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Certified Yoga Instructor | Certified Children's Yoga Instructor | Certified Pediatric Occupational Therapist

Certified Meditation Teacher

JESSICA KNOPKE

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Jessica began her career as an Occupational Therapist at Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan in 1999. She worked with clients in in-patient rehabilitation who had experienced orthopedic injuries, neurologic impairments and traumatic injuries.

In 2005, after having her first child, Jessica began specializing in Pediatrics, working with children with Developmental Delays, Sensory Integration Dysfunction, Down Syndrome, Autism and PDD.

As Jessica began to fall in love with yoga in her own life she believed the principles of yoga would benefit her Occupational Therapy clients. This inspired her to complete her 200 hour Registered Yoga Teacher training with Encourage Yoga.

After teaching adults for a year, she went on to receive her 95 hour Children's Yoga Teacher Certification through Radiant Child Yoga.  Jessica has also completed the following coursework:

Karma Kids:

  • Yoga Teaching Training

  • Teen Yoga Teacher Training Intensive

  • Yoga in the Pre-School Classroom

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Mindful Schools:

  • Mindfulness Fundamentals

  • Mindful Educator Essentials

  • Mindful Communication

  • Difficult Emotions

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Zensational Kids:

  • Educate 2B

  • Pediatric Yoga and Mindfulness

Little Flower Yoga:

  • The Essentials of Children’s Yoga and Mindfulness

Meditation Training:

  • Learn to Meditate Levels 1-4​

           CfH&H

  • Teacher Training Level 1           

           David Nichtern

  • 150 Hour Meditation Teacher Certification  CfH&H               

Jessica founded Lily Pad Yoga, focusing on Yoga and Mindfulness for children. Jessica combines her knowledge and background in Occupational Therapy and her training in Yoga and Mindfulness to create classes for children that are truly unique. Breath, movement and mindfulness are practiced in each class. 


Jessica is passionate about bringing strategies to promote emotional and physical well- being into the lives of children; giving them tools that they can use throughout their lives to handle big emotions and find inner peace. Jessica keeps her classes fun and light-hearted. Every child is accepted for exactly who they are in a nurturing and safe environment.

Jessica teaches in a variety of settings and she works with many families, helping them learn ways to manage anxiety. Aside from teaching in studios and homes, she teaches within public and private schools. Teaching within the schools is something that is near and dear to Jessica’s heart; when an entire community is learning the same tools to be happy and healthy, the success is immeasurable. Schools are now able to hire Jessica through BOCES.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING

"Jessica, thank you so much for bringing your class to My daughters nursery school.  My daughter was happily singing Tuesday evening,
"I am happy, I am good", and then hugged her little brother and told him, "may you be happy.  I think that means "'I love you';"  It was such a beautiful thing to see and hear.”

—  J.F.

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