ABOUT RACHELLE

Rachelle Wintzen is the founder of the Chi Junky Studio. She offers a bespoke experience unlike any in the city. Rachelle’s professional life began in the performing arts world as a dancer, but her thriving career was cut short by injuries. Abandoning her disciplined lifestyle, she was drawn to New York City’s nightlife, where she worked in the city’s top clubs for almost a decade. This lifestyle left her physically and mentally wasted and she vowed to dedicate one year to a radical detox. Turning a negative to a positive she became addicted to living well—a junky for the chi she finally found. 

She moved to Ambergris Caye, Belize, an 18-mile long island for two years teaching yoga and in 2014 founded The Chi Junky Studio.  Birthed from her own personal experiences and journey to health, the philosophies and foundation that Chi is built on changed her life and became her mission to create a space that brought the same healing to as many people as possible.

Alongside her main location she opened a satellite location within Sweat and Tonic located in downtown Toronto from 2019 - 2021. She is also a featured media expert and has appeared on the following outlets, The Globe & Mail, City TV News, BlogTO, Chatelaine, Best Health, Huffington Post , CP24, Breakfast Television, CTV national news, CTV Your Morning, Narcity and more. Rachelle was the resident yoga expert for CTV’s The Social and the in house instructor for CBC’s Kim’s Convenience. She was a three year lululemon ambassador for the Eaton’s Center store and a national ambassador for BYOGA. She was chosen as one of three national recipients named a Local Legend by Mazda Canada. When Rachelle is not at the studio she can be found in her Sharbot Lake home in the woods. 

Pronouns - she/her

Rachelle WintZEN (pronounced Ra- shell not rachel)

Hometown: Toronto

Star Sign: Capricorn

Can often be found: at the Chi Junky studio or on a SUP board or at her tiny cabin in the woods.

Favourite song of the moment: Ivory (rework) by Movement

Teaching Style: Sweaty challenging flows to killer playlists, music turned all the way up.

Favourite Pose: Double pigeon

Favourite Book: A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

Addicted to: SUPing at sunset

IG: @rachellewintzen