Inspiring Actions LLC - River Falls

 

Who doesn’t want to check out some trees in Downward Facing Dog?! That pretty much sums up what we all want our yoga-in-the-park teacher to hold as an unofficial motto, now doesn’t it? That’s our Alexa! An enthusiast for all things outdoors in our beautiful St. Croix Valley, Alexa often weaves that love into her class music and themes, whether they are outdoor or indoor at Inspiring Actions. Outside of the studio and away from her hotel business, Alexa uses the time she spends kayaking, hiking, fly fishing, reading and walking the dog to regularly practice her personal mindfulness and breath work, which then gets parlayed into her Mixed Level, Beginning and Restorative classes in a way that leaves students feeling refreshed and relaxed. ¿Y hablas español? ¡Alexa también!

 

• 200-hour RYT certification, Green Lotus Yoga & Healing Center
• CPR certified

 

Ali describes her discovery of yoga as a breath of fresh air…though since her background is rich in Hot Yoga, that “fresh air” is relative! Ali’s path to becoming a teacher has lead her through Bikram, Vinyasa, and Restorative Yoga as well as meditation practices, including a training with Rama Jyoti Vernon. A perfect reason to take a class with Ali is that she embodies what we are: a yoga and wellness center. Ali’s professional and educational life centers on whole body health, so in addition to teaching yoga, Ali has a master’s degree in Holistic Health Studies as well as certifications in several health-related modalities, making her the perfect candidate to answer your questions regarding healing and wellness. That’s her life’s work, and she’s excited to share it!

 

• 200-hour RYT certification, Boulevard Yoga and Healing Arts, Kansas City, MO
• Trauma-Informed Yoga, Firefly Yoga International
• Yoga for Cancer Care, Green Lotus Yoga & Healing Center, Mendota Heights, MN
• MA Holistic Health Studies, St. Catherine University, Minneapolis, MN
• Reiki Master Teacher, Angelic Healing Center, Norwalk, CT
• Healing Touch Levels 1 and 2, Healing Touch International
• Psychic Development Levels 1, 2 and 3, Holistic Studies Institute of New York
• Certified Hospice Volunteer, Visiting Nurse and Hospice Care of Southwestern CT

 

Angela began her yoga path in 2008, and since then she says, “I haven’t found a style yet that I haven’t enjoyed!” Originally drawn to Vinyasa styles, Angela has morphed into the go-to woman for all things restorative at Inspiring Actions. Not every studio can say that their lead restorative teacher has trained with Judith Hanson Lasater, the foremost expert in Restorative Yoga in the United States, but we can! It is this love for – and experience in – many styles of yoga that makes Angela feel that essential part of that process is the exploration of the here and now because the yoga our body craves from day to day, month to month, and year to year will change. She is skilled at helping students figure out when each style of yoga is right for their body, so please ask her! Angela’s most recent trainings are in Thai yoga bodywork as well as restorative and yin yoga styles, and if you’ve ever taken one of her classes, you’ll feel her expertise immediately. We’ve found one problem with that though: when the time is up, no one wants to leave her class!

 

• 200-hour RYT certification, TeriLeigh LLC, Hudson, WI
• Relax and Renew® Restorative Yoga Teacher, Judith Hanson Lasater
• Thai Yoga Bodywork, Yoga & More, Hudson, WI
• Reiki First Degree
• YogaFit level 1
• First Aid certified
• CPR certified
• AED certified

 

Autumn started her yoga practice at a young age, and from there it took off to include Vinyasa, Hatha, and prenatal trainings, with a passion for Kundalini woven throughout. At Inspiring Actions, she teaches the popular Flow & Restore format, but with Autumn, you’ll always get a little something extra! Autumn has a flair for those so-called “extras” in the yoga world that can make a class truly unique: essential oils, reiki, guided visualizations and sound healing! As everyone knows, experiencing a class with singing bowls is dangerously addictive! (Note: Autumn assures us that the singing bowls also drown out snoring… So no worries! Let the sound carry you away!) Come to Autumn’s class to take part in a true yoga EXPERIENCE and know that her focus is always to support each student in being his or her own guide.

 

• 200-hour RYT, Radiant Life Yoga
• CPR certified
• Usui Reiki level 2
• Prenatal Yoga levels 1 and 2
• Postpartum doula

 

The teenage years are an impressionable time, so it’s fitting that Carly, the woman who took her first yoga class with her mom at 15 years old, is now a yoga teacher. There’s something about those first classes that just stuck for her. Her own practice runs the gamut from Restorative to Heated Power, so expect to see Carly leading a variety of classes at Inspiring Actions. But no matter the class, her goal is always the same: for students to leave class feeling better than when they started. Other than a great yoga class, what makes Carly’s day feel better than when it started? Being outside! This Forest Science major loves to be outdoors hiking, kayaking, camping, birding, or all of the above.

 

• 200-hour RYT certification, Green Lotus Yoga & Healing Center
• DONA Birth Doula certification, Enlightened Mama, St. Paul, MN
• CPR certified

Dana first started practicing yoga when Inspiring Actions opened in 2008, and she shortly realized that yoga had significantly increased her flexibility and decreased her pain after back surgery. She was hooked! From then on, Dana sought to learn more and became part of the inaugural class of Inspiring Actions Teacher Training, spurring her interest in vinyasa flow and other heated practices. Since then, Dana has also completed Inspiring Actions’ Yin Yoga training and also trained with John Friend, the founder of Anusara yoga. Dana is also the girl to go to if you simply need someone to brag to about your latest catch because your family doesn’t want to hear it any more – Dana is musky-killing powerhouse!

 

• 200-hour certification, TeriLeigh LLC, Hudson, WI
• YogaFit level 1
• CPR

 

Since 1994, Deb’s yoga path is one that has included experiences from Yoga Fit trainings, to practicing Bikram yoga for two years, to teaching Downward Facing Dog and Warrior poses to kids in a village in Africa in 2011! Her “day job” as a flight attendant brings her all over the world, so it’s appropriate that her yoga practice has taken a similar journey, pulling from various traditions and including a little bit from here, there and everywhere.

 

• 200-hour RYT, TeriLeigh LLC, Hudson, WI
• Yoga Fit level 1
• CPR

Coming from a long line of teachers, Erin began practicing yoga in 2004 as a way to find balance to her day job teaching high school French and AP Art History in Lakeville, MN. Having grown up in River Falls, she came back to the area to teach yoga at Inspiring Actions in 2009. Erin’s classes are infused with a strong alignment focus and a holistic view, speaking not just to the physical but to the energetic body as well. With a “yoga mutt” background that includes Iyengar, Bikram, Ashtanga, Yin and Anusara, Erin’s primary practice is Power Vinyasa, and she has attended trainings with Baron Baptiste, David Swenson, Seane Corn and TeriLeigh Schmidt. Come to Erin’s Power Vinyasa classes to get your butt kicked….in a very fun-loving way that will keep you coming back, of course!

 

• 300-hour RYT certification, TeriLeigh LLC, Hudson, WI
• 200-hour RYT certification, Sun Moon Yoga, Mankato, MN
• CPR

In her first yoga class ever, Jackie made a startling (albeit, common) discovery: for 51 years she had be breathing wrong! Yikes! While it quickly gave her tools to reduce stress, Jackie is an avid equestrian and was amazed at what yoga contributed to her riding skills as well as just about any other skill needed to shine throughout the day. If you attend one of Jackie’s classes, you will notice her skill in applying what you do on the mat during your yoga practice to what might be included in your life off the mat. Simply because she has used her yoga skills off the mat in productive ways and is continually learning, Jackie is a great sounding board for those questions, so don’t be afraid to ask! One of her goals in teaching yoga is to help share with others how you can maintain balance, strength and flexibility while you age….and how to do that with both grace and humor!

• 200-hour RYT certification, TeriLeigh LLC, Hudson, WI
• Certified Personal Trainer

If you’re sending your child to a Yoga Kids Camp or a Girls Yoga Workshop, who better to plan and lead activities for your child than Jennifer, who has been teaching elementary-age students since 2000? With a Master’s degree in Education, Jennifer Mankowski is a leader in shaping the offerings for kids at Inspiring Actions. Her primary focus is in building kids and adolescent body confidence and self-esteem through yoga, and if you’ve seen the pictures of her yoga camps, it’s clear the kids have an awesome time doing it! Jennifer’s interests don’t stop there, however. She teaches adult classes as well, maintaining a special interest in vinyasa yoga. In 2013, Jennifer launched The Light Within, a life coaching and spiritual consultation business that is now a part of the offerings in the Wellness Center here.

 

• 200-hour RYT certification, TeriLeigh LLC, Hudson, WI
• Kids Yoga, Little Lotus Kids Yoga
• Certified Life Coach & Spiritual Mentor, Behavioral Healthcare
• Consulting Training Institute

 

Who better to teach a Gentle Yoga class than a woman with degrees in Early Childhood and Elementary Education? Patience, understanding and gentleness come with the territory! Enter: Katie Fredrickson! Katie came to Inspiring Actions in 2016, and although she started teaching Gentle Yoga, don’t be surprised to see her teaching many other classes—especially Vinyasa, which is one of her favorites. Studying with Brooke Boon, author of Hatha Yoga Illustrated, and the use of essential oils are two important benchmarks of Katie’s training. Katie incorporates the oils into her practice, and if you have questions about the hows and whys of the powerful yoga and essential oil combination, you’re the perfect candidate for Katie’s classes. As with any class at Inspiring Actions, come with questions and ask away!

 

• 200-hour HYI, Holy Yoga
• 500-hour M-HYI, Holy Yoga
• CPR
• First Aid
• AED
• Group Exercise Certification

 

One of the things we hear at Inspiring Actions all the time is that our students love the variety of yoga classes we offer, taught by instructors with vastly diverse backgrounds. Kelsey fits into this niche perfectly with her expertise in “all things baby” yoga! As a mom to two girls and a boy, Kelsey blends motherhood and extensive pre/post-natal yoga training to bring an assortment of classes for soon-to-be and new moms. These classes can vary with the seasons, but expect to see Kelsey leading any of the following: Prenatal Yoga, Postnatal Yoga, Mommy/Daddy & Baby Yoga and Crawlers Yoga. Women who attend prenatal classes describe feeling less stress and experiencing easier deliveries; parents who attend Mommy/Daddy & Baby Yoga report bicep strength like they’ve never had before; and Crawlers Yoga attendees note an awesome new kind of parent-child fun! What’s not to love?

 

• 200-hour RYT certification, Green Lotus Yoga & Healing Center, Mendota Heights, MN
• Prenatal Yoga certification, Blooma, Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN
• Pre/Postnatal Advanced certification, Blooma, Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN
• Birth Doula certification, Enlightened Mama, St. Paul, MN

 

We are so fortunate to have Kim and her years of expertise in the healthcare field! She has been a practicing RN since 2003 after obtaining her degree in Nursing from St. Catherine University and specializing in Emergency Nursing. Through years of practice, Kim happily discovered she enjoys all types of yoga, but definitely heads toward the heated classes when the weather gets chilly! Beginners and seasoned practitioners alike can come to Kim’s classes to feel totally cared for, inside and out... exactly like you would expect from a nurse.

 

• 200-hour RYT, Green Lotus Yoga Center, Mendota Heights, MN
• Registered Nurse (certifications in BLS, ACLS, PALS, NRP, TNCC)

 

When you read Lucy’s name—Lucy Pirner, MS, LPC, E-RYT—it’s clear that this is a woman who knows quite a bit. What her name doesn't tell you, however, is what Lucy knows best: how to make you leave a yoga class or Yoga Therapy session feeling so darn good. Lucy has extensive training in the both Western and Eastern modalities of treating mental health, including training with yoga teachers Yogarupa Rod Stryker, Tanya Boigenzahn, Christopher-Ken Baxter, Kausthub Desikachar, Amy Weintraub and Russil Paul. She has practiced counseling for over two decades and has taught yoga since 2001, utilizing LifeForce Yoga® techniques to teach you to manage your mood and feel more balanced. Yoga, she says, is the journey back home to our purest Self, who we really are. Lucy teaches Parayoga-inspired Hatha classes, including meditation techniques, chanting and knowledge of the energetic body to help you find your way.

 

• MS in Counseling Psychology
• Licensed Professional Counselor
• LifeForce Yoga® Practiitioner
• 500-hour certification, Devanadi Yoga
• 200-hour certification, Atma Yoga
• Usui & Karuna Reiki Master
• ParaYoga® Level I Certified
• Ayurveda Yoga Specialist

 

Military police officer turned yoga instructor? We’ve got your yin and yang all in one person! You would think that a former Army girl would kick your butt in the yoga studio, but Nealee’s classes have a quiet intensity to them that is remarkably relaxing and restorative. Practicing since 2009 and completing her 200-hour certification with TeriLeigh, LLC in 2011, Nealee found her voice and her niche in vinyasa yoga early on. She went on to get her prenatal yoga certification from Blooma in 2011 as well. Her classes reflect a unique blend of steadiness and gentleness, firmness and softness – a practice to fit all.

 

• 200-hour certification, TeriLeigh LLC, Hudson, WI
• Prenatal Yoga certification, Blooma, Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN
• First Aid
• CPR
• AED

In 2008, Inspiring Actions opened its doors in Hudson, and Marilyn was among the first to walk through those doors as a new yoga student. Anyone who has ever been in a class with Marilyn will tell you that Inspiring Actions hasn’t been the same since! Marilyn is a model example of what it means to have fun with yoga—to explore, to challenge, to grow, to question, and to laugh. She is serious about yoga, but not about herself, and it’s that combination that creates a whimsical and light-hearted feel to Marilyn’s practice as a teacher and student. She knows that yoga doesn’t have to be serious and her ability to get students to smile and have fun during class keeps people coming back.

 

• 200-hour RYT certification, TeriLeigh LLC, Hudson, WI

 

Renee has been a beloved yoga teacher in the St. Croix Valley since 2004. In 2013, after years of teaching yoga, Renee suffered a painful back injury. Her search for pain relief took her through various channels of western medicine but nothing seemed to help. Then she found a Yoga Therapist practicing SomaYoga Therapy. It was there that Renee found not only relief from pain but also more freedom in her body than she had experienced in a long time. In 2015 Renee received her 500 Hour Teacher Training Certification in SomaYoga Therapy. Since then, she has been passionate about helping people in chronic pain. Renee draws from a wide variety of Hanna Somatic Education, Yoga therapy and clinical nursing experiences. She works on the premise that people need to understand the “why” of something and experience those benefits before they will choose to apply it on their own. Ultimately, Renee helps clients in chronic pain overcome fear with curiosity and education about their bodies. Renee gives them tools to understand and release their pain. As clients begin to replace fear with curiosity, their fear melts away and once again they learn to trust their bodies.

 

*Currently Renee is enrolled in the Clinical Somtaic Educator program at the Navato Institute for Somatic Research and Training in Navato, CA

 

• Hanna Somatic Educator/500 Yoga Therapist

If Teresa can handle a 36-year career teaching middle schoolers and live to tell about it with a huge smile still on her face, chances are good that she can help you deal with those pesky issues in your body that bring you to yoga class! Teresa has a practical approach to teaching, using one simple goal for her students: to find today’s practice beneficial so that they want to return to the mat the next day. It’s that “let’s go back tomorrow” attitude that led Teresa to complete Inspiring Actions’ 200-hr training in 2014 after she started with yoga videos on her own, then Yoga 101, 40 Days to Personal Revolution and Goal Setting From the Heart at Inspiring Actions. If you’ve noticed yourself on a similar path, Teresa is a great resource for your questions as well!

 

• 200-hour RYT certification, TeriLeigh LLC, Hudson, WI

 

Teri is a woman with enthusiasm for all things fitness! A former high school business teacher, Teri minored in dance while at Illinois State University and, by 2001, she had experimented with many exercise programs and found herself routinely drawn more strongly to yoga. When yoga is the practice you make time for every day, you know you’re on to something good! That led to her enroll in Inspiring Actions’ first 200-hour teacher training program in 2010, train with John Friend in 2011 and complete the Yin yoga training at Inspiring Actions in 2012. Teri’s life-long love of strength training now shows through in her classes and yoga, to Teri, holds the hat trick of fitness: it creates a peaceful mind, a strong body, and it trains the breath to connect the two.

 

• 200-hour certification, TeriLeigh LLC, Hudson, WI

 

What do you get when you mix hard-core western science education with traditional wisdom in eastern modalities? You get our Tonya! Tonya holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology and a master’s in Life Science, and to compliment that she has completed in-depth study of Feng Shui, Qi Gong, Reiki, and Peruvian Medicine Wheel. So what does that mean to you? That means Tonya can speak your language. No matter your approach to yoga, Tonya can expand your education in this ancient practice by explaining the concepts in a clear way that works for you and your understanding. Also a science and environmental educator to kids and adults in our community, you’ll find Tonya in a similar role here: parlaying her comprehensive training into fun & powerful classes featuring yoga for kids, teens, and families. Come to Tonya’s class - or sign your family members up - and take advantage of the short amount of time we can corral Tonya in the studio because like anyone passionate about science and the environment, she feels the call of the Great Outdoors! Look for Tonya the next time you’re walking, hiking, kayaking, biking, or catching some local family entertainment outside!

 

• 500 hour RYT certification, Yoga Fit
• 100 hour Yoga Therapy, Aura Wellness
• 140 hour Yoga for Warriors (trauma sensitive) for kids and adults
• Mindful Schools trained
• NETA fitness (adults + kids)
• Dr. Sears Health Coach
• Reiki Master

 

When she first started practicing yoga in 1990, Tori approached it in typical American fashion: as a competitive sport! The woman you saw sneaking out during savasana? That was our Tori! Over time she learned that yoga doesn’t have to be about working and doing; rather, it can be about simply BEING. This realization was the catalyst for significant growth, and it defines Tori’s expertise as an instructor. Through her own experience finding the fun in the imperfect, Tori teaches students the value of approaching practice with a focus on wellness over perfection. Fittingly, Tori teaches Flow & Restore classes at Inspiring Actions, where she guides students to master when to push and when to let go, when to strengthen and when to ease up, when to work hard and when to relax fully. By day, Tori is a university professor, so if you have questions about your practice, ask! Tori’s office hours - er, mat hours - are open!

 

• 200-hour RYT certification, Green Lotus Yoga & Healing Center, Mendota Heights, MN
• CPR certification

 

Tracy has been exploring movement in its many forms since she began studying dance in her teens. Her passion for the art of movement guided her to embark on a career as a dancer and then, later, as a choreographer. After experiencing an injury, Tracy sought a way to heal her body while also staying in shape, and stumbled onto yoga. Since she began her yoga practice, over time, Tracy found that yoga not only supported her physically, but it also changed the way she thinks, acts, feels, and interacts with the world. Now, she practices for the clarity and peace that yoga engenders in her life, both on and off the mat. Tracy completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training certification through Devanadi Yoga so that she could share her passion and perspective on yoga with others. Tracy teaches workshops, classes, and teacher trainings, in a variety of yoga styles, but, as a former dancer, she holds a special place in her heart for flowing vinyasa styles. In her classes, you will find each session has a special theme - it may be a physical goal, chakra, or something energetic. She creates an air of openness and fun in the studio, and she hopes that you will come and explore your body, mind, and spirit on the mat with her.

Tracy is a Teacher Trainer for the Green Lotus Yoga Teacher Trainer and the coordinator of Green Lotus training at Inspiring Actions.

 

• 235-hour certification, Devanadi Yoga, Minneapolis, MN
• Centerpoint School of Massage – 660 hours