Teachers
The teachers at Soul Dive are the heart and soul of the studio. We offer classes that reflect and celebrate our teacher’s diverse background of yoga styles. Our teachers bring a wealth of knowledge and individuality to their classes, providing a safe space for students to go with the flow on their mat. From powerful flows to restorative yin, our schedule reflects the expertise of our teachers and creates a balanced offering for our community.
Alex Sabbag, Founder, Soul Dive Yoga
For nearly 20 years Alex has explored a fickle relationship with yoga chalked full of frustration by the inability to contort her long body into pretzel-like shapes or touch her toes. It wasn’t until completing the Chicago Marathon in 2014 that Alex decided to give her joints a rest and offer yoga the lead role in her ever-evolving fitness routine. Finding her home at Bare Feet Power Yoga in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood, Alex traded strides for sun salutations and maintained a regular practice, considering yoga her primary form of exercise for the last five years. In the summer of 2018 everything changed and yoga’s higher power struck. The profound epiphany realized at some unidentified point during her time on her mat, Alex awoke to the fact that this was no longer an exercise hobby, this was a part of her soul. In search of why, she embarked upon her 200-hour teacher training under the leadership of Robin Samples and the team at Bare Feet.
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Alex believes yoga is a personal journey that has the power to heal and transform our lives. Alex’s classes are rooted in vinyasa, each flow encouraging students to tap into breath to confront challenges with ease and meet anxieties with grace.
Alex’s commitment to her students is that through the practice of yoga they will get stronger and more resilient, gain clarity and grow spirituality, and leave with the fulfilling notion that each and every one of them is exactly where they need to be.
Alex founded Soul Dive Yoga in 2022, her second entrepreneurial venture, in Palm Desert after nearly 18 years of city life in Chicago.
Leesann Shefa
Leesann’s interest in healing through movement began as a child who loved to dance and was able to overcame a life threatening heart condition. She earned a dual Bachelor of Arts Degree from Sonoma State University in Dance and Theatre, graduating with honors. She continued her education at Naropa Institute in Boulder, Colorado, focusing on Dance and Theatre as healing modalities. She has taught theatre and dance to all ages, creating original performance pieces for her students. She is an accredited Montessori teacher, and has shared her love of movement in the classroom with many students. L
Leesann began her dedicated Hatha Yoga practice in 2009. She became a certified Bikram Yoga teacher in the Spring of 2011.
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From 2013-16, she was fortunate to be able to represent the state of California at both the State and National level for USA Yoga, in the 50+years Masters Division. Her yoga journey continues to deepen and evolve. She is a student of Yin Yoga founders Paul and Suzee Grilley. Leesann has completed over 600 hours training with them in Yin Yoga and Meditation.She is also involved with Sarah Powers Insight Yoga Training Program. Additionally, Leesann holds a certification in Trauma-Informed Yoga with Hala Khouri, and Kyra Hagaland, as well as Uprising Yoga founder Jill Ippolito.
Leesann’s inspiration and joy comes from witnessing the expansion and healing of those around her. To better meet the needs of her students, Leesann continues to research the science of neuro-plasticity in relation to our brains and myofascial bodies. This exciting study holds profound implications for our health as well as a re-definition of the aging process. This passion has led her to create Ahvana Blue Yoga, a program dedicated to healing and growth through yoga, nurturing the integration of the mind/body connection in the aftermath of traumatic experience. She looks forward to sharing this yoga journey with you, namaste!
Jessica Pauley
A southern California native, Jessica has always had a connection to spirituality, music and movement. Her early dance experience taught her the importance of stretching and opening up the body, along with a strong foundation in moving with grace, ease and freedom of expression.
Jessica began her own yoga practice over 20 years ago, after spending time in India. On this journey, she was fortunate enough to meet the Dalai Lama at his residence in Dharmsala, India. She was very inspired by the compassion he gave to his people and the world.
This experience was the spark that began her career in the Holistic Arts. Soon after, Jessica acquired her massage license and began studying Ayurveda, a subject she is extremely passionate about! This led to completing her Teacher Training Certification in Yoga and Ayurvedic Educator Certification at the Chopra Center University, founded by Deepak Chopra.
Chelsea
Chelsea is a Coachella Valley native who spent 11 years living on the west side of Los Angeles. It was in LA that she first discovered the powerful benefits of a deep and consistent Yoga practice. With a pre-existing passion for mental, physical, and spiritual health, her love for Yoga took shape. It is the combination of both physical practices as well as subtle body practices that guide her in her journey as both a student and teacher. For her, yoga goes far beyond the time spent on the mat. It is a powerful tool for self-improvement, compassion, safety, and belonging.
Chelsea has 250 hours of training in both vinyasa and yin styles and favors playful creativity in sequencing that allows for fluid movement in the body as well as moments to pause and reflect. She enjoys studying the culture and spiritual depths of yoga so that her practice can stem from a place of authenticity. She has a strong connection towards working with the 7 main chakras as well as mudras, mantras, and pranayama practices. Alongside being a yoga teacher, she is a mental health advocate, a lover of nature, a writer, and most importantly a forever student of life.
Carl Grant
Carl Grant was trained locally in the desert and has been teaching yoga for the past three years. A California native, he moved to the Coachella Valley in 2018. He specializes in LYT yoga which was developed by physical therapist Lara Heimann. It's an energizing core-based vinyasa method that emphasizes functional movement, mobility, alignment & sequencing to rewire the brain and re-establish more optimal movement patterns on the mat that we can take into life off the mat! Carl’s contagious energy and lighthearted humor brings a unique power and refreshing experience to anyone’s yoga practice. Expect to laugh as much as you sweat in both Carl’s LYT Slow and LYT Power.
Bella Rivera
Isabella Rivera is a sound bath facilitator, educator, and yoga teacher focused on creating experiences for individuals to connect to themselves and one another. She deeply believes in the power of meditation and yoga to cultivate a healthy dialogue with the inner being, tuning to the space within to connect with the mind, soul and body. Leaning on 16 years of experience in K-12 education as a school teacher and administrator, she creates a safe space for individuals from all walks of life to explore and align to their truest, most beautiful self.
Lisa Dimmitt
Lisa is a certified 200 hr RYT with a love for the flow and a deep connection to bringing together the mind to the body with the breath. Lisa’s yoga journey began over twenty years ago. What started as only a physical practice eventually morphed into an emotional and spiritual outlet for all things on and off her mat.
Life is ever-changing and because of that so is our practice and so is every one of Lisa’s classes. Expect fun, fresh, and full of both Yin and Yang!
Jay Bradley
Jay has spent over 30 years trying to feel better. Suffering from depression, chronic illness, and bullying at a young age, he had a burning desire to overcome his challenges in order to thrive and find true purpose in his life. When he was invited to a small Breathwork group in 2016, he knew from that moment, that this was the miracle he had been searching for. Jay has since gone on to help thousands of people using the power of Breathwork and other healing modalities, to overcome challenges, move through resistance, and find true empowerment and joy. Jay is the founder of BreatheOnIt®, the creator of ChakraBalms® and the author of LIVE LOOK FEEL, the 12-Week Guide to Live Longer, Look Younger & Feel Better!
Shannon Nason
Shannon is a southern California native that has worked in the desert as a registered nurse for over 30 years. Her love for yoga started 12 years ago when a friend invited her to a bikram class. She was immediately relieved of pain, stress, and insomnia.
After managing a Surgical Center through the Pandemic, she decided that it was time to step away from a full time Nursing career.
She chose to pursue her love for yoga, and deepen her practice by becoming a teacher in the hopes to be an inspiration to others, in seeing the health and mindful benefits of a consistent yoga practice.
