about us

Yoga in Morse Construction BuildingTrue North Yoga fulfilled a dream for founder and owner Debbie Philp. The studio opened in 2009 in the basement of Schroon Lake's Community Church with a variety of classes for the town's small but diverse local and seasonal population.  Hatha, flow, gentle and chair yoga classes are scheduled year-round and additional classes are added in July and August. In 2011 the studio outgrew its original space and moved into the new Main Street location. With additional space and scheduling flexibility True North Yoga has added more yoga classes, meditation, an assortment of workshops, private yoga sessions and one-on-one healthy lifestyle coaching.

Instructors

Debbie Philp, RYT-500, Instructor and Owner. Debbie's yoga journey began 15 years ago at a local gym and continued on a meandering path through a number of different studios, yoga videos, retreats and conferences.  The path led her to One Yoga and Wellness Center in East Windsor, New Jersey, where, in 2007, she embarked on a year-long, 500 hour yoga teacher training program, while still working full-time as an accountant.  After graduating, Debbie taught two classes a week until 2009 when she and her husband took advantage of an opportunity to leave New Jersey for the North Country, settling into what had been their vacation home.  Free of her old career, Debbie opened True North Yoga the morning after she arrived.

The natural beauty and slow pace of life in the Adirondacks inspires Debbie's yoga practice and teaching.  She trained in an ecclectic Hatha style of yoga which included Vinyasa (flow), yoga for kids, prenatal yoga and meditation.  In 2009, Debbie studied Liz Franklin's Yoga in Chairs and added chair yoga to the classes she offers.  As a runner and triathlete, Debbie knows that yoga complements any active lifestyle and believes a focus on fitness and wellness is essential to navigate a world full of unhealthy choices and stress-producing pressures.  To bring fitness and wellness services to the studio's clients, Debbie is adding personal training, healthy lifestyle coaching and ayurveda to her knowledge repertoire in 2011.

Debbie is an active member of the Parent-Teacher-Student Organization at Schroon Lake Central, where both of her children attend school.  She edits the Schroon Lake Association's newsletter and can be found volunteering at SLA and Chamber of Commerce events.  Debbie gets in touch with her creative side whenever she can and believes knitting is meditation.