I have been seeing Ken regularly for close to a year for both therapy and yoga.

I brought to the table many many emotions of several recent family member losses, the ending of a relationship/engagement, as well as day to day turmoil which combined, gave me an inner sense of both sadness and a feeling of not being planted and flourishing, not to mention, I must have arrived at our first session with a large backpack full of anxiety ticking loudly.

Over the past months through our discussions, Ken has very compassionately mentally held my hand while exploring the grief of loss, teaching me how to recognize it's importance yet not allow it to be overwhelming. Through our discussions he has shown me how to allow myself to be more compassionate towards others as well as myself, with very helpful examples and role play discussion resulting in what I feel are very positive results and much progress. He's aided in helping me question why I feel certain ways and the possible results of changing those feelings to have positive reactions toward what I viewed as hopelessly damaged relationships. I feel Ken has a very strong understanding of human emotions which has allowed me to develop 100 percent trust in him, which seems essential when dealing with matters of this nature.

I'm now very fortunate to have developed a slight "Ken echo" in my thoughts, which has proved very useful. It is a voice of reason, compassion, understanding and a good dash of humor. Incorporating yoga into therapy makes a lot of sense as they really seem to work well together. As a beginner, it has given me many peaceful moments while working out the kinks and eliminating anxiety. I used to feel that sessions with Ken were blissful only as long as they lasted however, over time, I have become a firm believer that how we choose to view life's challenges is extremely defining to our future happiness, as much as how we actively deal with them.

I have blessedly learned that we can change those views and we can be and live that change, towards a happier future which by the way, is extremely contagious.

-Donna

Ken was my supervisor during a time that I was feeling a lack of confidence and vulnerable at the internship with a challenging population. He supported me thoughout and was so encouraging that I eventually regained my self-confidence and even to dream about what I might do in my life as a therapist beyond that particular internship. Even though my supervision ended in 2010, I am still in touch with Ken, and am grateful to him for his patience and for nuturing the seeds of potential in me! He is a wonderful supervisor and I would highly recommend him. (And just as an aside, Ken makes a really good calzone!).

-Eileen D.

Ken is more than a teacher, he is a healer. He is compassionate, his demeanor in class is calming and peaceful, and he truly understands the connection between the mind, body, emotions and spirit when it comes to well being and health. I am a huge fan. I've taken his regular yoga classes (not that I would call his classes regular) as well as a Yoga for Grief workshop and would highly, highly recommend both. If you are lucky enough to catch his workshop on grief (not sure how often he does it), do yourself a favor and go. It was a 4 hour workshop that incorporated mediation, yoga, restorative yoga, yoga nidra and acupuncture, and throughout Ken would read poignant quotes. We also had an altar to put a memento of a person, relationship or idea we've lost, and light candles as we set personal intentions for our practice. It was a tremendously healing and touching day, a great way to let go of old emotions/barriers that no longer serve. There were people there for a variety of reasons: new losses, old losses. And I think Ken's workshop was amazingly healing for everyone who attended. It certainly was for me!

-Mel

Ken has made it safe for me to be successful trying, then continuing a yoga practice. He is gentle, kind, and patient teacher. His ability to meet the needs of advanced and beginner students in the same class is amazing. He also provides extra's that make a difference. I couldn't give a higher recommendation.

-Diane J.

I came to Ken's partner yoga class not knowing what to expect and boy was I blown away! He is incredibly down to earth and really has no sense of holier than thou which I really appreciated. Lots of room for laughter and for me to be myself in the workshop. Ken demoed several of the poses with his lovely partner Tim, which helped make the poses more accessible. On that note I was amazed at how seamlessly he was able to make a class that I really enjoyed as a teacher and other newer students were clearly having as much of a juicy good time in. Check out his next workshop- you won't wanna miss it!

-Jeremi McManus,RYT, MFTi

Ken's classes are always infused with Light, humor, gentleness, openness, clarity, spirituality and lovely guidance. He is really one of my favorite yoga teachers. I enjoy the short spiritual readings he does to offer wisdom words to the mind at the beginning of class and the optional lavender lotion at the end of class that makes me feel totally nourished and nurtured. The classes are just the right balance of challenging physicality blended with time to deepen postures, listen to one's own body intuition, and relax deeply. He has a beautiful energy and deep knowledge of the practice of yoga without artifice or ego.

-Kay L.

When you want to learn yoga the right way, you need a great teacher! Attending one of Ken's classes not only benefits you physically but mentally and spiritually as well. Ken has a wonderful, fun, challenging sense of humor and knows how to teach a mixed level class. He has great intuition on helping everyone regardless of level, always walking around the room checking and helping. His partner and or circle pose's are a lot of fun and let you connect with others. The fact he is not only beautiful on the inside but also on the outside doesn't hurt either! Give it a try and you won't be disappointed.

I highly recommend him!

-Jouke Lanning

Ken is full of energy and love - you can feel that being around him and in his class. Come check it out.

-Errol Feria

You are the reason why I love yoga so much and every other teacher that I'll have will have big shoes or a mat to fill. I really appreciate the opportunity to share how wonderful I believe you are.

–Tony Buckman

I never seem to comprehend the phrase "perfect yoga voice" until I practice yoga with Ken, both in an individual basis and in class. His gentle, soothing, yet deep and confident voice makes yoga directions easy to follow. Aside from his voice, he is very patient and understands the needs of his students and gauge the intensity of the class quite well. In a class setting, he would provide several alternatives to a yoga pose that accomodate the different level of yoga practice between the students. In other words, whether you are a new yoga student or someone that practice it for a long time, you can still benefit from taking his class. Ken is warm and friendly and certainly provide adequate attention for new and returning students. I thoroughly enjoy his classes as I have seen great improvement in my flexibility and coordination over the past year. I am an exercise physiologist and I usually recommend clients to practice yoga as part of his/her flexibilty training component and Ken would be the top name on my list whom I refer my clients to!

-Tim

Ken and I worked together at Vital Life Services, a non-profit HIV/AIDS support center that fell victim to the financial crisis and closed its doors this year, alas. During the two years that we worked together -- myself as an acupuncturist, Ken as a therapist -- we shared a number of clients. Aside from the personal warmth and integrity I saw in him on a daily basis, I was also privy to reports from the clients as to how their sessions with him went. "Lifesaver" was a word I heard on a regular basis. He even started a free yoga class for the clients, in addition to the therapy work he was brought on to do. Ken is golden, in my book.

-Don G.

He's kind, he's encouraging and he knows what he's doing. Whether you're new to yoga, plateauing in your practice or a professional yogi, Ken's classes will usher in a new level of understanding and connection with your body. The classes I've taken with him are thorough and invigorating with plenty of time for restorative moments and grounding towards the end of class. He guides newcomers and gently adjusts experienced students. What I like best about Ken's classes are his reminders that wherever you are right now, is exactly where you should be. He has classes in SF and Oakland. (Ken's naked yoga classes are a safe space for trans-men.)

-Rolan

Ken is responsible for me starting my yogic journey and I finally had the pleasure of taking his Tuesday naked yoga class in San Francisco Sun Room. I have known Ken on/off for a number of years and have always thought of him as a gentle soul with a kind heart. His actions in class proved my impression of him to be accurate. Ken is courteous, professional, kind, gentle, playful, and attentive to all. He provided modifications continuously so everyone could attempt the poses irregardless of our yoga experience. It's a honor to call Ken a friend and now (another) one of my yoga teachers who inspires me....I look forward to taking more of his classes.

-Peter W.

I had been curious about yoga for quite sometime now, but my prejudgments made me stay away until now. My first session was with Ken at Naked Yoga SF. Ken creates a relaxing calm atmosphere that is free of pretension. As a complete novice, I was made to feel comfortable in my akwardness and encouraged with positive affirmations. I thought Ken struck a great balance between the spiritual and physical aspects of yoga. Before my first class I wondered if i would make it through the entire session without leaving early, but to my surprise when the class ended I was shocked at how fast the time had passed... For me that is a great sign of how much I enjoyed the experience. I will return many times. I am an instant fan of yoga and Ken's classes. I encourage others to sign up for private lessons to get some personalized instructions.

- Quantis

I've known Ken for years now and have always found him to be a fun, caring and giving person. I started practicing yoga in August 08, and in the past 11 months, I've gone through a lot of instructors because I go to Crunch in LA--one of the regular teachers there had to have a lot subs for an unknown reason. Ken certainly ranks in the tops in my experience. His personality translates into his teaching--he pushes you subtly and makes it a great workout! I definitely wish I could practice more with Ken.

-Simon L.

My entree back into fitness and cross training made doing naked yoga an essential part of my overall wellness. Nervous at first, my intitial class was with Ken. Was amazed at how the meditation always hit upon the things I was dwelling on the most and how the asanas always hit the muscles that were most compromised by practicing my sport of trail running. Ken validated how yoga as a practice not only extends beyond how one poses in a classroom but also how one poses as a human being in the theater of life. Now I hit the runway in my trail running naked yoga body knowing that what i'm presenting is a manifestation of what is within.

-Jason W.

I always look forward to Ken's classes because I know I will be transformed by his optimism, challenging yet mindful asanas, and humor basted with lots of yummy wisdom. He is a competent teacher that can reach all levels and age groups because he practices and models for his students spirit and compassion. Thank you Ken, you are a gift!

-Kathy B.

I have enjoyed classes from many yoga instructors in the past and Ken was no disappointment. He led a class for a birthday celebration that was quite wonderful. I enjoyed his incredibly thoughtful and positive demeanor during the class and the flow during the session. I hope to take another class from him in the future. Thank you, Ken!

-Elizabeth

Ken is a wonderful instructor! I have taken his class at Club One and feel it is a great balance of stretching and active yoga poses. He recently led a yoga class for our birthday gathering of about 17 women. He was thoughtful to the exercises that would bring group harmony and fun in addition to providing a good basic yoga routine for all levels of ability. He brought such warmth to our event and went above and beyond our expectations for our birthday yoga class. He always incorporates interesting readings into his yoga classes, and brings lavender scented lotion for the final moments of rest and relaxation. I highly recommend his classes.

-Linda

Ken Breniman is above all an attentive, nurturing, sensitive and positive teacher. I would recommend any of his workshops and classes as he is an exemplary facilitator with well thought out and sequenced poses, explicit modeling and instruction with modifications, and careful attention to pacing that is consistent throughout. He creates an atmosphere of calm and quiet focus that is truly meditative. All of this is augmented with inspirational readings that begin and end each class.

The Grief Workshop consisted of a balanced blend of traditional yoga for the first hour, with the remaining two hours spent in restorative poses, breath work with partners, and acupuncture (if desired). The opening of the workshop was dedicated to those people the students were honoring and remembering who had passed. Stories were shared, candles were lit on an altar at the front of the room, and each person and those who loved them were honored and acknowledged.

After having met new friends and shared my deepest emotions of loss, I came away from this workshop feeling calm and centered and even more appreciative of the life and the experiences that have been given to me.

-Kathy Brandenberg

Because I'm a lazy butt who doesn't do yoga as much as I wish, I've been a handful of times instead of weekly. But that's no reflection on Ken, I mean I love his yoga classes! At risk of sounding hippy dippy, he has an amazing vibe that fills his classes with joy. I've arrived to Open Heart Yoga in Oakland on days when I just didn't want to be there, when I was feeling stiff, down and cold. And I've always left feeling loose, revitalized and warm.

Ken is not just a yoga teacher but a therapist, and I truly find his classes therapeutic. Ken is a friendly, responsive and sensitive teacher. He takes inventory on how each person is doing and of what they hope to get out of the class. Then he gives modifications to make sure people are getting what they need. I've been to classes where people who wanted a "workout" were worked out while for those who needed something more relaxing, he focused on restorative poses (if I'm using the right language for that). I've brought a couple of friends to his Open Heart Studio classes, and they completely agree that Ken's classes are wonderful. He teaches well for both beginners and more advanced students.

One of my friends had done little to no yoga before and this class was perfect for her. And then I've done sporadic yoga for 12 years and this class meets me at my level too (note I'm still intermediate not advanced and cannot attest to whether he teaches that level, but I'm pretty sure he can throw in advanced poses too). Finally the classes are affordable with a sliding scale fee. Ken has a sun-shiny heart and his classes are a blessing. I could not give a higher recommendation.

-Chloe

Ken led a beautiful partner's workshop for Valentine's Day. I had never worked with him before and my partner and I both enjoyed his easy, open-hearted approach to practice. I am a teacher and I resonated to his flexibility (no pun intended!) and his quick solutions when alternative asanas or adjustments were called for. I recommend!

-Jaymie M.

Loved the partner yoga workshop. Ken is sweet, inspiring, and wonderfully supportive. The perfect valentines day treat. We are still glowing.

-Barb