CHILDREN'S BOOK AUTHOR • YOGA INSTRUCTOR • MINDFULNESS INSTRUCTOR
Hiba Melhem Stancofski
Hiba is a Lebanese American 500 hour certified yoga and mindfulness teacher, and children’s book author.
Growing up in Lebanon, she had a tumultuous childhood as a raging civil war was tearing Lebanon and its people apart. At the age of 20, Hiba left her homeland for a sabbatical year in Paris, France and then flew across the pond to start a new life in the US.
Hiba graduated with a Bachelor degree in Biology from AUB (American University of Beirut) and a Masters in Biology from American University in Washington DC, and worked in research for a couple of years in DC and Baltimore. She and her husband Erik moved to Lewes, Delaware in 1998 with their growing family.
Hiba became interested in yoga in her early 40s, and soon her love for the practice pushed her to start training. She got her 200 YTT in vinyasa yoga, then followed up with yoga for Cancer Training, yoga for Trauma Level 1, Restorative yoga, Reiki Level 1 and 2, and her 300 YTT in the spring of 2021. In 2024, Hiba got certified in Svaroopa Yoga Foundations and Let Your Yoga Dance. Hiba is currently working towards a Yin Yoga certification, and a Yoga for children with neurodivergent/additional needs certification. She is also a member of the Yoga Alliance.
Hiba has taught at the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition, Cancer Support Community, and at multiple gyms and studios. She teaches at Involution Yoga Studio in Lewes. She also leads practices for the Beebe Healthcare Staff. Hiba has also been working with several athletic teams at the local high school introducing yoga and mindfulness to teenagers. She was also a member of MOMI (Minds Over Matter Initiative) and taught mindfulness to middle schoolers at the Jefferson School a few years ago. Hiba has co-led with colleague, Takara, a couple of workshop retreats (Philosophy of Ashtanga Yoga: Eight Limbs of Yoga in 2023 and Restorative weekend retreat in 2024) at the Himalayan Institute in Honesdale, PA. She and Takara are planning yet another retreat there in September 2025. Hiba has also facilitated yoga classes at a Soulful Women's Retreat, led by holistic coach Sanchez, in Sedona, AZ in 2024.
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She enjoys running, hiking, traveling, music, and the beach. She is fluent in English, French, and Arabic. She has been married to her Erik for 30 years and they have 3 beautiful young adults: Romy, Erik-Stéphane, and Anna.
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I Feel Better Now is her first publication.
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“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, you do better”
Maya Angelou