey.

When not teaching, you can find Jenn Rose embracing the beautiful chaos of life with her two small humans, a partner, a dog, and ten chickens in Glenmoore.

Nancy Walsh, Yoga Instructor

Nancy Walsh, RN, MSN, RYT 500, has been practicing yoga for over 25 years, having discovered it after the birth of her first child. She loved how the practice felt in her body and how it transformed the quality of her thoughts, quieting her mind. Yoga soon became a part of her daily routine.

After many years of exploring various yoga styles, she has come to love and appreciate gentle, yin, and restorative yoga for their countless benefits.

Nancy earned her 200-hour certification in 2020. She is certified in Relax and Renew Level One Restorative Yoga with Judith Hanson Lasater, PhD, and has completed additional restorative training with Judy Curiel, PhD. She also holds a meditation teacher training with Allison Sobel and a yin training with Corina Benner. In the spring of 2025, she completed a 300-hour Inner Fire training with Shiva Das and Judy Curiel.

As a nurse, Nancy practiced as an oncology nurse in a variety of areas, including radiation and hospice care. She is also a certified school nurse.

Nancy and her husband have two grown children and reside in Chester County. When not on her mat, she enjoys the beach, hiking, reading, and window shopping.