What My Clients Say

From My Private Clients…

“Doing Somatic yoga with Alana has allowed me to dare to physically challenge my body again. Her gentle, non-judgemental teachings have helped me start moving in ways in which I haven’t moved for a long time.  I have more of a sense of ease and less pain with daily activities.
Somatic yoga has also helped with core strength. Engaging my core comes more naturally when I am working out or doing recreational sports. I feel much stronger and more fit. I recently completed a 23 km hike in the mountains without injury, and I credit this to what I have learned from Alana. Thanks Alana!” — Maggie

“When you live with pain for so long, you forget what it is like to live without it. You don’t realize the restrictions that come little by little. You don’t notice the things you have to give up bit by bit. But when the pain is finally gone, you are free of so many things – limited mobility, exhaustion, worry. You get the life back you didn’t realize you lost.” — Brenda

“Meeting Alana and being introduced to Somatics has been a turning point in my life. Because I have a number of chronic conditions including arthritis and scoliosis I had lost agility and flexibility. Finding an exercise program that worked for me, that actually helped rather than make things worse, generating more pain and discomfort was difficult.   However, Alana’s wonderful way of teaching movements, her kindness and understanding have allowed me to improve so very very much.
I am now able to use muscles and move specific joints independently. What a wonderful feeling of freedom. Plus a great boost to ones self confidence. Thanks Alana for everything.” — Gloria

“Thank you thank you!  I have to tell you, I found myself in spontaneous fits of laughter throughout the day yesterday and even into the night–gleeful that the pain was all but gone.   Today, yes, I seem a wee bit stiff. . . . but, believe me, that’s nothing!” — Diana

“I was diagnosed with a genetic abnormality in the right hip. This disability caused even periods of inactivity to become unbearable. Sitting in a vehicle, or at my desk and in the end even sleep became impossible due to pain.
I had been seeing “experts” for treatment of my physical issues. Sports medicine doctors, physiotherapists. Even a published practitioner who specialized in hip disorders and injuries.   Narcotics and ant-inflammatory medications, both topical and oral were prescribed with little effect.
Alana explained to me what she would do to help to treat my injury. I was desperate to try anything, as at the time, I had no idea when my surgery would take place.
I found Alana to be a genuine, kind, and well-spoken lady. More importantly, however, is her impressive knowledge and ability to assess where and how my body mechanic issues as a whole and not only my hip was affecting me.
After the initial session with Alana, my wife was waiting for me. She could tell immediately, by the way I walked towards the vehicle, that my gait and body mechanics appeared to be normal. I certainly felt less pain as well.
I believe seeing Alana before and after my surgery enabled me to recover quickly and lessen the amount of pain medications I needed to take. Also, it gave me a head start to begin the road back to becoming an active person again.
I do feel great now and I have Alana to thank for my state of wellbeing.” – Ken

“I am an 82 year old man who recently experienced aortic valve replacement heart surgery. After the surgery I was having difficulty breathing due to fluid on my right lung and I had a problem keeping my balance. I have been working with Alana and practicing Somatic Movements and have found a new sense of being! My breathing has improved and I am less short of breath after walking each day. My balance has improved and I can now bend over to tie my shoes. Also, my friends at floor curling have been amazed by my recovery and ability to play three games twice a week only three months after surgery. I practice Somatic Movements every second afternoon and am feeling much better. Thank you, Alana!” — Al

“On Alana’s advice I have incorporated Somatics into my daily yoga practice. In addition to having lupus, I also have scoliosis so daily yoga plays a vital role in my well-being. With the addition of Somatics I have noticed that I am less stiff upon waking in the morning, my body is more open when practicing a number of yoga postures, and I am experiencing less discomfort in my lower back on a daily basis. I look forward to continuing my body’s re-awakening with a regular Somatics practice.” — Megan

“When I began the sessions, I was experiencing shoulder and neck pain, uneven shoulder posture, and hip pain. Although I have previously had some relaxation success with classroom yoga sessions, I was hoping that Alana could work with me to design a more personalized program – something that I could do at my own pace, on my own schedule, at home. I was also hoping that she could suggest some techniques that would adjust each pose for my individual body type (unstable hips and elbows that tend to hyper-extend in many poses – issues that have not previously been addressed in other classroom sessions) as well as my own personality (a high strung “type-A” that tends to push through poses rather than allowing my body to relax into them). Alana has met all of these requests and exceeded my expectations on many fronts.”— Leah

“I have found this form of yoga to be both unique and powerful. Having been injured long ago, I was in a place where I was not aware of what my body was telling me, and even when I was aware, I lacked the necessary tools to address my body’s needs. Through Alana’s teaching, I have become more aware of my experience, have found a new understanding of the purpose within yoga and have seen an increase in strength and resiliency in my neck, shoulders and core areas due to the targeted – and often modified – moves Alana guides me through.” — Michelle

“For me, the benefits of this yoga instruction are many. The physical benefits include feeling much more relaxed and having better posture after my hour with Alana. I have been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and personally know that yoga is a practice that I should commit more time to. Each week my instruction is catered specifically to any symptoms I may be experiencing whether related to MS or not. I personally feel lucky to have private instruction where the focus is about what “I” may need at that particular time. I feel fortunate to have Alana on my side of personal well being.” — Julie

“I live with a number of health issues including Fibromyalgia, Myofascial Disease, Osteoarthritis in most of my joints and Chronic Pain from these and other issues. My body feels like an enemy I have to fight day after day, and I was desperate to find something … anything, that would help my body physically as well as provide me with an outlet for stress. Thankfully, I was introduced to Alana Burton and Yoga Evolution through a mutual friend and I immediately knew this was the therapy I was looking for. Alana has a generous spirit, a positive attitude and a gentle approach to helping the body heal through therapeutic yoga. By customizing each pose and exercise, Alana makes sure that I am getting exactly what my body needs.” — Pamela

From the World’s Longest Hockey Game – Hockey Marathon for Kids…

“I want to thank Alana Burton in providing myself & many other team mates her Therapeutic Yoga. I found the yoga nicely complemented the massage, physio and chiropractic therapies I was also being treated with. Therapeutic Yoga played a key role in my success to not only complete the World’s Longest Hockey game but contributed greatly for avoiding injury by balancing my body and helping me wind down so that I could maximize my very short rest periods. Thanks for being part of our team Alana.”  — Dean

“The hockey marathon took a huge toll on our bodies and I’m quite serious when I say I wouldn’t have been able to do it without your help. I appreciate your time everyday during the event and want to thank you for all your help. I remember how sore I was walking into some of your classes between our 4 hour hockey shifts, I was having difficulty walking up the stairs to your room, and after doing some yoga with you for a short 1/2 hr I was able to walk normally again. Obviously you were unable to come to the rink during those middle of the night breaks and I was able to do some of the stretches that you taught us. Since the event I have been doing a lot of the breathing exercises to help me with my sore muscles and to help me get to sleep. There is no way that a group of 40 guys would be able to play hockey for 246 hours without the help of our volunteers like yourself. Thank you so much! ” — Kyle

“I just got out of Yoga class and I feel absolutely amazing!  I highly recommend everyone to do it after or before a game as it really helps relax those aching muscles” — Oscar

From My Horseback Riding Clients …

“I met Alana about 10 years ago where we both board our horses. I was out riding several hours with the group when my leg kept cramping up. Alana came up to me, asked me to get off my horse & taught me how to breathe my way through a cramp getting it to release faster by relaxing my breathing which relaxed my body, which released the cramp. I couldn’t believe it but took the practice with me & used it more times than I can say. I have used it each time I have come off my horse, when I am nervous, when I can’t get to sleep, for relaxing sore muscles, etc. I obviously loved this idea & began to explore it further with Alana. I am now a regular in her Soma Yoga classes & the balance within my body has improved so much. She has taught me how to observe my body & how to give it what it needs – maybe it’s my back or my hips, shoulders or even my jaw that needs attention & I now can recognize this & am constantly learning different ways to release tension in areas of my body through working with her. She is so easy to follow & understand. She will always take time to explain things & introduce new ideas which might work for you personally. This is a practice anyone can do and your body will thank you. Thank you Alana. I am so glad I found you!” — Melodie