November 15, 2018

Meet Katie Schroeder of North Shore Restorative Yoga

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Schroeder.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Katie. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I have always been drawn to the healing disciplines of eastern philosophy, psychology, and the mind-body connection. I moved every few years of my life because of my father’s corporate job and had the opportunity to experience many different communities, cultures, and places. My life experiences and intellectual interests always inspired me to wonder what the best formula was to achieve happiness even with the constant change and challenges in this world.

My worlds merged perfectly when my mom brought me to my first yoga class in high school. I instantly fell in love with the practice which felt like a true homecoming in my body, mind, and heart. I went on to study psychology at the University of Colorado Boulder integrating yoga and eastern philosophy and then came back to the North Shore and earned my master’s degree in Conflict Resolution and Counseling in Boston.

After I graduated, I attended a class with Kim Valeri owner and master teacher of Yogaspirit and immediately signed up for her teacher training. During this in-depth training, I learned how to teach yoga asana safely with a very rich understanding of yoga philosophy.

Since my training, yoga teaching has been a gift to my life. It allows me to inspire others to connect to their bodies while also threading psychological and philosophical theories that support self-love, self-care, and healing to students. I believe I teach what I need to learn myself and could not be more grateful for the opportunity to connect on such a deep level with others on their journey.

I have learned so much about myself through yoga practice and perhaps even more as a teacher learning from watching my students evolve and transform from this practice. I began teaching after I graduated from Yogaspirit in 2008 and have taught in many studios all over the North Shore. I have the highest respect for all studio owners and teachers that have put their love and lives into offering yoga to the public.

I opened North Shore Restorative Yoga in May of 2017 in the heart of Magnolia Village right next to the ocean right in between Gloucester and Manchester by the Sea. My vision was to share the practice and teachings of yoga and healing arts in a boutique style studio surrounded by the most beautiful elements of nature where community members could feel safe, yet vulnerable to open themselves to the healing of the practice.

I also believe whole-heartily in the practice of restorative yoga which uses props- bolsters, blankets, sandbags, eye pillows to support the body in very gentle, therapeutic poses that calm the nervous system and in turn calm the mind through breathing and guided meditation. We are such busy beings and NSRY is a sacred space where anybody can show up and let themselves just BE.

Imagine if we all took a few minutes every day to just be, to breathe and connect to what is true in our hearts. I am hopeful that NSRY will become a ripple of light and a beacon of hope that our fast-paced world can find balance by looking within and falling in love with ourselves over and over again just by slowing down.

Has it been a smooth road?
I feel very grateful for the community of students that have shown up with genuine curiosity and intention to feel good in their bodies and take care of themselves with courage and vulnerability. Slowing down is not easy and it may seem easier to just “keep going” and “doing” instead of engaging in a practice of “being.”

Our community has proven through their steady practice of slowing down and nourishing their bodies and taking back control of their minds and connecting to the truth of their hearts, life actually becomes easier and they feel better… even happier! I feel so blessed to be able to show up every day to our beautiful studio space to share this powerful practice that inspires people to feel good, to look for the good in their lives and to see the good in others. This is a formula to heal the world!

Teaching has always come easily to me and I am thankful to share my gift and passion as well as support other teachers to do the same. The business side of yoga is not as easy.

Marketing, advertising and being a solo business entrepreneur in the yoga world has been, well, enlightening. It has actually informed my teaching and understanding of the pressures that so many people endure every day. When I was just showing up to a studio owned by someone else, I had the luxury of just focusing on refining my teaching and hoping that my students would love the class.

Now, I recognize as a business owner that trying to make a studio work financially is not an easy task and doing it without a partner certainly gets lonely. I have learned so much about the business side of yoga and how to be ethical and true to my beliefs as a yogi in business, which is just as important as a great class.

Being my authentic self and maintaining integrity in all aspects of the business and teaching is my goal every day. I believe that the more I practice what I teach on and off the mat, the more my life, my business and my purpose in this world will attract abundance and love.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the North Shore Restorative Yoga story. Tell us more about the business.
North Shore Restorative Yoga was a dream that was born from a vision and alchemy of Armand Merghart and myself. Armand, a businessman, visionary and student of yoga that loved my teaching inspired me to take my gift to the next level and open my own studio that incorporated my fun-loving flow vinyasa yoga with my deep understanding and niche of restorative yoga.

I wanted to create and offer the perfect blend for our community to have a studio where every class would incorporate restorative yoga, an experience of truly slowing down and opening to the healing that yoga can offer through quiet, therapeutic meditative poses supported by props. My practice and teaching also includes movement and I love being creative with sequencing but am a hardcore” back to basics” girl. You don’t have to be able to do a handstand to be an advanced yogi and in fact, I find that restorative yoga can sometimes be much more challenging than a sweaty vinyasa class. I love and practice all styles of yoga and believe movement and the basic poses focused on breath cultivate a strong, flexible body and mind. I often think of restorative yoga as our modern day form of meditation which is truly the goal of yoga. To begin to take note of how we are thinking, how we are talking to ourselves on a day to day basis is a real opportunity to transform and make the shifts you need to create real happiness in your life. Restorative yoga gives us the space to notice the subtleties, the mundane that when threaded together create the fabric of our lives.

The studio space is absolutely stunning and has a special feeling that welcomes all into its bright light. Each student that visits the studio comments on the beauty and the immediate sense of calm that they feel when they walk in. All of the mats and props are pre-set and cleaned every day so that students can walk in and just relax.

Beginners and advanced yogis don’t have to worry about rushing around to gather props or wonder what to do; every student feels welcomed and at home. All classes include essential oil aromatherapy with a diffuser and massage assists. The studio has the most amazing aroma and just overall essence with Buddha Face paintings that were generously donated by artist Virginia Peck and the highest quality candles on the market. The studio is intimate and full of love.

NSRY offers daily classes, workshops, teacher trainings, retreats and private yoga & therapy. All levels, all bodies welcome & open hearts and minds encouraged.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Most studios are now incorporating restorative yoga into classes and workshops which makes me so happy! I will be offering my restorative yoga teacher training in the New Year to support and inspire teachers, healing practitioners and anybody interested in deepening their understanding of the history, mechanics, physiology and psychology of restorative yoga. I believe the evidence-based research on the incredible health benefits of restorative yoga will continue to grow and demonstrate the need for this balancing practice for everybody including kids and teens.

I use to work as a school adjustment counselor in the middle and high schools on the North Shore and have taught many kids yoga classes. I found that the kids CRAVED and requested the restorative portion of the class. I would love to see schools offering not just yoga movement but include the power of PAUSE, slowing down and taking time to be still through restorative yoga. Imagine our next generation that is saturated by technology and schedules, to take at least five to ten minutes a day to connect quietly to their minds, bodies, breath and hearts using this evidence-based practice that is essential to health and wellness!

I will be offering my first retreat in Sedona, AZ, January 17-21, 2019, that will focus on a blend of flow and restorative yoga healing. I also continue to incorporate restorative yoga healing in all of my private counseling sessions. I believe in the power and wisdom of the connection of our bodies & minds to support our path to mental health and wellness. I have experienced first hand and with many of my private clients the incredible benefits of restorative yoga as part of a holistic approach to well-being.

I am currently working on a series of classes that will be available online. Practicing yoga in a studio is absolutely wonderful and so healing, but many students and community members don’t always have the time or access to a class. Drawing from my own experience, it can be really challenging to show up to a class in person especially if you are dealing with anxiety, depression, grief or stress. I always commend all of my students who do show up to class at the studio, it takes a lot of courage and just feeling the support of a community will make you feel better or at the very least bring you perspective. But some days you may just want to stay at home and still need a practice and guidance. My hope is to offer the whole community and beyond a chance to take part in this healing practice.

The sky is the limit with this practice as it easily blends with many healing modalities including Thai Massage, Reiki, Qui-going, Psychotherapy and Astrology. I am so excited and grateful for my life and all the support of the community.

Pricing:

$17 drop-in rate
$150 10 class card

Contact Info:

Address: 25B Lexington Avenue Gloucester, MA 01930
Website: www.nsryoga.com
Phone: 978-704-9807
Email: info@nsryoga.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nsryoga/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/northshorerestorativeyoga/
Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/north-shore-restorative-yoga-gloucester

Image Credit:
Jeff Smith, Drishti Photography

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