I am Tere Lopez
she/her/hers
Tere Lopez (she/her) is a Cuban-born yoga educator, mentor, and founder of Collective Care, a Yoga Alliance-certified 200-Hour Vinyasa Teacher Training program. Born in Havana and raised between the seaside community of Cojímar and the railway town of Casablanca, Tere brings a deep appreciation for movement, connection, and resilience to her teaching.
An E-RYT® 500 and YACEP®, Tere has been guiding students through the transformative practice of yoga since 2008. Her signature teaching approach, Slow & Dynamic Flow, combines mindful movement, intelligent sequencing, and embodied awareness to create accessible and meaningful experiences for practitioners of all levels.
Based in Brampton, Ontario, Tere serves the communities of Brampton, Mississauga, Milton, and Oakville through classes, workshops, masterclasses, public events, retreats, and teacher mentorship. She has trained extensively with renowned yoga educators, including Shiva Rea, and continues to deepen her work through trauma-informed and anti-racist approaches to yoga and wellness.
Tere holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Havana, later evaluated through the University of Toronto. Alongside her yoga career, she has worked in crisis counselling and youth justice, bringing a strong foundation in mental health, human behaviour, and compassionate intervention to her teaching. Her additional certifications include Mental Health First Aid facilitation, ASIST, Nonviolent Crisis Intervention, Peer Support, and Critical Incident Stress Management.
At the heart of Tere’s work is a commitment to collective well-being, authentic connection, and empowering others to discover their own capacity for growth, healing, and leadership.
She is the only teacher I recommend regardless of who I am speaking to
I think for most avid yoga students, there is an unknowing search for an unnameable type of teacher. A teacher that will challenge you to seek your edge, with compassion, humility, and boldness. A teacher that will seem to speak to you directly as they address the community of students — who will adjust with the needs of the community with a level of knowingness that defies rational understanding. Someone who can offer you a connection to a community that is not attainable in solitary practice.
I think everyone seeks this — these ‘Aha’ yoga moments that happen when you get an incredible teacher who is both formidable yogi and compassionate human. That is Tere Lopez. Every class, consistently.
She is the only teacher I recommend regardless of who I am speaking to. She is adaptable, inclusive, and dynamic. Her abilities are impressive and inspirational without feeling inauthentic or ostentatious. I was incredibly fortunate to have found Tere’s yoga class over 9 years ago. As my life changed, whether it be sports related injuries, pregnancy, personal trauma, etc. Tere’s classes have remained spaces where I can soar. For that, I will always be grateful.
As a yoga teacher myself, my teaching has also benefited from Tere’s approach to her students. Her equity in the studio, consistent foundation of consent-based engagement with her students, and genuine care for their wellness continue to be hallmarks of Yoga Teacher Best practice. Tere is the unnameable teacher — the class the stumble into that shows you your wings.
Tere embraces the art of yoga and transfers that energy to her students
Tere is such a beautiful soul who embraces the art of yoga and transfers that energy to her students. She helped me through some difficult times to focus my energy in my practice and it really helped me to regain my confidence. I would recommend trying her classes if you get the opportunity to do so.
She is exceptional at what she does. You will not regret it!
Tere Lopez was my private yoga instructor for several years. She is a warm, careful and kind individual who knows how to push you to your limits in the most gentle and subtle way. When I moved out of town, I struggled to find any semblance of her type of yoga practice and miss it very much. She is exceptional at what she does and determined to teach her students her very best. I would wholeheartedly recommend her for private or group lessons. You will not regret it!
I consider myself lucky to have found her classes
Tere is the kind of teacher who models the joy and beauty of movement in every breath through which she guides us. Her slow and fluid approach to yoga helps me to reconnect to my youth as a ballet dancer, but her wisdom and experience inspire me to look forward and continue to grow and accept change.
On a practical level, Tere helped me build strength and stamina I didn’t think was possible, and when I find myself missing my mat and losing what I’ve gained, she’s right there with the exact support I need to find my way back.
I think the true genius of her flows is how she builds upon basic movements to a peak pose that (in my case) is usually aspirational, but since the groundwork has been laid, there is still a tremendous sense of pride and drive based on the preparation poses alone.
I consider myself lucky to have found my way into her classes, whether they be in a studio, on a screen, or surrounded by nature.
