Julie Gudmestad and Hope Fyfield

Julie Gudmestad, PT, C-IAYT – Julie Gudmestad has been active in Portland, Oregon, as a yoga teacher and licensed physical therapist for over 40 years. She has integrated her western medical knowledge with yoga training into a unique teaching style, and regularly teaches anatomy and asana workshops throughout the US, Canada and Europe.

Julie was a certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher for over 30 years, and now maintains Yoga Alliance certification at the ERYT-500 level. In addition to her PT license, she is also a certified Yoga Therapist through IAYT. For many years, she was the author of the Yoga Journal magazine’s “Anatomy of a Yogi” column. She continues to produce continuing education programs for yoga teachers and students, including webinars and videos through YogaUOnline, and online videos through her home studio, Paxson Yoga Center in Portland.

Hope Fyfield, PT, E-RYT 500 – Hope took her first yoga class ever from Julie Gudmestad in 1979, and was immediately inspired and intrigued. She began working toward a physical therapy degree not long after, attaining that goal in 1985. She worked at a skilled nursing facility for years. This has made her good with fragile, aging populations.

Hope teaches levels 1, 2, 2-3 and 3 classes. She is a wonderful, supportive teacher, especially good with beginners. She teaches private sessions to those who need to customize practice or learn to modify poses.

Hope has been teaching yoga since 1988 with Julie’s gentle but firm encouragement. Other teachers that have inspired and instructed Hope include John Schumacher and Judith Lasater. She has also assisted Julie at various yoga workshops, including the well-known “Anatomy in Asana” series, and at the Yoga Journal Convention in Estes Park, CO.