Holistic Hosts

Playa Viva’s talented Holistic Hosts support your wellness experience during your stay. Our experienced hosts teach morning yoga class daily (generally Monday – Saturday) and also offer a wide range of therapeutic treatments, including bodywork, massage, and acupressure by appointment. Check out our amazing team!

Work with Us

We’re hiring holistic hosts for 2023 and 2024.

Holistic Hosts

Playa Viva’s talented Holistic Hosts support your wellness experience during your stay. Our experienced hosts teach morning yoga class daily (generally Monday – Saturday) and also offer a wide range of therapeutic treatments, including bodywork, massage, and acupressure by appointment. Check out our amazing team!

December 20, 2019 – January 31, 2020

Anjuli Mahendra

Anjuli is the founder of Embodied Resonance, which offers transformational retreats, integrative bodywork, and coaching focusing on wellness and empowerment. With over 15 years of experience as a movement teacher and bodywork therapist, Anjuli brings a wealth of somatic experience to her treatments. She is a nationally licensed therapist with 1,500+ hours of training in Integrated Connective-tissue massage, Thai Massage, and Chi Nei Tsang. Anjuli is the co-founder of ContactYoga.org and facilitates workshops and retreats to cultivate connection and mindful touch through partner yoga, contact improvisation, and Thai Massage. In both teaching and bodywork, her goal is to create a sacred container for healing, inner attention, and expanded perspective. 

Sonoma County, CA, USA | anjulimahendra@gmail.com | (808) 639-2462 | anjulimahendra.com

December 20 2019 – January 31, 2020

Anjuli Mahendra

Anjuli is the founder of Embodied Resonance offering transformational retreats, integrative bodywork, and coaching focusing on wellness and empowerment. With over 15 years of experience as a movement teacher and bodywork therapist, Anjuli brings a wealth of somatic experience to her treatments. She is a nationally licensed therapist with 1500+ hours of training in Integrated Connective-tissue massage, Thai Massage, and Chi Nei Tsang. Anjuli is the co-founder of ContactYoga.org and facilitates workshops and retreats to cultivate connection and mindful touch through partner yoga, contact improvisation, and Thai Massage. In both teaching and bodywork, her goal is to create a sacred container for healing, inner attention, and expanded perspective. 

Sonoma County, CA, USA | anjulimahendra@gmail.com | (808) 639-2462 | anjulimahendra.com

December 20 2019 – January 31, 2020

 Alok Rocheleau

Alok is an experienced yogi and bodyworker who has spent the last decade studying a variety of massage modalities with master teachers around the world. Treatments can be done on a massage mat or table. Mat sessions are primarily Zen Thai Shiatsu, a unique flowing style integrating acupressure points, stretching and joint movements that leaves the body more open, flexible, and relaxed.  Table sessions incorporate long strokes with oil on the skin releasing and unwinding tension. Alok also intuitively incorporates Acupressure, Myofascial Release, Trigger Point Therapy and Chi Nei Tsang (abdominal Chi massage) based on the client’s needs. With his background as an athlete and a degree in exercise physiology, Alok uses this knowledge to unwind both the muscular and energetic systems of the body.

Rockwaterhealingarts.com | (530) 368-1619 | alokrockwater@gmail.com

February 1 – 14 2020

Michelle Lloyd

Michelle received her training at the Sedona School of Massage and is licensed by the California State Board of Massage Therapy. She specializes in Deep Tissue, Myofascial Techniques, Neuromuscular Trigger Point, Swedish, Craniosacral and Reiki therapies. Drawing from these modalities, her sessions are tailored to meet the needs of each client. Michelle is also a certified yoga instructor, practicing yoga consistently since 2005 while living in bustling Saigon, Vietnam. She received her teaching certification in 2008 at It’s Yoga in San Francisco with Larry Schultz. Between 2008-15, Michelle taught yoga in Asia and is happy to continue the tradition, now based in Huntington Beach, California. Michelle’s classes are geared for all levels. Encouraging a beginner’s mind, focus on breath, safe alignment and modifications, while keeping a playful and curious spirit.

www.moontidewellness.com | hello@moontidewellness.com

February 14 – March 14 2020

Anne-Lauren


Anne-Lauren, founder of Radiant Spiral Retreats, is an Elemental Therapist, Yoga Teacher, Body Worker, and International Retreat leader of over 10 years. She came to Yoga as she began an inner and outer journey to connect with sustainable peace and deep joy. She draws most of her healing insights as she explores and learns from nature and the elements. Throughout her travels she has studied with different teachers of different cultures around the world. This has allowed her to go in depth with many different lineages and distill the best magic for you. Anne-Lauren’s mission in this life is to guide people into a deeper realization of their own innate healing potential; a connection with their truth, and purity of their hearts, thus bringing harmony and experiencing a deep peace and unshakable joy with the life they choose. Anne-Lauren’s sessions include: Swedish massage, Soul-Body Work, Zen Shiatsu, Abdominal Massage and Stress Release, Reiki as well as other tailor made sessions of your choice.

December 20, 2019 – January 31, 2020

 Alok Rocheleau

Alok is an experienced yogi and bodyworker who has spent the last decade studying a variety of massage modalities with master teachers around the world. Treatments can be done on a massage mat or table. Mat sessions are primarily Zen Thai Shiatsu, a unique flowing style integrating acupressure points, stretching and joint movements that leaves the body more open, flexible, and relaxed.  Table sessions incorporate long strokes with oil on the skin releasing and unwinding tension. Alok also intuitively incorporates Acupressure, Myofascial Release, Trigger Point Therapy and Chi Nei Tsang (abdominal Chi massage) based on your needs. With his background as an athlete and his degree in exercise physiology, Alok uses this knowledge to unwind both the muscular and energetic systems of the body.

Rockwaterhealingarts.com | (530) 368-1619 | alokrockwater@gmail.com

February 1 – 14, 2020

Michelle Lloyd

Michelle received her training at the Sedona School of Massage and is licensed by the California State Board of Massage Therapy. She specializes in Deep Tissue, Myofascial Techniques, Neuromuscular Trigger Point, Swedish, Craniosacral and Reiki therapies. Drawing from these modalities, her sessions are tailored to meet the needs of each client. Michelle is also a certified yoga instructor, practicing yoga consistently since starting in 2005 while living in bustling Saigon, Vietnam. She received her teaching certification in 2008 at It’s Yoga in San Francisco with Larry Schultz. Between 2008 – 2015, Michelle taught yoga in Asia and is happy to continue the tradition, now based in Huntington Beach, California. Michelle’s classes are geared for all levels. She encourages a beginner’s mind by focusing on breath, safe alignment and modifications, while keeping a playful and curious spirit.

www.moontidewellness.com | hello@moontidewellness.com

February 14 – March 14, 2020

Anne-Lauren


Anne-Lauren, founder of Radiant Spiral Retreats, is an Elemental Therapist, Yoga Teacher, Body Worker, and International Retreat leader of over 10 years. She came to Yoga as she began an inner and outer journey to connect with sustainable peace and deep joy. She draws most of her healing insights as she explores and learns from nature and the elements. Throughout her travels she has studied with different teachers of different cultures around the world. This has allowed her to go in depth with many different lineages and distill the best magic for you. Anne-Lauren’s mission in this life is to guide people into a deeper realization of their own innate healing potential—a connection with their truth and purity of their hearts, thus bringing harmony and experiencing a deep peace and unshakable joy with the life they choose. Anne-Lauren’s sessions include: Swedish massage, Soul-Body Work, Zen Shiatsu, Abdominal Massage and Stress Release, and Reiki as well as other tailor-made sessions of your choice.

March 12 – April 11, 2020

Lisa Garratt


Lisa has been in the field of yoga and massage since 2002. She is committed to meditation, continuing education, and providing individual-centered sessions. Lisa specializes in therapeutic bodywork and treating people with a variety of forms of pain and injury using various levels of intensity. She is a Yoga Alliance E-RYT500 Yoga Instructor, Certified Massage Therapist, Morales Method®: Academy of Structural Integration Practitioner, Pain Specialist, and Core Integration Therapist Level 3. She focuses on fascia, joint stability, mobilization, and the individual needs of the client. Additionally, she uses techniques that include cranial sacral therapy and polarity to help with the integration and therapeutic process. Lisa teaches Iyengar-based yoga, Hatha, Vinyasa, Gentle, and Restorative Yoga.


 lisagyoga.com | (831) 239-8698 | lisa@lisayoga.com

March 12 – April 11 2020

Lisa Garratt


Lisa has been in the field of yoga and massage since 2002. She is committed to meditation, continuing education, and providing individual-centered sessions. Lisa specializes in therapeutic bodywork and treating people with a variety of forms of pain and injury using various levels of intensity. She is a Yoga Alliance E-RYT500 Yoga Instructor, Certified Massage Therapist; Morales Method®: Academy of Structural Integration Practitioner, Pain Specialist, and Core Integration Therapist Level 3. She focuses on fascia, joint stability, mobilization, and the individual needs of the client. Additionally, she uses techniques that include cranial sacral therapy and polarity to help with the integration and therapeutic process. Lisa teaches Iyengar-based yoga, Hatha, Vinyasa, Gentle, and Restorative Yoga.


 lisagyoga.com | (831) 239-8698 | lisa@lisayoga.com

April 4 – May 20 2020

Georgette Marin


Georgette is a passionate pursuer of holistic living and alternative healing practices and traveling. Her passion to find an alternative way of living, healing and connecting to others has led her to finish over 1000 hrs. of yoga, meditation and Ayurveda for the last 14years. Georgette’s zest for living and experiencing life at its fullest lead her to travel and teach yoga around the world. Georgette’s philosophy of teaching is based on the Darshan method of Hatha yoga a unique approach to Asana based on ancient principals of Vedic and Tantric Science. A technique that’s easy and brings awareness to deep internal alignment that naturally creates order, harmony and integration within all aspects of your physiology; your body, mind, attention and beyond. 



georgette@darshancenter.com | (312) 622-2097

April 4 – May 20, 2020

Georgette Marin


Georgette is a passionate pursuer of holistic living and alternative healing practices and traveling. Her passion to find an alternative way of living, healing and connecting to others has led her to finish over 1000 hours of yoga, meditation and Ayurveda for the last 14 years. Georgette’s zest for living and experiencing life at its fullest lead her to travel and teach yoga around the world. Georgette’s philosophy of teaching is based on the Darshan method of Hatha yoga—a unique approach to Asana based on ancient principals of Vedic and Tantric Science. This is a technique that’s easy and brings awareness to deep internal alignment that naturally creates order, harmony and integration within all aspects of your physiology: your body, mind, attention and beyond. 



georgette@darshancenter.com | (312) 622-2097

February 14 – March 14 2020

Brian Witten

Brian began on his healing journey through an extensive study of the human body while earning a degree in Kinesiology, which evolved into his profession in the health and fitness industry. With over ten years of education and training in manual and movement therapies, Brian works to align the many aspects of health and wellness and create transformative programming for his students and clients.Brian shares his understanding of yoga, conscious movement and postural integration to support others in creating an active and healthy life. Working as an Ayurvedic practitioner, he also offers a unique style of bodywork supported by many holistic modalities which nourish and balance the inner elements of our human nature, supporting greater levels of peace and relaxation.

www.bodybybrian.com ~ brian@elemental-movement.com

February 14 – March 14 2020

Paulina Maliniak


Paulina offers massage and bodywork sessions specifically designed to an individual’s needs in every moment: to liberate from pain, discomfort and chronic stress, restore the vital energy and enhance the body’s self-healing. She offers Thai Massage, OsteoThai (Thai Massage with osteopathy elements), Craniosacral Therapy, Myofascial Release, Deep Tissue and Chi Nei Tsang. No matter the modality, the essential part of each session is a quality of mindful and caring touch, attention and presence. She offers therapeutic yoga classes where detailed knowledge of the anatomy, physiology and biomechanics leads to a strong focus on alignment and breath awareness, as well as developing a greater awareness of the body-mind-heart connections. She is certified in Therapeutic Yoga, Hatha Vinyasa, Prenatal and Yin Yoga.


www.paulinamaliniak.eu | info@paulinamaliniak.eu | +33633900163

May 10 – June 25, 2020

Brian Witten


Brian began his healing journey through an extensive study of the human body while earning a degree in Kinesiology, which evolved into his profession in the health and fitness industry. With over 10 years of education and training in manual and movement therapies, Brian works to align the many aspects of health and wellness and create transformative programming for his students and clients. Brian shares his understanding of yoga, conscious movement and postural integration to support others in creating an active and healthy life. Working as an Ayurvedic practitioner, he also offers a unique style of bodywork supported by many holistic modalities that nourish and balance the inner elements of our human nature, supporting greater levels of peace and relaxation.


www.bodybybrian.com | brian@elemental-movement.com

June 15 – July 18, 2020

Paulina Maliniak


Paulina offers massage and bodywork sessions specifically designed to an individual’s needs in every moment: to liberate from pain, discomfort and chronic stress; restore the vital energy; and enhance the body’s self-healing. She offers Thai Massage, OsteoThai (Thai Massage with osteopathic elements), Craniosacral Therapy, Myofascial Release, Deep Tissue and Chi Nei Tsang. No matter the modality, the essential part of each session is a quality of mindful and caring touch, attention and presence. She offers therapeutic yoga classes where detailed knowledge of the anatomy, physiology and biomechanics leads to a strong focus on alignment and breath awareness, as well as developing a greater awareness of the body-mind-heart connections. She is certified in Therapeutic Yoga, Hatha Vinyasa, Prenatal and Yin Yoga.


www.paulinamaliniak.eu | info@paulinamaliniak.eu | +33633900163

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