‘Waterfall of Highs + Lows’, denim ©Teri Gandy-Richardson | photos of .me: Beau P. Dobrikov

I know what it’s like to want to get to the other side of a really difficult time, and not know how, or even IF you can manage. It's hard to stand strong in your center when you’re feeling tired, scared, scattered and ill equipped for the challenge that life has dropped in your lap. I’ve been there more than once, and I’m happy to share how practical yoga helped me to shift my mindset and reconnect.

I’ve designed courses inspired by personal experience, that will help you feel better, find balance, and center your inner and outer selves. You’ll learn to stand in your reality with more support, confidence— and without shame, to emerge with your emotional wellbeing, and peace of mind intact.

I’ll guide you past your frustration, and fixation on asana to creatively combine physical and philosophical practices to help you navigate overwhelm, fear and uncertainty. Build trust in yourself, realize your strengths and extract value from your toughest hardships. YOU CAN BEGIN

 
 
 
 

the why

  • Because an examined yoga practice helped me recognize the strength that I am on the inside
    —I want to show you the roadmap, so you realize you’re more than what appears on the outside

  • Because yoga is a framework of systems
    —practical yoga opens a pathway to having more stability, calm and trust in yourself— especially when applied to life’s struggles + crossroads

  • Because yoga philosophy offers actionable steps and direction inward
    —it provides a map to care for the parts of us that don't typically get our most conscious, or healthiest attention

the how

  • Using the tenets of yoga philosophy, my creative practices, 12+ years teaching, and experience owning a studio business
    —I’ve developed methods to help you bounce back + realize your physical AND emotional strengths

  • You can get grounded when working though any big life transition, decision or challenge
    — like recovering from cancer, getting through a divorce, abruptly changing careers, feeling invisible
    — or feeling stuck and overwhelmed by the general stress that comes with everyday living, because the tools are simple

  • Feel better, more confident AND be less hard on yourself

the mindset

  • Sh*t happens all day long— but the good news is that you’re stronger than you even know, right now

  • I guide people past their frustrations, and any fixation they have on yoga poses to artfully combine physical and philosophical practices towards managing overwhelm, fear and uncertainty

  • Navigate feeling stronger in your whole self
    —Expand your intellectual, emotional and physical understanding of yourself through a combined mind, body experience

  • You can shift your way of thinking about you + your practice to empower yourself in your own life— and inspire those around you in theirs.

 

I had no idea that combining breath work, with a gestural drawing exercise that I had created nearly 20 years ago for a thesis project, would lead me to teach yoga.

On and off the mat, yoga contextualizes how hard it is to stand strong in your center when you're feeling tired, scared, scattered, off balance and ill equipped for the challenges that life drops in your lap. Yet, within that, a full practice provides a way of unearthing the beauty in our resilience.

To get there, I believe that it’s the ripped, and worn bits of us that tell our stories, and mark our meaningful events— highlighting a richness and authenticity in our struggles and deepest strengths.

I stretch, twist and weave the pieces of my experiences— that includes the painful loss of my sister, dealing with Stage II breast cancer, as well as the general stressors of daily living that inform my practice, my life and teaching.

For me, practice has evolved into using the 8-Limbs of Yoga and philosophy as recipes for grounding. I’ve combined creative solutions within schools, hospitals and studios— at preschool, teenage, and adult levels to support the needs of each.

With a deliberate, intentioned, open minded and creative approach to practice, we can connect, unite and patch what's been frayed, over stretched and possibly worn too thin over time. It’s my pleasure to help you discover— and benefit from the individual strengths and resource that you already are.


Teri Gandy-Richardson, 500YT
vinyasa + hatha yoga, certified
senior oncology yoga teacher,
*yoga4cancer + mentor

 

denim .me