Emily H. and Rita

Teaches at BellaVita: Fitness & Wellness

Emily received her 200-hour yoga certification from Yoga to the People in New York City. She studied meditation, and the chakras with Rebecca Cousin. She's a self-taught tarot practitioner, constantly exploring new books, new techniques, new decks, and new spreads in her tarot journal. She received her Reiki Attunement from the Sapientia Oscen Reiki College, and her BA in English with a minor in Creative Writing Magna Cum Laude from St. John's University Honors Program. She's a very busy lady living in Brooklyn with her husband, cat, and numerous plants. In addition to all that stuff, she can cook, can, crochet, aerial dance, eat local, laugh, love, and learn. Rita, on the other hand, was first introduced to yoga when she chose it for Physical Education credits while studying Fine Arts at FIT. Eventually pursuing a career as a Print Designer in the fashion industry, she always longed for something that was missing in her life. Many years of a stressful career had led her to pursue cardiovascular classes at a gym and working with a personal trainer as a way to stay fit and healthy. It wasn't the answer! In 2008, Rita came back to yoga and found it so fulfilling, she realized she wanted to share this gift with others. Now a certified yoga instructor, Rita uses her intelligent sequencing & light hearted demeanor to guide her students to move their body along with their breath to embrace all the benefits yoga has to offer. She believes that a regular yoga practice is a great compliment to a typical gym work out, using it as a tool to release all of the most common areas of muscle tightness and to increase flexibility. Rita is a strong advocate of yoga as a lifestyle, incorporating both asana and yogic philosophy, to reduce stress, find a mind that is at peace and elicit total mind and body health.