Melissa Elstein

Melissa Elstein is a registered yoga teacher and a Reiki (2nd Degree) practitioner, and the founder of Good Energy Yoga and Reiki, LLC. She is a member of the Yoga Alliance and the New York Teachers Yoga Association. Melissa has completed yoga teacher training programs at Rasa Yoga, The Breathing Project (where she studied yoga anatomy with Leslie Kaminoff and Amy Matthews, and breath-centered yoga with Zack Kurland), Integral Yoga Institute, and at Yoga Works/ Be Yoga. Melissa has also completed Pilates Mat training with Linda Farrell at the Equinox Fitness Club. Melissa has taught yoga classes throughout New York City, teaching at Rasa Yoga, The Breathing Project, Callen-Lorde Community Center, Namaste Yoga Center, Integral Yoga, the JCC, and at Nurture's Path, where she also offers private yoga and Reiki energy work sessions. Melissa was recently certified at the Omega Institute to facilitate Tai Chi Easy classes, and teaches there seasonally.

Melissa originally trained as a professional ballet dancer, attending the School of American Ballet ("SAB"), and the Professional Children's School, and performing with the New York City Ballet Company, the Royal Danish Ballet Company, and the Berlin Opera Ballet, as a child. After graduating high school, Melissa joined the Pennsylvania Ballet Company, in Philadelphia, PA, and toured and performed throughout the United States and Canada, including a season at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

After many years of dancing, Melissa decided to pursue an academic route, graduating phi beta kappa, summa cum laude from Barnard College, Columbia University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, and receiving her J.D. from Columbia Law School. As a lawyer, Melissa clerked for a federal district court trial judge in Brooklyn and then for a federal appellate judge on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. She then joined the New York City Police Department as a trial attorney in their Legal Bureau's Civil Enforcement Unit, prosecuting drunk driving cases in civil court under NYC's forfeiture provisions, and seeking closures of illegal businesses and operations under the city's nuisance abatement code.

After taking what was supposed to be a brief hiatus from the practice of law, Melissa found herself being drawn to holistic health care topics and spiritual practices. She began studying yoga at various studios in New York City, before completing her various training programs. Melissa has also attended seminars with John Friend, Shiva Rea, Rodney Yee, Beryl Bender Birch, Cyndi Lee, Sharon Gannon, among others. In addition to teaching yoga, Melissa is currently involved with a number of charitable organizations, including doing volunteer Reiki for the Dorot organization, and fund-raising for the Joyce Theatre and as a Board member of Fugate/Bahiri Ballet NY.

Melissa is available for private, group, and corporate yoga classes, as well as Reiki, and meditation and stress reduction sessions.