RASHEED SLUSHER 2023-2024

Enrolling in Kristen McQuaide's 200 Hour Yoga Teacher training was a decision I made with enthusiasm, driven by a desire to delve into the depths of what yoga truly embodies. Prior to this experience, I had encountered glimpses of yoga's potential for personal evolution, but I did not truly know how metamorphic this journey would be over the course of eight months.

 A guru is a dispeller of darkness, one who helps us to see things with clarity, as they are. Kristen embodies a luminosity that not only dispels darkness, but illuminates the path for her students. Her guidance is not merely instructional but serves as a beacon of inspiration, igniting within us the confidence to navigate the school of life as our own teachers.

 Through this training, I unearthed a profound understanding of yoga that transcends the asana practice, allowing me to weave yoga's timeless principles into the fabric of my daily existence. This has enabled me to foster a deeper connection with myself and life. With clarity, I now stand empowered to consciously shape the reality I wish to live in.

 Kristen's wisdom has equipped me with the tools to traverse life's complexities with grace and authenticity. I am immensely grateful for the privilege of learning under her tutelage, for she has been instrumental in my evolution as both a yogi and a human being. If you wish to embark on a journey of self-exploration, there’s no better training I’d recommend.

HANNAH BOLAND 2023-20234

Embarking on my journey through yoga teacher training with Kristen McQuaide ERYT-500 was nothing short of transformative. With each pose, breath, and moment of introspection, I dove deeper into my own potential and purpose. Through the continued encouragement to dedicate and persevere that was provided by Kristen McQuaide ERYT-500 and my entire YTT family, I’ve not only honed my skills as a new yoga teacher but also unearthed a profound sense of inner peace and strength. My journey is a testament to the power of resilience and the boundless possibilities that unfold when one commits to their own personal growth and development. As I step into the role of a teacher, I feel confident in my ability to guide others along their own path of self-discovery, reminding them that within every movement lies the opportunity for transformation and enlightenment. My dedication to this practice that has been developed through the YTT program is a beacon of light, illuminating the way for others to find their own balance, strength, and inner peace. I am eternally grateful to The Space Yoga Studio, Kristen McQuaide ERYT-500 and for the lifelong relationships that I have made because of this YTT program. 

ASHLEY BEDARD 2022-2023

My experience in yoga teacher training with Kristen McQuaide at The Space Yoga Studio in Visalia, CA was personally transformational. I found myself growing within many dimensions of myself. The change I experienced was not only on a physical level but also mental, emotional, and spiritual. I also started growing a new life (a baby!) three months into this training. I grew to be more open and accepting of others and, most importantly myself. Everything, including growth, starts from within. I learned to love the changes I saw in myself and my classmates from week to week and month to month. This shared experience truly created a community and bond among us. 

During this 8-month training (which flew by!) I experienced how to support my needs and my peers further. This was led by example and lead with love by the amazing Kristen McQuaide. A training is only as good as the instructor herself, and there’s no lacking when it comes to Kristen’s energies and abilities to bring yoga to life. The way she teaches is powerful yet gentle. Her strength was the first thing I recognized of her powers. Kristen also holds space for others, and it is immense. One of the biggest lessons I learned from her during yoga teacher training was how to support my space properly and my classmates in true balance. I am so grateful for this yoga teacher training and the role it has in my life. 

Thank You & With Love

YTT 2022 - 2023

Yoga teacher training at The Space Yoga
Studio had the most positive impact on my life. It completely changed my worldview and made me more patient, kind, and understanding not only with myself but with the world around me. I’ve had a personal practice for a little over 10 years and have had my eyes on The Space’s YTT for quite some time. 2023 felt like the right year to dive deeper into my yoga journey, and I am so glad I did!

Kristen McQuaide is full of love and respect for the yogic philosophy, and she brings that to her training. It’s more than a focus on asana, or yoga poses; it’s a dive inward to truly view the self and the world at large through the lens of yoga.

Kristen cultivates a space that is beyond the typical education setting in that she prioritizes community building above all else. My ability to learn was enhanced because of how close I became with my cohorts, and that closeness has remained after graduation!

To anyone who is on the fence about this training - as long as you come into it with an open heart and mind, I assure you’ll leave with an energetic cup that’s not only full but overflowing.

With love, Katelynn Grzybek

YTT 2022-2023

I started practicing yoga at The Space Yoga Studio about 10 years ago. At the time, I was teaching Pilates and still learning what yoga was all about, but I always knew I wanted to become a yoga instructor. For some reason (it was fear), I kept putting Yoga Teacher Training off until the next year or the next opportunity. Last year I finally decided to sign up for the 200 HR Yoga Teacher Training with Kristen McQuaide at The Space, and I was pretty excited and a little bit scared. I can tell you now that I wish I would have done it a long time ago. Not only did I learn a lot about yoga, poses, and properly sequencing a class, but I learned a lot about myself in the process. I think, and I hope, that it has changed me into a deeper and more gracious person.

Kristen is a phenomenal teacher/guru and friend. She has so much knowledge, but also, she has an absolute passion for yoga and for teaching, and when she shares her knowledge with you, you don’t just learn the basics; you learn the heart of yoga. I have learned that I will never stop learning, on or off the mat, and I’ve been shown that it’s okay to slow down and listen to what my breath is telling me, whether it be during a class I’m leading, a class I’m taking, or out in my everyday life off the mat.

YTT 2021 - 2022

Yoga Teacher Training at The Space made a profound impact in my life. The first time I attended a yoga class with Kristen McQuaide I was immediately hooked. After many years of practice, I felt a desire to learn more and complete YTT. However, there always seemed to be challenges that prevented me from taking the step. Once I did, I knew I made the right decision.

In YTT I gained a much deeper knowledge of yoga asana, philosophy, anatomy, and how to take yoga on and off the mat into my daily life. YTT was an opportunity for me to not only grow in my yoga practice, but also to reflect inward and challenge myself in all aspects of my life. The close bonds that were created with my fellow classmates, and the introspect that we learned from one another was invaluable. Kristen is a beautiful soul and incredible teacher. She has a wealth of knowledge to share and has created a beautiful community of love, acceptance, and inclusivity. 

My yoga practice and YTT has changed my life. I see the world through a new lens and apply the principles that I have learned in my daily life. Whether it is on the mat, in interactions with others, or in my relationship with myself. I have gained incredible knowledge, but I also realize that I have so much more to learn!

I highly recommend YTT at The Space with Kristen McQuaide! You will be challenged, you will grow, you will be transformed into your best self!

YTT 2021 - 2022

A desire to improve yourself through yoga is a part of incorrectly seeing yoga and yourself.   However, if you can already go about life without this desire, you might not need yoga in the first place.

I came to Kristen’s 200-hour YTT program for the exact purpose of improving myself.  To become the idealized yoga teacher I had created in my head.  I knew exactly what I wanted to get out of the program, and exactly who I wanted to become.  On reflecting on early notes, I can see from the beginning, I was challenged by a different experience than I had mentally prepared for- and rewarded with a deeper experience.  The internal change that I went through could be described as improvement, but here I am today, with just as much room to grow yet much more capable to sit within the current moment.  While new lofty goals replace the old- there lies a better understanding that the present moment has everything I need within it.  The change that occurs is due to the wonderful teacher Kristen McQuaide, your fellow teacher trainers, and yourself.  All together they give you the lived experience of yoga you will read about in the course.

If you’re interested in a 200-hour yoga teacher training for self-improvement - be it physical, mental, or spiritual, you will find it. But don’t close yourself off to everything else it has to offer. 

YTT 2021 - 2022

I started doing yoga when I was 14 because I wanted to get more flexible. I did at-home practice for about four years before I joined The Space Yoga Studio. I had taught small classes at my church and school, and I knew I wanted to become a certified Yoga Teacher, so I messaged The Space Yoga Studio about how to become certified. I think I only took one class there before I started my training. It did not take me long to fall in love with The Space and the community. I was very nervous to join because I was a little younger, but I felt (and still feel) the love and acceptance of the community of The Space. Kristen McQuaide was our instructor, and she is the stem of this loving community, and she has so much knowledge that she wants to share. I enjoyed learning from her, and I still look up to her. She has helped me find my teaching voice and she has taught me lessons I will take through the rest of my life.

This training has given me the knowledge to work with my problems in my classes and in my everyday life. It has made me more meditative and observant. It has also improved my home and studio practice. This Yoga Teacher Training has truly changed my life, from the people I’ve met, the confidence I have in teaching and life, and the information I have learned concerning the subtle and physical body.

I would recommend this training to anyone who is willing to be put on the path of transformation, into their greatest self.