Kerianne Sidoti

I have studied with Heartwood Yoga Institute in Bradenton, Florida, Sewall House Yoga Retreat in Island Falls, Maine and Dawn Miller, C-IAYT, E-RYT500, YACEP of Elements of Synergy in Mayfield Heights, Ohio. I believe that everyone can benefit from yoga, but having the open mind to try something new often takes more time, and guts, than we think. After thinking about trying yoga for many years, a stressful job brought me to a mat for the first time. Since then I have learned that the physical aspect of yoga is just the tip of the iceberg. I've been able to skip my recommended orthotics. I no longer "throw my back out". I no longer "ache". I've learned to actually use my core and I've improved my posture. My entire life is better, I'm healthier, I'm happier, I'm leaner and I feel amazing. Yoga shouldn’t be scary. I often struggle with asanas (poses), there are many that I love, there are many that I don't, there are many that have changed drastically for me over the years of my practice. The most common things I hear for reasons that people don't try yoga are "I'll try that when I lose weight" or "I'm not flexible enough". The only obstacle in your path is you! I've learned a few things about which asanas are beneficial to me as a larger woman...and which ones are just plain frustrating and don't serve me well. I like to share what I've learned about individual asanas, modifications and the power of breath. I’ve learned…. · To honor my body · To embrace mindfulness · Strength · How to relax · How to move · How to breathe · How to observe · How to listen · That crazy looking poses are just that · That a minor adjustment or breath adaptation can completely change the difficulty of a pose · Some things can be extremely hard, and more than worth their efforts My classes are open and informal and focus on breath centered movement, safe and healthy alignment, mindfulness and letting go. I enjoy teaching classes in several different styles, including Yin, Slow Flow and a Viniyoga inspired class I like to call "Yoga Foundations". I began studying with Dawn Miller, C-IAYT, E-RYT500, YACEP in 2013. In the summer of 2017, I completed my 200 Hour Yoga Alliance Teacher Training at Sewall House Yoga Retreat in Island Falls, Maine with Donna (Amrita) Davidge, E-RYT500. Donna shared her very diverse knowledge from teaching yoga in New York City and northern Maine for over 30 years, learning from many teachers, including Yogi Bhajan, Dharma Mittra, Eddie Stern, Genny Kapuler and Judith Lasater. In 2019, I completed the 20 hour Pelvic Floor Yoga™ teacher training with Leslie Howard. In 2022, I completed my 300 Hour Advanced Yoga Teacher Training at Heartwood Yoga Institute and Retreat Center in Bradenton, Florida. I learned from the amazing team of Yoga Therapists and experienced yoga teachers at Heartwood: Ginny Shaddock C-IAYT, E-RYT500, David Shaddock C-IAYT, E-RYT500, Denver Clark C-IAYT, E-RYT500, Rachel Belle E-RYT500, Stephanie Engebretson RYT500, Cody McNeeley RYT500 and Kimberly Hoenie RYT500.