Studio & Joyful Teachers

The first space to open in town devoted entirely to yoga -Joyful Yoga Studio has a beautiful location in downtown Truro on Inglis Street. The spacious second story location above Inglis Jewelers boasts high ceilings, natural lighting and an amazing selection of yoga classes to choose from. Joy Nicholson, owner and yoga instructor, is joined by several knowledgeable and friendly teachers to offer classes for everyone.

If you can breathe, you can do yoga.

As well as being an amazing physical exercise, yoga offers so much more. You will leave the studio feeling refreshed, relaxed and inspired.

Joy Nicholson

Practicing yoga for over two decade now, Joy feels as though she was born doing it. She took her first class in Bridgewater, NS; (Can't remember the teachers name, but it made an impact!) while working adults with mental and physical health issues at Bonny Lea Farm. She immediately felt more patience, strength and groundedness within herself which relflected through her clients. She loves the calming effect for her mind; the lengthening effect on her body and the opening in her heart that comes with the practice of yoga.

Joy continued to seek out yoga classes through a decade in BC and travelling.

When Joy moved back to Truro she began working for CMHA as well as taking her first yoga teacher training. Yoga for Mental Health became her first focus- teaching yoga to adults with mental health issues. Joy loved seeing her clients gain coping skills while moving beyond the label of their diagnosis. Before long Joy started teaching more in her community, offering months of free classes for experience. She opened up Joyful Yoga Studio in 2006. A life long student, Joy continues to study the ancient art and has been a student of Seane Corn, Shiva Rea, Dr. Timothy McCall, Nischala Joy Devi, Beryl Bender Birch, Todd Norian, Jenny Kierstead, Frank Jude Boccio and Cyndi Lee to name a few.

Joy is delighted to own a studio in her hometown- sharing and connected health and well-being within her community. Her compassion, creativity and enthusiasm shine throughout her classes and studio space. Joy and her studio have been recognized Nova Scotia House of Assembly as Best Young Entrepreneur for 2007, Best Small Business in Colchester in 2007 and Best Small Business of the year in 2011; Most Loved Place in Colchester to learn something new 2016!

Diane Mahoney

Diane Mahoney comes from a diverse background. In university she studied psychology and education. She also has an extensive fitness background and has always led an active life. She studied dance for thirteen years and taught it throughout her youth. In university she became a Registered Fitness Appraiser and a fitness and weight room instructor which she continued for ten plus years. These days she continues to exercise and keeps herself busy with her family of five children, church activity and teaching math, science and yoga at Truro's only French school. Diane took her first yoga class at the age of seven and has never looked back - giving her more than forty years of yoga experience. Her journey of becoming a teacher, through Joyful Yoga, has been an amazing experience and has lead her to make yoga a daily part of her life - a practice she knows will last a lifetime. She is convinced that the many faces of yoga have something to offer for all of her moods, lifestyle and fitness needs.

Mary Oatway

Mary lives in Truro with her partner, 3 homeschooled children and a menagerie of chickens, cats and rabbits. She has been dabbling in yoga since she became pregnant with her first child and loved the emphasis on connecting mind and body. Now over 14 years later she is excited to be a 200-hour certified yoga instructor, having graduated from Joyful Yoga teacher training in April of 2016.

Mary works occasionally as a birth doula and gained her certification in pre- and post-natal yoga through TAYS in Halifax.

Formerly a wilderness canoe trip leader, Mary still loves to get outdoors with her family, whether camping, canoeing, hiking or gardening.

Mel Cotterill

I remember my first experience with yoga, following along with one of those videos they use to have on TV at 6am when I was a teenager. My yoga path was on and off after that, until I discovered that yoga was accessible to me, in my own living room, in my pajamas, while I was at home with two small children. That is the beauty of yoga, it is always accessible. As a pre-natal teacher, and breastfeeding educator I thought I was taking my Yoga teacher training in 2015/2016 to further my career by offering pre and post natal yoga, but yoga has become so much more than a career option for me; it is a way of life.

Yoga has helped me learn to love myself, just as I am, and it is my hope as a yoga instructor to help others start to catch a glimpse of the freedom that letting go of your ego, and being present in the moment, can provide. I teach yoga to bring more peace to the world, one class at a time.

When I am not on my yoga mat you can find me chasing my kids in various directions, reading, crafting, camping, cooking and helping to build a community that values families, mothers, women, body positivist, and self nurturing.

Ida Kuhn

Ida has been always interested in healthy lifestyle and how to stay active and to eat healthy.

From the moment of taking her first yoga class, she fell in love with yoga and dedicated her time to attending as many yoga classes as she could. Very soon, Ida noticed the positive effects on her body and mind and wanted to share this experience with people in her community. Her goal is to help people to stay healthy, active and to socialize with each other. This is what yoga means to her: yoga => union, not only to connect body, mind and spirit, but also to connect with each other. Yoga is also about having fun and joy while you are on this interesting and wonderful journey to find your essence, your true Self.

She completed her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training with the Joyful Yoga Studio and her 13-hour Yoga for Seniors Teacher Training with Jean Short in May 2019 and is eager to serve her students. How may she serve you today?

Celeste Chesal

Yoga has been an important part of Celeste’s life for over 20 years. For Celeste, yoga is about connecting with all parts of ourselves, Body, Mind and Spirit to create a deeper relationship with ourselves, with others and with the world around us.
Always a student of Yoga, Celeste, an E-RYT200, continues her life long learning with training in Restorative Yoga, Trauma Sensitive Yoga and Pelvic Floor Health. Celeste has also completed her Sacred Sound, Movement and Rituals Facilitator training for Women.
Celeste teaches from her heart in an authentic, nurturing, compassionate way encouraging present moment awareness, self acceptance and growth of our physical and spiritual self.
In her classes, Celeste enjoys holding space for you while weaving in Yogic Philosophy, meditation, pranayama, mantras and mudras in a meaningful and relatable way.
Along with her Yoga classes, Celeste also delights in offering seasonal events from Thanksgiving, Christmas Holiday focused evenings to Elemental Ecstatic Dance and Red Hot Yoga, all inspiring us to focus inward, to be all that we can be, and to awaken our inner smile 😊