Isabella Gutfreund

Yoga Instructor, Co-Owner

sabella Gutfreund (ERYT-500, YACEP, RYS 200) is a dedicated and inspiring yoga teacher who has been training students to become yoga teachers for nearly two decades. Her deep respect for the transformative power of yoga shines through in every class she leads & every hands-on adjustment she gifts. Beginning her journey as a certified Kundalini teacher through the Kundalini Research Institute, Isabella eventually found her spiritual home in Ashtanga Yoga—a practice that continues to profoundly shape her life and teaching.

She has completed extensive training with world renowned teachers including David Swenson, John Scott, and David Kyle (Rocket Yoga), as well as Sanskrit studies through the American Sanskrit Institute and via her Teacher Shantala Sriramiah of Veda Studies. Isabella has also studied directly with Saraswati and the late R. Sharath Jois in India, where she returns annually for a Yatra pilgrimage to deepen her spiritual and personal practice.

Having taught private, group classes and Ashtanga workshops in a wide variety of venues in the United States, Isabella is proud to have founded Heart N Soul Yoga Studio in 2005 in Northern Virginia. Many of her students (the oldest being 79 years old!) have studied with her for over 10 years and have witnessed the growth that comes with a committed yoga practice and the trust between student and teacher. Isabella also teaches private yoga sessions on Zoom for corporate clients and youth conferences alike.

When not teaching, serving the community or studying Sanskrit, Isabella enjoys binge watching Netflix, interior design projects and hanging out with her silk terrier doggie, Maybelline.