Welcome to Naked Truth Yoga Inc.

Virtual Yoga & Fuse Teacher Training

Join one of Canada’s most prestigious yoga instructor training programs! ...And become a highly sought-after yoga & Fuse© instructor!!! Naked Truth Yoga Inc. is the first and only Yoga Instructor College covering Safe Transfers© in the heat and Fuse© (yoga fitness). Students will be certified to teach both in and out of a heated environment with all the tools to facilitate a safe, fun and effective yoga and/or Fuse© style class. The Naked Truth Yoga Inc.® Method will not only enable you to teach yoga for the bodies of today with special focus on alignment and functional movement, along with the learnings and understandings of the evolution of the human body but also dive into the inner self to become the best version of you. This is not just a course, it is training where each student will be supported, challenged, engaged and respected in each aspect of this journey. In our one-of-a-kind 200 hour Yoga & Fuse© Teacher Training program, you will dive into our methodology that is rooted in the highest level of yoga and Fuse© education and skill set. Giving you an in-depth understanding of spiritual growth and self-awareness, both on and off the mat. You will acquire all the tools you need to facilitate a safe and effective yoga and Fuse © style class in any yoga studio worldwide, allowing you to pursue your passion and make a professional statement by staying true to a proven method of incredible results. We are a fully registered yoga course with Yoga Alliance-- which is internationally recognized. Not only that, but you will join a family of passionate teammates who regularly encourage continuous learning, networking and new job opportunities. We look forward to training with you!

It’s Your Time to Train!

Want to be the first to know?

Subscribe to our mailing list

Registered with Yoga Alliance

Meet the Team

Naked Truth Yoga Inc. Lead Trainers

CEO/Owner/Sr.Lead Trainer

Samara Dawn

Samara Dawn completed her high school schooling early with honors at the age of 16 years old. Samara spent most of her time in dance for over 20 years as well as teaching dance since the ripe age of 16 years old. Her expertise in jazz, ballet, hip-hop, modern and lyrical choreography and production was a major part of her life, through her dance career she has been granted Best Choreography award among many other. Samara spent time in the brilliance of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet at a younger age along with being trained by the infamous Bill Robertson and Rachael Poirier. She continued to practice dance at Harbor Dance Center in Vancouver, BC while teaching in various communities in the lower mainland. Samara also spent time dancing for the BC Lions as well as the Vancouver Ravens and in the past had performances yearly at the Pacific National Exhibition in Vancouver along with competition in Las Vegas. Shortly after starting a family she decided to pull back on teaching dance and shifted her attention and passion into yoga. She completed her yoga teacher training and began teaching classes immediately. With high feeling and knowledge of movement of breath through the body and the discipline of the mind Samara found her true passion. The more she taught the more she noticed what was missing in western yoga and what she could bring to her classes and her community. She and Marilyn created styles of classes that were not offered anywhere else in the world which are now being taught through many BC yoga studios. Her passion and drive have brought her to where she is today. Samara together with Marilyn created the Naked Truth Yoga Inc. Methodology of training. Through their combined experience their goal was to educate those wanting to become instructors through advanced technique and safety with alignment along with the full understanding of yoga from the roots but also with the evolution of today’s human body. Naked Truth Yoga Inc. is also the first Hot Yoga Teacher Training Course to create “Safe Transfers In The Heat”. Along with yoga and fitness, she has created a Barred and Banned Fitness Method as a supplemental course for those interested in teaching this facet of fitness without a choreographed routine. Samara has been successful in educating and certifying highly sought after instructors through the Naked Truth Yoga Inc. Method. This large number spans across boarders for graduates, which teach various styles of yoga and fitness and graduates range from 16-65 years of age and even her 12 year old daughter! Her perseverance and vision in creating a sustainable method, which can be for anyone and everyone, continues to be the most elite training program. Samara is known for her kindness, generosity and exquisite practice along with her unique teaching methods, which she brings to all of those she interacts with. On her down time she enjoys family time with her 3 children and rock star husband, learning more about her passion of self study and energies, Friends (our chosen families), the gun range, ATVing, and relaxation at home with the occasional massage. Samaras passion is in the honesty of the method, the success in her graduates, and the diversities created by Naked Truth Yoga Inc. Samara-E-RYT500+

Sr.Lead Trainer

Courtney Elizabeth

Courtney Johnson is certified as a legal administrator through the University of the Fraser Valley, certified Yoga instructor and Barred and Banned training through Naked Truth Yoga Inc. and she has extensive training in dance, which collectively has led to her career as a yoga instructor and training assistant to Naked Truth Yoga Inc.. Courtney has successfully completed her ballet examinations through the Royal Academy of Dance, followed by two years of independent study at The Ailey School in New York, NY. She has greater than 20 years of experience in the art of dance and choreography. Her movement into yoga teacher training began shortly after she attended her first yoga class. She found that the integration of movement and breath work during yoga was closely linked to dance but there was something different in yoga. Through her teacher training journey she found similarities where creativity and emotional expression were evident. The connection of the mind and body along with self-awareness through yoga is why Courtney decided she wanted to deepen her understanding by dedicated daily practice, which brings her to where she is today. Courtney has spent time volunteering for a variety of causes including; the Red Cross for Tsunami relief, adjudicator writer for Rising Star Dance competition and her time to assistant teach and choreograph for multiple institutions. She has vast experience in teaching all formats of yoga and fitness classes to all ages and levels. She currently is teaching yoga and dance at various locations along with management, social media and quality control for various yoga studios. Courtney’s love for what she does reflects her honesty, compassion, kindness and creativity making her a vital part of the Naked Truth Yoga Inc. team. Courtney-E-RYT500

Sr.Lead Trainer

Laura Anne

Laura Newman grew up both athletic and artistic. She completed her diploma in fashion design through the University of the Fraser Valley, which led her to opening her own business creating custom pieces of clothing and accessories along with a natural talent for stained glass artwork. She started yoga over 10 years ago while staying consistent in physical fitness and the arts. While pursuing a career in design, she took up a position in sales. She spent the next four years working hard in a physically demanding industry before deciding it was time to shift gears into teaching. Laura attended a deep stretch class with a friend who was a graduated instructor through Naked Truth. Over the next year, intrigued with her experience, she signed up, completing her certifications in the 200-hour Yoga training and Barred and Banned courses. She found herself a new passion, drawn to assisting others in their journey of development as well as teaching her own classes. Laura continuously radiates a positive light entering a room with an exceptionally witty personality. She is a determined, intelligent, inspirational individual with numerous years of fitness experience, which have all contributed towards her integral part of the training team. Laura-E-RYT500

Sr.Lead Trainer

Brandy Lee-Ann

Brandy Ripolo completed her secondary schooling at Tempelton in Vancouver, BC. Once graduated she worked in the food industry and janitorial work and quickly decided she was not satisfied with this so she created a list of things she wanted to try for 30 days and if she didn’t like it she was moving on. Yoga was the first on her list and from there she never looked back. Brandy was diagnosed with a blood disorder called ITP (idiopathic thrombocytopenia) in 2003. This condition causes her to bruise and bleed easier then others due to the low level of platelets in the body. During the next 11 years Brandy spent time in and out of the hospital trying to find stability in her health condition. After completing the Naked Truth Training course, she began teaching in the infrared and began seeing a positive change in her health. Since then her platelet levels continued to increase and now they are virtually normal. Her experience with a condition that can limit energy did not stop her. She was inspired to get well and thrive in her new career. Brandy also has a background in dance and brings this creativity to her classes as well. Brandy has experience teaching yoga and fitness to a wide variety of clients. She teaches in and out of the heat to all ages and levels (EA sports) and while not teaching she enjoys reading, fencing and knitting. Currently Brandy teaches yoga full time at multiple yoga locations and assists with teacher trainings. She participates in volunteer work with Make a Wish Foundation and she will be repelling down a building to raise funds for this foundation in the summer. Brandy’s perseverance and passion for life has made her the strong, thoughtful, sincere, risk taking individual she is today and we are thrilled to have such an amazing women part of our Naked Truth Yoga Inc. team. Brandy-E-RYT500

BioFunctional Anatomy & Physiology Instructor

Rosaline Madhavan

Rosaline is a yoga instructor, both online and off, and has spent many years in the field of health and wellness. She has completed her medical degree and plans to pursue a career in family medicine. Her extensive background in medicine and expertise in yoga, fitness and wellness have allowed her to blend the most relevant aspects of science and yoga into simple, practical and indispensable information to enable students the ability to learn the fundamentals of Biofunctional Anatomy and Physiology. Rosaline’s yoga journey began while she was in University in Kamloops, BC, and has shifted through many provinces and states while she studied abroad. She has a diverse teaching history including, sport specific yoga with athletes, trauma informed in recovery homes, work place employees, yoga studios (Canada, USA), and kids yoga (ages 4-16). Additionally, Rosaline teaches First Aid, and has added her twists to integrate yoga scenarios to enable instructors to have a fun and safe learning environment for saving lives. Throughout her many years of study, she has always remained committed to training the mind and body. Her passion for medicine and yoga has led to her many accomplishments thus far, and to her medical thesis: The benefits of Yoga on Pain Reduction. She has a strong dedication to providing community wellness though yoga, and plans to continue to bring this light into her career as a physician.

Lead Trainer

Tamara Simpson

Tamara grew up playing sports and yoga was a big part to balancing that out. For several years she took a hiatus till she started long distance running. She originally pursued a career in marketing but then fell back in love with yoga while taking classes at Oxygen Yoga New Westminster as cross training for an upcoming Half Marathon. She loved it so much she took the 200hr Naked Truth Yoga Teacher Training. She transitioned from full time marketing gal to having the opportunity to move across the country to Toronto to teach full time at various Oxygens (and has since come back to BC). Tamara is a certified Yoga instructor, Box Fuse and Barred and Banned Method trained through Naked Truth Yoga Inc. and is a certified Personal Trainer through ACE. As an instructor It’s her hope to create a space for people to let go and have fun - laugh a lot - and feel like they can make the strongest choices to better themselves and feeling better than when they first walked into the studio. Tamara-E-RYT200

Instructor(s)

Lead Trainer

Chelsey Hughes

Chelsey began her yoga journey in 2014 and quickly fell in love with the practice. The following year, she discovered Oxygen Yoga & Fitness New Westminster. For Chelsey, this studio wasn't merely a place for practice; it became her sanctuary. It offered a judgement-free zone where she could leave all her “stuff” at the door and de-stress. Over the years, she has dedicated more than 500 hours to her personal practice in this studio alone, consistently returning because of the compelling sense of community it fostered. The shared experience of a class held a profound beauty for her, as it allowed everyone to stay present together. In 2018, following a deep and enlightening journey, Chelsey earned her 200hr YTT certification through Naked Truth Yoga. Soon after completing her training, she had the privilege of shadowing and later assisting in the training of future yoga instructors. As she ventured into teaching, Chelsey was driven by a clear purpose: to echo the comfort and solace her own instructors had provided for her. She aimed to create a setting where individuals could set aside their judgements, expectations, and endless tasks, creating a refuge for pure existence. With the rise of virtual classes and trainings, she has strived to encapsulate that same sense of unity and presence. Chelsey is a firm believer in the transformative potential of genuine relationships, viewing them as pathways for love and understanding—something that is crucial in today's ever-evolving world. Parallel to her yoga journey, Chelsey is also pursuing an education in the field of counselling. She harbours a profound passion for helping others, which is fortified by her fascination with the mind-body connection. Every interaction, piece of guidance, and lesson she imparts is deeply influenced by this passion, fuelling her aspiration to nurture and elevate those in her community. Chelsey-E-RYT200

Lead Trainer

Stephanie Aubé

Stephanie is a 500-hour E-RYT and certified fitness instructor with over a thousand hours of training, including advanced certifications in meditation, pranayama, adaptive yoga, and Ayurvedic yoga. She began her yoga practice in 2008, drawn to its transformative blend of mindful movement, breathwork, and philosophy. Her journey led her to complete a 200-hour YTT at a local studio in Whitby, Ontario, followed by a 300-hour YTT with the Kripalu School of Yoga, where she deepened her knowledge of yoga philosophy and holistic practices. As a dedicated instructor with a passion for wellness, Stephanie teaches group yoga and fusion classes. Her fusion classes are fun, energetic, and challenge students to ignite their inner fire. Stephanie is driven by her belief in the transformative power of yoga. She encourages her students to connect with their breath, embrace mindfulness, and find balance—both on and off the mat. Stephanie-E-RYT 500

Lead Trainer

Gillian Myers

Gillian grew up in Montreal as a singer and actor, performing in professional musical theatre productions from the age of eight. She continued on in the performing arts working in voice-over, film, television, theatre and music before going on to study fine arts at the University of Toronto, and completing her Masters in Art History at York University. While working in galleries and auction houses in Toronto, Gillian craved a new outlet to balance work, and motherhood. Having also been an avid runner, Gillian needed a lower impact form of exercise in her routine. After attending her first heated yoga class, her love for the practice took off. The challenge of mind and body, the beauty and fluidity of the movement, and the peaceful energy of yoga became an integral part of her life. After Gillian completed her 200 hr ytt she began teaching - combining love of movement, music, and performance. Not long after teaching for oxygen full time, Gillian joined the Naked Truth Training Team and feels truly blessed to be able to combine her passion for yoga and fitness, with the joy of guiding others through the transformative journey of becoming a yoga instructor. When Gillian is not in the studio teaching, or training, she is spending time with her family, hitting the trails her dog, listening to music and making playlists for classes. She loves that the study and practice of yoga is endless - always more to learn and opportunity to grow. Gillian-E-RYT500

Instructor(s)

Lead Trainer

Taylor St.Amour

Taylor has always appreciated an emphasis on physical activity, belonging to various team sports and being a gymnast from a very young age into her teenage years. As she prepared to go onto college for an education in Visual and Creative Arts, teams and organized sports took a backseat to drama and art. Shortly after graduation Taylor began her yoga practice. Initially yoga was a way for Taylor to focus on herself, move her body and gain some peace of mind. Quickly, it led to so much more. In 2017 Taylor completed her first 200-hour yoga teacher training program. She began teaching part time and was lit up with the opportunity to share her experiences. In 2020 the search for knowledge continued when she completed a 50-hour yin yoga course. After working many years flexing her creativity as a Visual Merchandiser, Taylor is now a full-time yoga teacher. The fulfilling work of adding movement to people’s lives is a small piece of enjoyment for Taylor. Her favourite part is witnessing breakthroughs, holding space for others and watching students transform. Her passion for the practice and the community it creates continues to give her a sense of purpose and belonging. She is honoured to join the training team for Naked Truth and help others along their journey of growth and development. Taylor-E-RYT200

Lead Trainer

Bailey Cooper

Bailey took the leap from the corporate world into being a full time yogi and fitness instructor in November of 2022 and never looked back. She brings 10 years of yoga teaching and 2 years of Oxygen Yoga & Fitness training to her role at Naked Truth Yoga Inc. Bailey has her 200hr with Naked Truth Yoga, 200hr in Ashtanga Yoga, 30hr in Mobility & Movement Mechanics and her PT Certification with ISSA. She is always interested in adding to her qualifications and learning is part of her journey as an instructor and student. Bailey has a passion for mobility work and corrective exercise and comes from an RAD based dance background which led her into the world of fitness and yoga. She has committed her time and efforts to making a career of instructing, guiding and teaching others in her journey with Oxygen Yoga & Fitness and the training team at Naked Truth Yoga Inc. Bailey-E-RYT 200

Lead Trainer

Sonja Holgersen

Sonja was born and raised in Maple Ridge BC, and comes from a background in competitive dance growing up. This love for movement quickly shifted when graduating high school to a deep love for Yoga & Fitness. Her sister became an instructor with Samara and Marilyn in the early days of Naked Truth Yoga Inc’s 200 Hr Yoga Teacher Training (YTT). Sonja was quickly inspired to apply to work at the front desk for Oxygen Yoga & Fitness (OYF) Maple Ridge while going to Capilano University for a Diploma of Acting for Stage and Screen. Absolutely loving everything about the OYF classes and experience, she knew she would become an instructor someday. While managing the OYF Port Moody studio through the summer of 2017, she became an instructor through our Naked Truth 200 Hr YTT. Her experience with acting and dancing prepared her to excel through her YTT program. Since then, she has taught over 1500 classes for various OYF locations, and brings her compassionate personality to every class. Sonja cares deeply for the experience of each member, and wishes to share her love of movement and mindfulness with everyone she teaches. She started managing the Maple Ridge location in 2019, and took on the role of lead instructor within the studio, supporting new instructors joining our team to ensure a smooth welcome process. She officially started shadowing with the lead training team in September of 2023, and absolutely loves supporting and teaching all students of the programs we offer. She continues to grow her knowledge by beginning school for Registered Massage Therapy in 2025. Sonja-E-RYT 200

Testimonials

Melissa Birnie

I have endless gratitude to the NTY team, Samara, Andie, Courtney, Laura and Rosie for guiding me through this journey and providing me with the tools, knowledge and awareness I need to confidently build and maintain my prospective yoga career! Not only do they focus on the fundamentals of yoga, alignment and asanas, you get an in-depth awareness of “off-mat” practices or tools that will effortlessly weave into your everyday life creating more self-awareness and increased mind-body connection. This course helps bring awareness inward and give you insight to areas you were not even aware needed some maintenance. They have a unique way of formatting the course content so you are able to retain the information without the dooming feeling of being overwhelmed or defeated. They have a seamless way of making you feel supported yet challenged, they are approachable and always available. The online platform allows for quick communication and the work-load is completely manageable even while working full-time. I am hopeful for my future as I know the skills and abilities I gained in the last few months not only will be the best start to curating the career and life I wish to lead, it has also added value to my everyday well-being and mindset. Happy to have found my Yogi family, Namaste

Alexyn Ward

I can’t believe that I just finished my 200 hour yoga course. I want to start off by thanking all the lead trainers from Naked Truth Yoga for helping me learn along the way. They helped me learn, grow and succeed all throughout the course. As a 16 year old I would never imagined in my whole life that I would have completed my yoga teaching certification before I graduated high school! This course has taught me so much about myself that I never knew was possible. However, overall it helped me grow as an individual and be the best person I can be. As I look back on the many months of hard work and dedication I am so grateful I took the leap of faith and pushed myself to do the course. A few years ago I knew I wanted to be a yoga instructor helping people and building relationships within the yoga community, and now I can’t wait to start that journey as a yoga instructor!

Lisa Dawn

I had the absolute best experience training with Naked Truth Yoga Inc. Not only are these ladies extremely knowledgeable and professional, they are very personable and make the entire training exciting and fun. I am so happy that I chose to do this for myself. It has helped me greatly, internally and I have gained so much knowledge. I can not wait to continue to grow and share my passion with others. I can not thank these ladies enough for all they have done and continue to do. I recommend this to absolutely everyone, no matter how far you may be in your yoga journey. I have taken away so much more than I could have ever imagined. Thank you!

Kelsey McLean

I just received my certificate and wanted to take a minute to thank each and every one of you. This experience has been amazing and I feel so grateful that I got to know you all near and far. The Naked Truth team is the absolute best and I couldn’t be happier to have chosen this course. I’ve been a stay at home mom for 14 years and this is the first thing I’ve done for myself and it’s been challenging in the best way possible. I feel proud and ready to go begin the journey of teaching and continuing to learn and grow. Thank you so much!

Danica Rae

In taking the Naked Truth Yoga Inc. teacher training I learned so much about myself that I could have never imagined. It is so much more than learning about yoga asanas and teaching, you also discover a remarkable amount about your mind, body and soul along the journey. Before taking the course I was nervous to talk in front of a group, and throughout this training not only did I become more comfortable speaking but my all around confidence also began to grow. I had been pushed both physically and mentally to be the best version of myself throughout the training. I am amazed within myself at how far I have come and the things I have accomplished. I can easily say that taking this training was the best decision I have ever made for myself. Thank you Naked Truth Yoga Inc. for changing my life for the better, and for your ongoing support and love!

Kelly Ranford

Naked Truth Yoga Inc. Teacher Training helped me to recognize the limits that I was placing upon myself that were preventing me to push through a plateau, both in my fitness and my general well-being!! Marilyn, Samara, and the other trainers have perfected the perfect balance between high expectation and unconditional encouragement. The process that they have created allowed me to recognize that although I have worked hard to be physically fit and completed two master’s degrees, I have only really worked hard at the things in my life that I am already good at. Naked Truth Training provided an atmosphere that required me to be vulnerable enough to expose those areas of my life and practice that required significantly more attention and take a chance that I would fail before achieving success, scary but one of the most truly authentic growth experiences of my life!!!

Rick Halliburn

From a guys perspective. It’s not hard to see how much work went into the development of this course. Don’t think there are a lot of people out there capable of creating such a journey for the human mind, body and soul. Not to mention the team of instructors that go above and beyond the call of duty to help you achieve success. Every time I felt myself starting to fail one of them would come to my rescue. An extremely challenging and life changing course. Learned a lot about myself. Highly recommend it.

Karen Peterson

I would like to write a few words to describe my journey with Naked Truth Yoga Inc. Teacher Training. I came to the training completely and totally afraid, full of self doubt and low self-esteem. I came because I fell in love with yoga in a treatment center where I was recovering from years of addiction and alcoholism. I live in a rural remote community outside of 100 mile house where yoga is obsolete, so I thought how wonderful it would be to bring yoga to my community. That being said I chose Naked Truth because of the testimonies I had read. I wanted what these people were describing. Well I got it and so much more. Never had I imagined that a 30 day program could have the affect on me it did. During the training I was broken wide open and shattered to smithereens exposing all of my deepest fears of failure then lovingly rebuilt from the ground up. My entire inner being emerged like a caterpillar finally receiving it’s wings. The support, knowledge, exquisite, intuitive guidance I recieved from the Naked Truth Instructors was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. They pushed me past my self made limitations through their unparalleled expertise. We became a family, I became strong mentally and physically. This training was the greatest desicion of my life next to getting clean and sober 4 years ago. I will never be the same and for that I am grateful. There is something magical that takes place in the training like a transformational miracle implodes upon you. Samara and Marilyn are absolute gifts to the yoga and fitness world and if it was up to me I’d do it again and again just to be in their presence. Namaste. – In love and service