About
Mind & Body Unite
beFree Yoga is movement-based, breath-focused and diverse in style. We blend yoga’s ancient wisdom and modern holistic science with the goal of helping you reconnect with your body in ways that feel safe, accessible and peaceful.
beFree was founded in 2015 because I wanted an inclusive and welcoming space to promote mind/body/spirit wellness in East Texas. You should have a place to go that brings you freedom. You should have a way to find freedom from both stiff muscles/joints and from a lifestyle that feels overwhelming and stressful.
beFree is a space for YOU to move your body, breathe, reset, get grounded, share tools you’ve learned, and find your like-minded community. Sometimes you need to sweat it out. Sometimes you need to lay down for an hour and simply breathe. Sometimes you need powerful functional movement and sometimes you need gentle stretching and rest. There are many paths to healing – and I am here for all of them.
Elise Carter
Our Instructors
Studio Owner and Senior Instructor
Elise Carter
In what style(s) of yoga are you trained?
My initial 200 hour training was at Sunstone Yoga. When I trained there, they specialized in a very hot, very scripted Hatha practice. I later went on to add multiple trainings in the Forrest lineage. I am 500hr ERYT, trauma informed and have trained in hatha, vinyasa, yin, restorative, breathwork, and meditation.
Favorite style/flavor classes to teach?
I love teaching intention and alignment based slow/deep flow, but Tuesday night Yin class is a favorite of mine as well.
What do you hope every student leaves your classes with? Freedom of movement, freedom of thought, and freedom from suffering.
What year were you certified? First 200hr cert was in 2006 (and will collect them forever - lifetime student here!)
My initial 200 hour training was at Sunstone Yoga. When I trained there, they specialized in a very hot, very scripted Hatha practice. I later went on to add multiple trainings in the Forrest lineage. I am 500hr ERYT, trauma informed and have trained in hatha, vinyasa, yin, restorative, breathwork, and meditation.
Favorite style/flavor classes to teach?
I love teaching intention and alignment based slow/deep flow, but Tuesday night Yin class is a favorite of mine as well.
What do you hope every student leaves your classes with? Freedom of movement, freedom of thought, and freedom from suffering.
What year were you certified? First 200hr cert was in 2006 (and will collect them forever - lifetime student here!)
Gina Stainback
In what style(s) of yoga are you trained?
I have 3 styles of yoga training, Yoga Fit, Big Rock Yoga and beFree Yoga Training.
Favorite style/flavor classes to teach?
My favorite style is slow power flow.
What do you hope every student leaves your classes with?
I hope that my students get joy and acceptance from their practice.
What year were you certified? I have been certified since 2013.
I have 3 styles of yoga training, Yoga Fit, Big Rock Yoga and beFree Yoga Training.
Favorite style/flavor classes to teach?
My favorite style is slow power flow.
What do you hope every student leaves your classes with?
I hope that my students get joy and acceptance from their practice.
What year were you certified? I have been certified since 2013.
Jena Estoconing
In what style(s) of yoga are you trained?
I was trained in Forrest Yoga and Yin/Restorative Yoga at BeFree. I also learned to play the harmonium for Kirtan. I can sometimes sing in Sanskrit or Kirtan songs.
Favorite style/flavor classes to teach?
My favorite style has always been a mixture of slow, steady, balanced (can be arm balance) Vinyasa flow and to top it with beautiful meditation/affirmation in the beginning and end of class.
What do you hope every student leaves your classes with?
I hope every student who will leave my class will have a sense of joy& inner peace, and a release of tension because that is what each of them needs especially during this stressful time.
What year were you certified? I received my 200hr YTT certification at BeFree in 2018.
I was trained in Forrest Yoga and Yin/Restorative Yoga at BeFree. I also learned to play the harmonium for Kirtan. I can sometimes sing in Sanskrit or Kirtan songs.
Favorite style/flavor classes to teach?
My favorite style has always been a mixture of slow, steady, balanced (can be arm balance) Vinyasa flow and to top it with beautiful meditation/affirmation in the beginning and end of class.
What do you hope every student leaves your classes with?
I hope every student who will leave my class will have a sense of joy& inner peace, and a release of tension because that is what each of them needs especially during this stressful time.
What year were you certified? I received my 200hr YTT certification at BeFree in 2018.
Studio Manager
Joanna Livingston
In what style(s) of yoga are you trained?
Yoga has been a part of my personal practice for the last six years. I am certified in 200 hour Vinyasa Yoga Training, and 25 hour Yin Yoga Training.
Favorite style/flavor classes to teach?
Currently I’m teaching yoga and sound therapy at local schools for both elementary and middle school children, and I absolutely love it!
What do you hope every student leaves your classes with?
For me, the most rewarding part of teaching is watching the students melt into relaxation at the end of the practice.
Yoga has been a part of my personal practice for the last six years. I am certified in 200 hour Vinyasa Yoga Training, and 25 hour Yin Yoga Training.
Favorite style/flavor classes to teach?
Currently I’m teaching yoga and sound therapy at local schools for both elementary and middle school children, and I absolutely love it!
What do you hope every student leaves your classes with?
For me, the most rewarding part of teaching is watching the students melt into relaxation at the end of the practice.
Tiffany Honea
In what style(s) of yoga are you trained?
My training focused on Baron Baptiste's Journey Into Power. It included the mental benefits of yoga, meditation, nutrition, asanas and relating all of these things to our everyday life.
Favorite style/flavor classes to teach?
When I first began teaching I was very drawn to vinyasa and power flows and took advantage of any opportunity to walk students through an advanced/peak pose. In the last year though, my teaching style has adapted and I've learned to truly love the hatha and yin style classes.
What do you hope every student leaves your classes with?
My hope for each student is that they walk away feeling better: mentally and physically. That they learn something in and about their practice, and believe in themselves a little more.
What year were you certified? 2018
My training focused on Baron Baptiste's Journey Into Power. It included the mental benefits of yoga, meditation, nutrition, asanas and relating all of these things to our everyday life.
Favorite style/flavor classes to teach?
When I first began teaching I was very drawn to vinyasa and power flows and took advantage of any opportunity to walk students through an advanced/peak pose. In the last year though, my teaching style has adapted and I've learned to truly love the hatha and yin style classes.
What do you hope every student leaves your classes with?
My hope for each student is that they walk away feeling better: mentally and physically. That they learn something in and about their practice, and believe in themselves a little more.
What year were you certified? 2018
Lori Flick
In what style(s) of yoga are you trained?
I was trained in the Forrest Yoga style, originated and developed by Ana Forrest.
Favorite style/flavor classes to teach?
I am drawn in particular to teach Yin yoga as it addresses the whole person in a rather profound way. Yin yoga is a quiet and introspective practice which addresses our connective tissue, increasing flexibility and mobility while simultaneously providing the opportunity to balance the inner self.
What do you hope every student leaves your classes with?
I hope that when leaving a class I have taught that person has a sense of peaceful joy and gratitude for what they have gifted themselves with by coming to their mat.
What year were you certified?
I was certified to teach yoga in 2021.
I was trained in the Forrest Yoga style, originated and developed by Ana Forrest.
Favorite style/flavor classes to teach?
I am drawn in particular to teach Yin yoga as it addresses the whole person in a rather profound way. Yin yoga is a quiet and introspective practice which addresses our connective tissue, increasing flexibility and mobility while simultaneously providing the opportunity to balance the inner self.
What do you hope every student leaves your classes with?
I hope that when leaving a class I have taught that person has a sense of peaceful joy and gratitude for what they have gifted themselves with by coming to their mat.
What year were you certified?
I was certified to teach yoga in 2021.
Amie Denson
Bio Unavailable
Colleen Long
In what style(s) of yoga are you trained?
200 hour Forrest yoga; 95 hour Trauma; Informed Kids Yoga
Favorite style/flavor classes to teach?
Restorative, Yin, Meditation, Mental health focus/ self regulation
What do you hope every student leaves your classes with? Ecouraged, empowered and equipped I want them to be able to walk away with tools to help them navigate the stresses of life and feel empowered to self regulate and feel safe in their body.
What year were you certified? 2019 for 200 hour; 2021 for 95 hour; 2022 for 24 hour Yin Foundations
200 hour Forrest yoga; 95 hour Trauma; Informed Kids Yoga
Favorite style/flavor classes to teach?
Restorative, Yin, Meditation, Mental health focus/ self regulation
What do you hope every student leaves your classes with? Ecouraged, empowered and equipped I want them to be able to walk away with tools to help them navigate the stresses of life and feel empowered to self regulate and feel safe in their body.
What year were you certified? 2019 for 200 hour; 2021 for 95 hour; 2022 for 24 hour Yin Foundations
Sarah Carlyle
Bio Unavailable
We’re physiology, yoga, and mindfulness devotees who believe our bodies and minds are designed to work together. We’ve seen yoga transform people inside-out and want you to breathe deeply, move freely, and think clearly.