Jamaica Yoga retreat

.Our retreat leader Juliana Olmstead is the owner and founder of Rhode Island Hot Yoga. She fell in love with the hot yoga practice during her first class 20 years ago, and eventually found that teaching yoga was her true passion – leaving behind her graduate engineering degree to pursue yoga full time! Her yoga teacher career took her all around the United States until she put down roots in Rhode Island and started a community in 2014. She is now the proud owner of two yoga studios plus a wellness center and has found a new passion for training and mentoring new teachers – but she still feels most at home when she’s leading a yoga class!

She began leading international yoga retreats in 2017 after having her own life-changing yoga retreat experience (pictured here in Costa Rica) and loves to create that same magical environment for others to find their own revelations and transformations. On this trip Juliana will be leading both Original Hot Yoga (26&2) and Yin Yoga classes, and will be available throughout the experience to help you enjoy your retreat journey.

HONORE FORD | Our retreat coordinator Honore Ford came to hot yoga practice for the first time in 2016 after a few years of consistent running. She was shocked when she couldn’t keep up with the class and quickly realized that the pranayama (breath-work) was not accessible. A visit to the ear-nose-and throat doctor revealed that one nostril passage was entirely blocked with cartilage and they surmised that she had never taken a full deep breath in her adult life. After corrective surgery, she dove into hot yoga practice 6x a week and felt phenomenal!

Those benefits inspired Honore to complete her initial 200 hour yoga teacher training, and she has continuously sought out and achieved new teaching certifications ever since. As a teacher, she uses clear, concise language to help students use their body and breath to maximum benefit. She loves deep diving into different musical genres to curate diverse playlists, and providing information/insight so folks can thrive!

KELLY MCCULLOUGH | Our final staff member Kelly McCullough is thrilled to be participating in her first yoga retreat! Kelly took her first hot yoga class while visiting her father and his wife in Atlanta GA in 2003. They had been practicing for a few months and she was stunned by how glowing, healthy and happy they looked. She joined them for a class and was instantly hooked.

Kelly has continued to practice consistently since that time and has been amazed by the transformations you see in yourself and others through consistent ongoing practice. She has been teaching since 2015 and brings a depth of specialized knowledge to her classes, leading our Original Hot Yoga classes, our Intermediate levels classes, and even 1-on-1 classes for our more advanced yoga students. She is honored and thrilled to be part of this trip.