Our Team
Our instructors truly make Crisp what it is and we couldn’t be more thankful for them! Read below to learn a little more about them and what to expect from their classes.
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Debbie Duryee
Debbie has always been drawn to physical fitness, but her workout routine didn't address an underlying anxiety. That's where yoga came in. Discovering yoga some 20 years ago completely transformed her life, bringing her the inner peace she'd been seeking for so long. She wanted to share this discovery with others, and left a career in the financial industry to study and teach yoga. Debbie completed her first 200-hour teacher training course based on Ashtanga Yoga in 2003. She later studied with David Swenson, and then in 2011 went on to complete her second 200-hour teacher training in Vinyasa Yoga with Jacqui Bonwell. A few years ago she completed training in Creative Kids Yoga at Kripalu. And in 2016, she immersed herself in an intense 500-hour training session with Jacqui Bonwell. Debbie's goal is to help her students not only become stronger and healthier physically, but to gain the inner peace, confidence and happiness they deserve.
Brad Shafran
Brad is a Portland Maine native, avid hiker, and former multiple sport athlete. After a short college baseball career, a couple of cross country road trips, and years of fumbling through life, he finally found himself in his first hot yoga class- It wasnt too long after he knew he had to dive deeper.
Brad received his initial 200 hr YTT certificate in November 2018 from Hot 8 yoga in Pasadena, California, and has done many workshops and trainings since then to expand his knowledge and explore different styles.
Brad's classes are ever changing, thoughtful, intentional, and always full of surprise- Geared towards all levels of practice, Brad aims to challenge you physically but at the same time holding that space for you to find peace and softness in the subtle parts as well.
When not doing yoga you can catch Brad around town drinking smoothies, eating falafel and hiking and exploring with his dog Georgia.
Tara O’Connor
Tara believes her classes are for anyone willing to find the time and the space on their mat. She focuses mainly on power yoga because this is the style of yoga she fell in love with ten years ago. She strongly believes meditation and flowing powerful movements help take the busyness out of the mind and can be extremely rewarding. Tara loves to remind her students that when the practice gets challenging, we learn that we are the ones in control and that being present on your mat and in your every day life is extremely important. She also like to keep her classes light and loves to joke around. Humor for Tara brings a sense of warmth and comfort in the room. Making people feel welcome and comfortable (especially for beginners) is very important to her.
Cara Bradley
Hey Crispers, I’m super excited to be jumping onboard with the team of amazing Crisp teachers. You may have seen me in the yoga studio, on a bike, or on the turf. I’m new to Maine but not new to yoga. I’ve been teaching yoga and meditation for awhile and owned Verge Yoga in Philadelphia for 16 years. I can sum up my style of teaching in two words: simple and challenging! And my intention is to help you leave the studio feeling STRONG, CALM and CLEAR. I can’t wait to meet you!