Once Jonalyn Lavarias escaped an abusive relationship, she spent a month in a shelter for survivors of domestic violence. She found grounding and healing in her own yoga practice and used her experience as a yoga instructor to help other survivors.

Jonalyn Lavarias is a Filipino-American who grew up in Eagle River, Alaska. She has a BBA in Finance from the University of Alaska Anchorage and worked in accounting for 11 years in the oil industry, healthcare and non-profit businesses. She also worked on a commercial fishing vessel and for a hunting guide company for six years. In 2017, she drove her truck south to the Lower 48 on a solo road trip, making her way to the East Coast. She is a Certified Yoga Instructor and a survivor of domestic violence with a mission to help people heal. She currently teaches Trauma Sensitive Yoga to the Savannah, Georgia community at local high schools, women’s shelters and hospice facilities.