Pulsation Yoga- Arlington Heights

Dana began her yoga practice about a decade ago and has been practicing consistently for the last few years. She decided to complete YTT 200 at Pulsation in the fall of 2018 to not only further her growth as a yoga student but also to assist others in advancing their own practice and overall well being. The benefits of Yoga and the philosophy behind it nicely complements her current practice as a social worker, and Dana would like to continue to explore how she can combine social work and yoga to foster student growth both inside and outside of the studio.

Marisol’s yoga journey began 9 years ago following a long ordeal of chronic back pain and an eventual major back surgery. In need of a new path that would engage her both physically and mentally, she discovered yoga. She decided to further her practice and help others believe in themselves and push past self-perceived barriers by becoming a certified instructor. She doesn’t believe life has to stop because of a setback; her favorite quote is: “the only disability in life is a bad attitude.” Off the mat she enjoys spending time with her children and her dog Pisco, lost in a good book or on a long hike, volunteering, and practicing meditation.

Susan is a graduate of Kathy’s 200 hour teaching training, and has been practicing yoga for over a decade. Susan’s practice originally started as a supplement to her distance running as a “stretch and strengthen” exercise. But over the years she realized she got much more from yoga than simply stretching and strengthening, and it has become her central focus. Yoga is how she connects with herself, as a way to look inward without judgment, to reflect on the good, the bad and everything in between in a peaceful and respectful way. She works to carry that peace and reflection to better herself both on and off the mat. 

Susan teaches a flowing practice suited to her students' needs while pushing them to their highest potential.  

My best friend Linda introduced me to yoga in 1994.
 Although I enjoyed it, my monkey mind didn’t allow me to be
fully immersed in a regular yoga practice until the birth of my
first son Michael.  Serving as a Director of Human Resources
for a few decades years while being actively involved with my sons
lives, community and social activities, I craved yoga. I dedicated
early mornings to my home practice. I travel with a mat in my car
“just in case” there’s a class I can attend spontaneously ie:
between games at a baseball or basketball tournament or on my home
from work. In 2016 I organized a wellness month at the resort where
I served as a Human Resources Director.  I led an outdoor
“stretching” routine for my colleagues. The routine included
several yoga asanas I had learned throughout the years. My boss
received multiple emails from attendees who felt the benefits of my
class. They reported felling invigorated, focused, energized, and
great. When he shared the feedback, the seed of “Hatha with Atha”
was officially planted. At the urging of fellow yogini and Pilates
guru, Laura Cison I enrolled at Pulsation studio to receive formal
Anusara Yoga certification training. The training was amazing. I am
honored to be joining the “kula” that Jim and Kathy Simonik have
created and look forward to contributions my classes will be able
to make to the community. My style is a flow sequence highlighting
the 3 A’s action, attitude, and alignment. I chuckle when people
tell me that they are too “hyper” for yoga or too stiff or worried
about the way they will look.  That’s how I sounded in 1994,
now I’m limber, calm and look like a yogini.  It’s a new
chapter to a great story.

Kathryn completed her
200-hour teacher training with Kathy Simonik in June of 2018.
Kathryn comes to Pulsation with an extensive background in teaching
movement of various kinds, including dance, group exercise, and
other physical activities geared toward a diverse population of
students. She has taught dance to special needs children and
adults, singers/performers, gymnasts, and even wedding parties.
Additionally, Kathryn specializes in adapting movement and exercise
for adults with cognitive, emotional, and physical challenges.
Progressing from these disciplines into Yoga presented itself as a
natural transition for Kathryn, when she started taking classes at
Pulsation in early 2017. “I fell in love with the discipline and
after years of limited activity, I felt like my body liked me
again!” Kathryn notes that her strength as a teacher lies in her
ability to make movement accessible to all individuals and in her
ability to communicate instructions clearly, in a language that is
easy to follow and understand. Alignment and injury prevention are
key components to her style of teaching, and the use of the breath
and mindfulness both bring a therapeutic aspect to her classes,
which has shown itself to be especially beneficial to her clients
in the mental health field. “Depression and anxiety can be greatly
alleviated by practices such as Yoga, meditation, and movement.
I’ve seen it in my professional work and have experienced it in my
own life as well.” Finally, fun and humor are ever-present elements
in Kathryn’s classes, where she encourages people to “leave
judgment at the door and just enjoy being you!”
 
 

Thomas started meditating while in college, and since then meditation has been a part of his life. For almost 5 years now, Thomas has been leading guided meditations at various locations around the NW suburbs.  He is an avid yogi, Reiki Master and has studied Quantum-Touch.

I began practicing yoga back in 2012 after experiencing a life changing event with my health and recognized the need to not be a passenger in my own life. Initially starting out with DVD’s before taking some courses at Harper college, I eventually found Pulsation Yoga and signed up for Kathy’s 200 hour 

training in 2016 and began teaching at the Arlington heights location in October the following year. Since then its been my goal to help others deepen their own practice and be mindful of their own wellbeing. 

Endurance is one of the most difficult disciplines, but it is to the one that endures that final victory comes. –Buddha 

Kat turned to yoga in 2009 as a way to connect with community and
move her body. She soon realized that there was so much more to
learn than the physical asana practice and has been a devoted
student ever since.
She enrolled in the 200 RYT program through Pulsation Yoga and
completed it in 2015.
In addition to practicing and teaching at Pulsation Yoga, Kat
regularly attends workshops and classes to expand upon her
training. She has practiced and studied various styles of yoga
including Anusara, Iyengar, vinyasa flow, alignment based,
restorative, and yin.
She focuses her teaching on finding the right combination of
flow, alignment, breath, and meditation. She strives to create a
welcoming atmosphere for all in her classes and hopes to inspire
others to find mindfulness outside of the classroom and in their
daily lives.

In addition to practicing and teaching at Pulsation Yoga, Kat
regularly attends workshops and classes to expand upon her training
and she continues to study the theory and practice of yoga
developed by B.K.S. Iyengar. She focuses her teaching on finding
the right combination of flow, alignment, balance, and
meditation.
She strives to create a welcoming, dynamic, and fun atmosphere in
her classes