About

Huma is a C-IAYT certified yoga therapist (International Alliance of Yoga Therapists) and yoga teacher  (Registered School of Yoga Alliance)and yoga therapist with advanced training in yoga and yoga therapy and over 3000 hours of teaching experience. She has fulfilled the rigorous requirements of IAYT studying for 4 years under leading medical doctors,  yoga therapists and visionary pioneers in the yoga world at Loyola Marymount University's Yoga Therapy Program that integrates western medicine with 2000 year old yoga tradition.  Huma is also a Chopra-Certified Meditation teacher.    She teaches Vinyasa, Hatha, Therapeutic, Yin and gentle yoga and meditation classes at some of the most beloved  yoga studios in Orange County that provide students an authentic yoga experience.  Huma's clinical work focuses on addiction recovery as well as chronic pain management.  She is highly experienced and successful in teaching individuals tools that can help them self-regulate, identify triggers and tap into the natural pharmacy of their own bodies to optimize their wellness during and post recovery. 

Huma turned to yoga to manage the excruciating chronic pain in her jaw, insomnia as well stress due to the demands of her corporate job as the CEO of a national communications company. Once she experienced the healing powers of yoga, she decided to become a yoga teacher and help spread the benefits of yoga practice to those who are looking for alternative treatments for health issues or want to manage their stress. Being a former competitive swimmer, Huma draws both from her experience as an elite athlete as well as her background as an artist to ensure her yoga classes address the physical and spiritual needs of her students. Having practiced yoga around the world, Huma brings her global knowledge as well her attention to detail to develop creative sequencing that empowers her students. Huma’s continued studies in yoga therapy, safe alignment and her in-depth knowledge of anatomy allow her to approach her teaching with great knowledge and mindfulness.     

Huma obtained her 200 hour Registered Yoga Alliance Teacher certificate from True Flow Yoga in Newport Beach, California from her beloved teacher and mentor Brynn Rybacek who Huma considers to be an important factor for fostering her love of yoga. She completed her advanced Clinical Yoga Therapy certification (YTRX-500c) in Yoga Therapy Rx level 1, 2, 3 and 4 at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.  Educated in Europe and America, Huma Gruaz is fluent in English, French, Turkish and conversational in Dutch.  Being a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Bryn Mawr College with a double major in Economics and Fine Arts, holding both an executive MBA from Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management and a fine art degree from the Willem De Kooning Academy in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, Huma is also a former award-winning communications executive. As the founder, and former president, and CEO of Alpaytac Marketing Communications/Public Relations, representing national and international brands, Huma was recognized as 2010’s PRNews Brand Marketer of the Year and has received 32 additional industry awards throughout her career.  Huma leverages her expertise in communications to give effective, concise and accessible cues in her yoga classes to optimize the benefits her students get from practicing yoga. Coming from a high-paced corporate world, she understands first-hand the benefits and importance of the journey of wellness one experiences with yoga. She is passionate about teaching classes that inspire her students, and impact their life in a positive way, helping them fortify the connection between mind, body and spirit.  Huma often works with individuals who are in need of stress management, anyone looking to calm their mind and increase their productivity and mental sharpness through yoga.   In addition to her work in clinical settings with a focus in addiction and recovery,  she helps individuals  with  chronic health conditions such as  pain, anxiety, depression, diabetes, cancer treatment, respiratory issues, and heart conditions.  Huma aims to create a nurturing environment in her classes where students feel safe and empowered. 

Knowledge is Your Most Important Power for Lifelong Wellness:

Huma is proud to have studied under the following pioneers in their industry through her education at Loyola Marymount University’s Clinical Yoga Therapy Program, the foremost program in the globe for yoga therapy education. She is proud to bring all her knowledge and experience to her students so they can benefit from her in-depth knowledge in yoga and yoga therapy for continued improvement on their wellness and health, having a direct lineage to leading experts in yoga and yoga therapy who have integrated western science with the healing powers of yoga. 

Larry Payne, PhD, C-IAYT, E-RYT 500, YTRX is the founding president o International Association of Yoga Therapists and co-author of the newly  revised “Yoga for Dummies,” “Yoga Rx,” and “The Business of Teaching Yoga.”  The Los Angeles Times named Payne “One of America’s most respected Yoga teachers.” He is also co-founder of the Yoga curriculum at  the UCLA School of Medicine, and director of the Yoga Therapy Rx certification program at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.  Larry is a student of TKV Desikachar since 1980. www.samata.com 

Rick Morris, DC, YTRX is associate director of  Level I at LMU's Yoga Therapy  program and former team doctor for the US Olympic Trials Track and Field Team, LA Clippers, and UCLA Track and Field. He focuses on severe disc disease and spinal stenosis and is the director of The Morris Spinal Stenosis and Disc Center in Santa Monica, California and presents original papers on these subjects at international research conferences and lobbies for healthcare reform. www.spinalstenosisanddisc.com 

Richard Miller,  PhD, is a clinical psychologist, author, researcher, yogic scholar and spiritual teacher who, for the past 45 years, has devoted his life and work to integrating the ancient nondual wisdom teachings of Yoga, Tantra, Advaita, Taoism, and Buddhism and modern Western psychology. Richard is the founding president of the Integrative Restoration Institute, co-founder of 

International  Association of Yoga Therapists, founding editor of the peer reviewed International Journal of Yoga Therapy and a founding member and past president of the Institute for Spirituality and Psychology.

Author of iRest Meditation for Health, Healing and Well Being (Sounds True), The iRest Program for Healing PTSD (New Harbinger), and
Yoga Nidra: The Meditative Heart of Yoga (Sounds True) Richard serves as a research consultant studying the iRest Meditation protocol that he’s       developed (Integrative Restoration ~ iRest), a modern adaptation of the ancient nondual practice of Yoga Nidra, researching its efficacy on health, healing, and well-being with diverse populations that include  active-duty soldiers, veterans, children, youth and college students,  seniors, the homeless, the incarcerated, and people experiencing issues such as sleep disorders, PTSD, traumatic brain injury, chronic pain, chemical       dependency, and anxiety, as well as research on iRest’s efficacy for enhancing resiliency, well-being, and compassion. www.irest.us.

Art Brownstein, M.D., M.P.H., D.Y.Ed. is a former Assistant Clinical  Professor of Medicine at John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii. He is the author of Healing Back Pain Naturally , and Extraordinary Healing . He is the only U.S. physician to be certified in Yoga by the Government of India, Ministry  of Health and Education. He is also a Founding Diplomat of the American Board of Holistic Medicine and a Diplomat of the American Board of Preventive Medicine. www.docbrownstein.com 

David Allen, M.D. is the associate director of Level III, Yoga Therapy Rx program, is a graduate of UCLA Medical School, and also  holds a masters degree from the College of Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture, Oxford, England. He is the medical director of the Longevity Center, one of Los Angeles’s most prestigious integrative medicine centers. www.davidallenmd.com

Amy Wheeler, PhD, E-RYT 500, CYT, YTRX studies and teaches in the  tradition of T. Krishnamacharya since 2001. Amy is the president of International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT), and has been a Professor of Kinesiology at California State University San Bernardino,       since 1996,  where she teaches many courses pertaining to the body and mind connection.  Amy specializes in Yoga for Women’s Issues, both endocrine and nervous system disorders.  Amy participates in research studies with faculty at Vanderbilt University on topics such as metabolic syndrome and women with cancer. www.onesourceyoga.com

Kathleen Ross-Allee, C-IAYT, YTRX 500-C, RYT-500, ACE-Personal Trainer is a certified Yoga therapist and fitness trainer with more than 25 years of experience as a health and wellness expert. She is currently the Managing Director of the LMU Yoga Therapy Rx programs, and the Associate Director of the YTRx Level IV Internship program at the Venice Family Clinic. 

Kathleen developed and currently teaches yoga therapy programs to support cancer treatment at Cedars-Sinai/Tower Hematology, Samuel Oschin Comprehensive  Cancer Institute/Cedars-Sinai, USC/Norris Cancer Hospital, Vantage Oncology, and Tower Cancer Research Foundation/Magnolia Council.  She most recently developed and designed yoga therapy classes for the  employees of USC/Keck Hospital.  Kathleen maintains her private clientele through her business ‘Leen Bodies Yoga Therapy and Fitness Support and specializes in the training of yoga therapists in the AUM hOMe Shala.    www.leenbodies.com

Jamie Stark, M.P.T., CYT, YTRX is a  physical therapist and certified Kripalu Yoga teacher. Jamie is the Director of Rehabilitation at University Village, Oakview in Thousand Oaks, CA, where she leads a team of therapists, caring for the rehabilitation needs of 400+ senior residents in the areas of independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing, and an outpatient clinic.  Previously, Jamie served as leader of the Spine Team at Abilities Health and Rehabilitation Center in New York City, and owner of Yoga Home, yoga studio in Westlake Village for  ten years. During her extensive years as a physical therapist and as a Yoga  teacher, Jamie has developed a unique method of teaching correct posture, body mechanics, and body awareness. She is also a popular keynote speaker. 

Richard Usatine, M.D., is associate  director of the Level II program and the Vice-Chair for Education in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Texas at San Antonio. He is also the recipient of the National Humanism in Medicine award and, since 2000, chosen by his peers each year to be included in the Best Doctors in America list, a national consumer reference source published by Ohio State University. www.texashumanities.org/bios/faculty_detail_2.cfm 

Robert  Birnberg, CYT YTRX has studied with Yoga master T.K.V. Desikachar and  various senior students in the lineage of T. Krishnamacharya, for over 17 years.  Robert has studied intensively at the KYM, a world-renowned  center for healing and education in Chennai, South India. He is one of a  handful of people certified by Desikachar to train teachers and is currently on the faculty of Loyola Marymount Yoga Therapist Program.  He is known for his ability to express Yoga philosophy and psychology in simple language, and explain their practical applications in everyday life.  He specializes in Yoga for addiction and  relationship counseling, www.longexhale.com

Dr. Eden Goldman DC, CYT, YTRX, E-RYT 500 is a wellness-based chiropractor, certified Yoga therapist, physical rehabilitation specialist, and owner of The Yoga Doctors Institute of Integrative Medicine in West Los  Angeles, California. The co-author of Yoga Therapy and  Integrative Medicine: Where Ancient Science Meets Modern Medicine and  author of the upcoming book, The Secret Art of Adjusting Yoga   Poses, Dr. Goldman’s current healing work integrates classical Eastern Yoga therapeutics, Thai massage, and myofascial release bodywork with  Western advancements in movement-based mind-body medicine, sports  science, athletic training, prevention, rehabilitation, and   chiropractic.  Director of Loyola Marymount University’s prestigious Yoga and the Healing Sciences 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training Program and  a team member in a collaborative study linking Mars Without Borders,       UCLA, and the University of Texas applying Yoga Therapy for Astronauts and Space Health, Dr. Goldman has been featured in many forms of print, media, and books on Yoga and Yoga therapy.
www.yogadoctors.com 

Vikram Kamdar, M.D. is a  Clinical Professor of Medicine at David Geffen School of Medicine at  UUCLA. He practices Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases at  UCLA Health System/ Santa Monica Endocrinology. He is a Graduate of  Medicine from University of Bombay, Fellowship training in Diabetes at  LAC USC Medical Center and Fellowship Training in Endocrinology at Cedars  Sinai Medical Center. Dr. Kamdar has worked at USC for 25 years in the Department of Diabetes and Endocrinology and at Rancho Los Amigos Medical Center before joining UCLA. His research interest is in Cardiometabolic Syndrome in South Asians. Dr. Kamdar has been awarded as the Best Teacher by the house staff of White Memorial Medical Center . www.endocrinology.med.ucla.edu/kamdar.htm