Rena Wren, YACEP, E-RYT 500, RPYT

Hello! I am Rena Wren and I founded Empowered Yoga Teaching to provide continuing education and support for yoga teachers.

My focus is empowering yoga teachers to find their voice and to teach authentically with confidence and heart. I currently offer prenatal yoga teacher training through MamaNurture, yin yoga training, and yoga teacher mentoring on a wide range of topics as well as workshops, retreats, and online courses.

I began practicing yoga many years ago after spending most of my youth participating in athletics, cheer, dance, music, and theater. Because yoga brought such profound balance and peace to my life, I yearned to learn more.

After meeting and spending time with Courtney Butler-Robinson, I completed my 200- and 300-hour yoga teacher training with her and became a lead teacher in her teacher training programs.

On a personal note, I am married to my best friend and bandmate, Rodg. We enjoy hiking and playing music together. I also enjoy spending time with my daughter and her little family, including my sweet granddaughter, Harper. I am also a singer/songwriter, attorney, and personal branding and social media mentor.

Shannon Crow, E-RYT 500, RPYT, CCYT, CTYMP

Hi MamaNurture friend,

I’m Shannon Crow, co-founder of the MamaNurture Prenatal Yoga School and lead trainer.

I believe that we all have our own unique expression of yoga and that it evolves over time. I also believe that yoga teachers are making a huge difference in the world, one student at a time.

When my three kids were little, yoga kept me going through the loads of laundry and lack of sleep. It was my time to connect back to me. I suffered with postpartum depression as a new Mom and yoga offered time for ‘me’.

My favourite work now is helping yoga teachers to share the yoga that lights them up. I do this as the host of The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast, and as a consultant and a trainer for yoga teachers.

I lead two trainings: Yoga for Pelvic Health and our MamaNurture RPYT (Registered Prenatal Yoga Teacher) training.

In my spare time, I like to hike with my partner Shawn, hang out with my three kids (who are now in their teens and 20s), garden, travel and connect with friends (on Instagram, Facebook and in person).

Kim MacDonald-Heilandt, E-RYT, CPYT, CCYT

Hi! I am Kim MacDonald-Heilandt co-founder and trainer of the MamaNurture Prenatal Yoga School. I am a mother, teacher, and co-owner and director of Gibbons Park Montessori School as well as founder of One Breath Yoga and Wellness.

I embarked on the life-changing goal of becoming a certified yoga teacher (with the DevaTree School of Yoga) soon after (8 weeks to be exact) the birth of my second child. I then completed the Mindful Mamas Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training with Laurel Hicks, as well as HeartRise Yoga for Children teacher training.

My passion is supporting women and their partners through pregnancy and childbirth and I love the creative energy and community that teaching prenatal yoga offers. I truly believe that it is through acceptance and positivity that women can find their strength and power in birth. I found yoga’s true bliss while pregnant with my first child, and am now so thrilled to be able to share my knowledge and passion with teachers and moms-to-be!

I believe that yoga – especially prenatal yoga – should be joyful and fun and I bring this humour and playfulness to my classes!  We need to be able to laugh through this amazing (but sometimes emotional and challenging) time in life!  I have a profound belief in the strength of every woman and compassion for the changes pregnancy brings both emotionally and physically and this is the foundation for my challenging yet nurturing yoga experiences.