Teri Almquist has been teaching Bikram Yoga full time since 2005. She opened her studio, Bikram Yoga Merrimack Valley, in 2008. Her passion for Bikram Yoga grew out of her own healing experience: In 1991, Teri suffered a severe injury that ruptured the discs in her neck and left her unable to move her head; after years of discomfort, she discovered Bikram Yoga and in 2004 began her yoga practice as a last-ditch effort to put off seemingly inevitable spinal surgery. With patience and consistent practice, she was able to avoid surgery completely and eventually regained full, pain-free range of motion in her neck. Now teachers and students from all corners of the globe consult Teri for her expertise in healing injured bodies through Bikram Yoga. In 2015, she founded Teach From Love, an organization dedicated to the continuing education of Bikram Yoga teachers. Teri lives in Haverhill, Massachusetts, with her husband, Tom. When not in the hot room, she enjoys cooking, kayaking, playing at the beach, and talking about yoga.