OWNER & FOUNDER
E-RYT-Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher, 500+ Teaching Hours

RYT 200-Hour Trauma-Informed Certification

C-RYT 90-Hour YogaCalm for Children Certification

Sarah founded MindfulWorks in 2019 with a mission to make yoga and mindfulness accessible to all children. As both an educator and lifelong student of yoga, Sarah began integrating mindful movement and breathing into her classroom long before it became her full-time work.

Her personal yoga journey began in 2010. Sarah earned her teaching certifications in Taiwan, India, and Portland, receiving training in trauma-informed yoga, children's yoga, and traditional classroom education.

Sarah has taught students from preschool through high school in a wide range of settings, including Montessori schools, public and private schools, after-school programs, retreats, yoga studios, and childcare centers.

She sees this work as part of her yogic path and service to others, and she remains committed to growing a more mindful, equitable, and connected world.

SUBSTITUTE

Working with children has been a constant passion in my life. As a nanny, swim instructor, and through early education models, I discovered that I had as much to learn from children as they had to learn from me. The curiosity, willingness to learn, and unapologetic expressions that come so naturally to young children are so inspiring, and something I hope to nurture and encourage as much as possible. 

Discovered casually as a child, I initially appreciated yoga for the playful exploration of movement and strength. As my practice strengthened, I developed a deeper understanding of the true essence of yoga- the union of mind, body, and spirit. The idea of bringing these two passions of childcare and yoga together into one synergistic practice genuinely excites the child within me.

I believe yoga can be such a wonderful tool for children, not only as a form of movement, but as a way to build confidence, mindfulness, and body awareness. I’m excited to create an environment that feels playful and welcoming, while also giving children a safe space to move, breathe, and explore. It brings me joy to share the gift of yoga with the limitless and impressionable minds of the next generation!

SUBSTITUTE

RYT 200-Hour Registered Yoga Teacher

Sarena was first introduced to yoga at 10 years old, and it has found her again and again ever since. At 18 years old, she completed her 200-hour CYT-200 in California.

Sarena has 10+ years of experience with children across many different settings—preschools, SPED classrooms, summer camps, as a nanny, tutor, and social worker.

It only made sense for her to combine her love of children with yoga. She now teaches Kids Yoga classes throughout Portland, both in schools and studio spaces.

In her classes, Sarena strives to cultivate connection. In college, she completed a thesis on the importance of familial support networks, and feels that group yoga classes can be a powerful tool for children to build social-emotional foundations which in turn promote strong support networks.

Sarena loves the reciprocal nature of Yoga, and believes that she learns just as much from the children in her yoga classes as they do from her. Her intention in teaching kids yoga is to plant seeds for children to come back to, water, and feel bloom throughout different stages of their life.

SUBSTITUTE

RYT 200-Hour Registered Yoga Teacher

95-hour Radiant Child® Children’s Yoga

45-hour Yogiños Yoga for Youth (Yoga in Schools)

Molli is a children’s yoga and mindfulness teacher whose work is rooted in connection, healing, and deep nervous system support. With over a decade of experiencesharing yoga in studios, schools, and community spaces, Molli is passionate about creating playful, heart-centered practices that help children feel safe, seen, and empowered.

Molli offers classes that weave movement, breath, and mindfulness into engaging experiences that nurture self-awareness, emotional regulation, and a sense of belonging.

Her teaching style is trauma-informed, inclusive, and grounded in mindfulness, making her classes accessible and supportive for children of all ages and abilities. Molli has guided yoga and mindfulness in classrooms, after-school programs, and community groups, helping kids discover the calming and empowering tools that yoga provides.

When she’s not teaching, you’ll often find Molli with her family, near trees or water, soaking up the quiet beauty of the Pacific Northwest.

SUBSTITUTE

RYT 200-Hour Registered Yoga Teacher

Yoga has transformed Larisa’s relationship with herself from judgment to compassion, from rushing to slowing down, from holding on to letting go. This shift has inspired her to share the same tools of presence and possibility with children, meeting them where they are and helping them discover their own inner calm and strength.

Growing up, Larisa witnessed the power of yoga firsthand through her father’s practice. She learned early how breath and movement connect the mind, body, and spirit, and she carries that wisdom into her work with young people. Yoga has been a steady thread throughout her life, and as her understanding deepened, so did her recognition that yoga is not one-size-fits-all—it adapts to each stage of life and to every child’s unique needs.

In 2020, while teaching in a K–5 Special Education classroom, Larisa began weaving mindfulness, breathwork, and movement into the school day. She quickly saw how these practices helped children regulate emotions, focus their attention, and experience joy in their bodies. The experience confirmed her calling: to bring yoga into the lives of children in ways that are accessible, engaging, and healing.

In 2024, Larisa became a Trauma-Informed, Brain-Sensitive (TIBS) Amrita Yoga Instructor and is continuing her studies to become a Yoga Therapist. She integrates Ayurveda, physical therapy, neuroscience, yoga philosophy, psychology, pranayama, and mindfulness into her teaching. Upon meeting Sarah and learning about MindfulWorks, Larisa felt an immediate connection to the shared mission of making yoga an empowering and supportive part of children’s lives in schools.

SUBSTITUTE

RYT 200-Hour Vinyasa-Ashtanga

My personal yoga journey began with a college yoga class, taken to balance out an otherwise stressful class schedule. What I didn’t know at the time was that decision would begin a lifelong commitment to the practice of yoga, a way to ground and return to self while quieting my mind. Yoga is so much more than the movement practice. It has been a truly healing tool for me to use both on and off the mat. 

I knew early into my yoga journey that I wanted to be a teacher and received my 200-Hour Vinyasa-Ashtanga YTT in April 2025. Since then, I have been weaving yoga into my environmental education work. I have taught preschool to high school students in outdoor settings for over 5 years and have been integrating mindfulness, breathwork, and yoga into my lessons more frequently. My work is rooted in creating an inviting and accessible practice where students of all ages and experiences are excited to move mindfully, with the goal that they use what they’ve learned to heal themselves and others. 

I’m so honored to share the gift of yoga with youth!