MINNEAPOLIS — A Minneapolis Yoga studio has a new leader following social media backlash related to a former owner and instructor who has been charged with child sexual assault in Canada.
Philip Doucette, 48, who was removed as owner of Modo Yoga's Minneapolis studio on June 5th, was formerly charged on in Ottawa back on May 23rd. He faces two counts of sexual assault, one count of sexual exploitation and one count of sexual interference with a person under 16 years of age.
According to a news release from the The Ottawa Police Service Sexual Assault and Child Abuse (SACA) Unit, the alleged assaults took place between 1998 and 2001. At the time, Doucette worked at a youth leadership camp. Court records indicate that the girl was younger than 14 years old when she met Doucette at the camp in 1997.
"The following year, he visited her in Ottawa; the sexual assaults began. In subsequent years that the victim attended the camp, the sexual assaults continued," the release states. "SACA investigators believe there could be other victims. Doucette worked at the camp from approximately 1996-2005."
Phil Doucette opened Modo Yoga's Minneapolis studio with his then-wife, Ryann Jessiman, in 2011. Though the couple divorced just a year after moving to Minnesota, Jessiman says they remained co-parents to their daughter and were business partners up until she learned of the charges in Canada.
Ryann Jessiman: "My body was vibrating in shock. You know, this is a person I've known for a very, very long time and... this happened in advance of me knowing him and I wasn't aware of it. I was in shock."
Kent Erdahl: "Have you had any contact with him since these charges were filed?"
Jessiman: I've had some minimal contact, yeah."
Erdahl: "Did he offer any kind of explanation or anything, or can you talk about any of that?"
Jessiman: "I haven't asked him about any of that. I cannot be responsible for my business partner's actions, in the time before I knew him. What I am responsible for is the Modo Yoga Minneapolis community, so I kept my lens on protecting my children and making sure that he was removed from the Minneapolis studio in an expedited way."
In a statement sent to KARE11, the CEO of Modo Yoga International, which oversees more than 50 studios in three countries, wrote "Modo Yoga International learned of these charges on June 5, 2023 and Phil Doucette was immediately removed as an owner of the studio."
Jessiman says she learned of the charges several days earlier.
Jessiman: "I was made aware the last day of May, and at that point I immediately removed Phil from the studio premises and worked very expedited to remove him from all ownership. And I removed him from classes immediately as well."
As the criminal charges against Phil Doucette became more widely known in recent weeks, criticism began to build on social media about how his absence was explained.
Ryann Jessiman: "I told people he was on a mental health break, and you can imagine he was absolutely on a mental health break at that time. Once I was able to purchase his shares and share more, then I shared that as immediately as I could."
Erdahl: "But if he's charged with sexual assault, and you're not relaying that piece of it, do you understand why people would be concerned?"
Jessiman: "I don't think that was my responsibility and it has been made very clear to me that my responsibility was to remove him from the business as quickly as possible."
Erdahl: "Made clear by who?"
Jessiman: "By my therapist, by my lawyer, in my heart, knowing that he needed to be removed immediately."
In the weeks since his removal from the studio, the backlash has grown louder online. Several students and employees began cutting ties, and several started sharing posts accusing Doucette of inappropriate behavior with female students. Some women also alleged that he groomed them while he was teaching at Modo in Minneapolis
"He just really used his place in our community and his power to manipulate these women when they were vulnerable," said Callie Knoblauch, a former Modo Yoga student and teacher.
Knoblaugh, along with Cally Prairie, a former manager of the studio, spoke to KARE11 about the time they spent working for both Phil Doucette and Ryann Jessiman. During their time with the studio, both women say they heard stories from women about inappropriate comments and conduct from Doucette, and they say they eventually left the studio in 2021 after trying to take action.
Cally Prairie: "I think feel guilty because both Callie and I tried to help a victim. The victim didn't want to go to the police, didn't want to go further than just within the community, but then nothing was resolved. They did put Phil on leave, it was paid leave, I know it was paid leave because I was paying him. I was doing payroll. So he didn't teach in the studio for about six to eight weeks. We were told we had to tell everyone he was on a mental health break. He was struggling because of the pandemic."
KARE11 asked Ryann Jessiman about the specific allegations the women raised.
Ryann Jessiman: "That was an HR issue that was being investigated, and it was not investigated by me. It was investigated by an arms length third party, who said it is clear for Phil to return to that schedule."
Erdahl: "What did you tell customers who were asking about Phil's whereabouts at that time?"
Jessiman: "I had told them that he was on a mental health break and that would be breach to say otherwise, to something being investigated."
But the former employees say they are concerned that Jessiman didn't do more.
"When I did report this to Ryann (Jessiman), she told me that Phil had a history of using his power to manipulate yoga students and that he was going to therapy," Knoblauch said. "And if she felt like she needed to that she would buy him out of the business at that time."
Erdahl: "Do you remember having any conversations in which you acknowledge that he would use his influence inappropriately with other women?"
Jessiman: "I don't."
The CEO of Modo Yoga International has asked anyone who has experienced or witnessed any form of misconduct at any Modo Yoga studio to reach out directly or anonymously though the website.
Modo Yoga International has been in communication with Modo Yoga studio owners and teachers from the broader community about this deeply concerning news. We are taking this matter very seriously. We have asked anyone who has experienced or witnessed any form of misconduct at any Modo Yoga studio to please reach out to us directly at feedback@modoyoga.com or anonymously through our website.
Jessiman reiterated that call to reach out with reports of misconduct, but discredited the social media outcry.
Jessiman: "I have not tuned into any of the social media based on the advice of my therapist, but I do understand that it's very much a witch hunt that's directed at me. While I don't know the details of that, I would ask again that anyone talking on social media, go through a proper channel where that information can be heard and processed in a meaningful way, as opposed to an online witch hunt."
Erdahl: "Do you understand why people would be hesitant? I mean, even in this interview you're telling me this is a witch hunt. So if anyone is coming forward right now, with allegations that are true, why would they feel comfortable going to a company or a studio, where you're describing this as a witch hunt?"
Jessiman: "I'm not sure if you've read the online comments. I have not, but that's how they have been described to me by many members of the community..."
Erdahl: "Yes, I have read them. You apparently haven't. But you're the one describing it as a witch hunt."
Jessiman: "Because it's been explained to me, by members of our community, as that."
Erdahl: "Do you feel good about Phil's conduct within the Modo Yoga community while he was there?"
Jessiman: "Absolutely, he was everybody's favorite teacher. Everybody's favorite teacher, and I can't comment any further than that."
Since her interview with KARE11, Ryann Jessiman says she is no longer teaching at the Modo Yoga Minneapolis studio and she says she is far from Minnesota for good.
In a statement she wrote:
As of Friday June 30, Latricia Askew has taken on the Studio Director role at Modo Yoga Minneapolis.
I have worked very hard to be a catalyst for this community and am proud of this work over the past 12 years. I am a good yoga teacher and a great mom. My energy is with my family now. I do not have any additional capacity.
This community needs a leader with space, strength, empathy, and the tools to move through this. Latricia Askew is this leader. As of immediately, Latrica has taken over the leadership and Studio Director role at Modo Yoga Minneapolis. Beside her walk a team of inspiring humans.
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