Living Well Institute Faculty are Integrative & Lifestyle Medicine experts, centered around delivering care through a biopsychosocial, interdisicplinary, yogic model of care. The Medical Therapeutic Yoga methodology, documented in the text of the same name, is centered around creating safety and evidence-based assessment and intervention. Licensed healthcare providers are the primary deliverers of MTY; however yoga teachers and therapists can also use MTY to establish dialogue and working relationships with medical providers to improve community health and increase the effectiveness and safety of their yoga instruction.
Dr. Ginger Garner PT, DPT, ATC/L
Certifications: PYT, DipACLM, CPI
Founder & Executive Director, Faculty
Dr. Garner is a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill trained doctor of physical therapy (DPT), licensed athletic trainer (LAT, ATC), professional yoga therapist (PYT), is board certified in Lifestyle Medicine (DipACLM/DipIBLM), and is Pilates Certified. She has spent 25+ years studying and creating “best fit” yoga and other mind-body practices in and outside of healthcare. Ginger founded Living Well in 2000 and Professional Yoga Therapy Institute®, now Living Well Institute, in 2001. She is the author of multiple specialty CE’s programs, including the Professional Yoga Therapist & Integrative Lifestyle Medicine Certifications. She is a sought after speaker, having presented at over 20 international conferences. Her most recent publication is Medical Therapeutic Yoga, slated for 4 foreign translations. See her publications & CV here. She lives with her husband, 3 sons, and rescue Labrador Scout in Greensboro, NC. Read her full bio & story here, as well as make patient appointments in person or via telehealth.
Dr. Jessica Hartmann PT, DPT
Certifications: PYT
Faculty, Level III Certification
Jessica graduated from the Physical Therapy program at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA. She began her PT career with a focus on Osteopathic Manual Therapy and she is now the owner and operator of Integrative Rehab and Wellness, Inc. Jessica is grateful to have the opportunity to combine Medical Therapeutic Yoga with manual therapy. She specializes in treating back and neck pain, sacroiliac joint dysfunction, sciatica, musculoskeletal issues, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, migraines/headaches, anxiety, arthritis, and TMJ. Jessica is the co-director of Living Well Yoga in Healthcare Yoga Teacher Training Program, along with Founder, Ginger Garner. She is adjunct faculty at the University of North Carolina Wilmington in the School of Health and Applied Human Sciences. Jessica also teaches at several YTT’s in the eastern USA. Jessica lives in Wilmington, NC with her husband and her pets, where she loves the sunshine and coastal vibes. Visit Jessica at www.integrativerehabandwellness.com.
Ruth Goldeen OTR/L, M.Ed.
Certifications: PYT
Assistant Faculty, Level I Certification
Ruth earned her Occupational Therapy degree at University of Pennsylvania and later completed a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education with a Special Needs emphasis at University of Virginia. She began her career in adult rehab in Philadelphia – but quickly followed her heart into the world of Pediatrics, first in Jerusalem, then California, and finally landed in Charlottesville, VA. In 1987 – working for UVA Medical Center ever since. Close to 20 years ago Ruth discovered that she could combine her love of Yoga with her professional life, which has influenced her practice ever since. She was thrilled to find PYTI for the opportunity to learn from and with other passionate health care professionals following this path – and completed her PYT certification in 2017. Ruth has presented about use of Yoga as an OT at conferences locally and internationally – and has taught about use of yoga for children with Autism in Vietnam and Honduras. She has created a video entitled: Yoga for Children with Autism – Worldwide, which is available for free on YouTube in 3 languages (with a 4th translation in process) for distribution to underserved populations.
While in Charlottesville, Ruth and her husband raised two wonderful children and many animals. The kids have become a source of travel opportunities – with a daughter living in Portland, Oregon and a son doing Peace Corps in Africa. Says Ruth, “It is a thrill to now join the faculty and to bring PYT to UVA in 2020!” Visit Ruth on Facebook and YouTube.
Dr. Valerie Brown PT, DPT
Community Outreach Coordinator
Dr. Valerie Brown earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy (DPT) from the University of California San Francisco, and holds certifications in Lifestyle Medicine, Professional Yoga Therapy, Functional Nutritional Therapy, Reiki and 500hr-Kundalini Yoga.
Val is the Community Outreach Coordinator for Living Well Institute, the founder of Awaken Your Wild, an online community which promotes mind, body and spirit wellness through the awareness, balance, and connection; and the founder of HEAT, an interprofessional network of scientists, clinicians, and thought-leaders on a mission to transform the health of our people and planet through community. Val has held leadership and advocacy roles across the country in Community Health, Preventative Medicine, and Integrative Medicine Networks for over a decade, and her special interest in empowering people with holistic, sustainable, joyful and accessible lifestyle practices stems from navigating her personal healing journey.
Val loves adventures in nature, and in her free time you’ll find her climbing mountains, backpacking, biking, swimming, photographing wildflowers and sunrise, and dancing barefoot with her Portland, OR community.
Matthew Remski
Adjunct Faculty, All Levels
Matthew Remski is a yoga teacher, industry consultant, and author of nine previous books, including threads of yoga: a remix of patanjali’s sutras, with commentary and reverie. As the survivor of two cults, his work has been pivotal in illuminating the shadows of globalized yoga and Buddhism, and showing that disillusionment and critical inquiry can be gateways to mature spirituality. He facilitates modules in philosophy, history, culture and community health in yoga teacher training programmes internationally. He lives in Toronto with his partner and their two children.
Jeff Jablonski
CFO, Vice President, Director of Student Affairs
Jeff is the resident fixer of all things, performing magic in the office and also from far away. He mostly works in the background attending to students, handling administration, technical needs, and keeping the Living Well Institute machinery well oiled. Jeff is a Virginia Tech grad, member of the VT Cave Club, commercial pilot, and Senior Aerospace Engineer working for the United States Navy and Marine Corps solving problems in turbofan engine maintenance engineering, mishap investigation, and fleet support.
Recently retired from the Living Well Institute kitchen staff, in his spare time, Jeff enjoys brewing beer and kombucha at home, cooking, creating amazing home improvements, sending flowers to Ginger, and mowing the grass. Jeff lives in Greensboro, NC with his wife, Ginger, their three sons, rescue Black Labrador, Scout, and currently missing snake, Snoot.