Veronique Rioux

Growing up I have always been active. In high school, I was a competitive swimmer and kickboxer. At age 19, I was badly injured in a car accident. I suffered a broken femur, cracked ribs and emotional shock. It was a major turning point in my life. My road to recovery created a deeper appreciation for holistic healing as I learned to overcome my injuries through healthy lifestyle choices and fitness. One holistic therapy led to another: Herbal Medicine, Bellydance, Therapeutic Bodywork, Organic Farming, and Weight Training, to name just a few. A tragic accident became a blessing in disguise, inspiring me toward my path of fitness and wellness. ​ My yoga path At age 21, I moved to BC to study organic farming and improve my English. In the first year, after moving to Nanaimo, I was in two more car accidents. I had to heal my body and spirit again, this time by attending a three months Yoga Teacher-Training course in Thailand at the Chakra Yoga School in 2004. Weight Training Room Coordinator ​ From 2005 to 2010, I worked at the Cégep de Gaspé as a Weight Training Room Coordinator. Taking advantage of summers off, I continued my adventurous lifestyle with dance training, Yoga tetreats and bicycle tours in BC and bu volunteering for three months at Kalani, a holistic retreat center on the Big Island of Hawaii. ​ Dance​ I have tried many styles of dance, including Cuban-style salsa and Bellydance. I am so grateful for all the beautiful and generous teachers I met along the way. I received three grants from Conseil des Arts et Cultures de la Gaspésie; for intensive training in Salsa and Bellydance. ​ Since my return to BC​ I returned to BC in the summer of 2010 and motherhood became my next great adventure. I gave birth to our son, Elohw Mai, after maintaining an active and healthy pregnancy. During the winter of 2012, we completed a 7 week internship at Bellyacres; an Artistic Community and Circus School in Hawaii. I gave birth to our second son, Sunny Oak, in 2013.