Erini Yoga & Wellness, Ltd.
About
After 20 years as a high school teacher and school administrator, I retired to help others find the 'peace within.' I am a 200 hour RYT (Registered Yoga Teacher) registered with Yoga Alliance. I currently teach yoga classes in a local yoga studio in the Chicago suburbs, teach private clients in their home, work with employees bringing yoga to the work place, and I also work with high school athletic teams incorporating yoga into their training and conditioning.
My professional experiences range from working in the banking, non-profit, and the education sectors. I have worked with teenagers, young adults, adults, community groups, and professionals.
My educational skills and expertise have given me keen insight into how people learn best and how to differentiate instruction based on unique needs. Yoga meets you where you are and so do I.
I enjoy being a yoga teacher because I like to help my students learn how to use yoga as a tool to not only build physical strength but as a way to gain mental clarity and to use yoga as a way to cope with stress as well. Through my yoga teaching and working with students, I really enjoy seeing the transformation my clients make as they show up to their mat each session.
No reviews (yet)
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
As a certified yoga instructor, I work with a variety of individuals at all skill levels. During our first meeting, I have my clients answer questions related to their background/experience with yoga or other physical fitness activities. I also want to know what the client hopes to gain from private yoga instruction both physically and mentally. Together, we will create a plan that meets the individual needs of the client.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
My professional background is in education. I spent 20 years working as a high school teacher and school administrator. My expertise and skill is in training and teaching both adults and teenagers. I am a Yoga Alliance certified 200 RYT (Registered Yoga Teacher) and teach weekly group yoga classes in a local Chicago suburban yoga studio. I also work with high school athletic teams as part of their conditioning and have private clients I work with as well.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
Each yoga lesson session lasts one hour, unless the client requests a longer session. If clients book multiple sessions, they will receive a discount depending on the number of sessions they purchase.
How did you get started teaching?
My entire life, I struggled to find peace, to be content, and to love myself. I was always looking for something outside of myself to make me happy and to find fulfillment. The constant seeking of happiness and contentment drove me to near financial ruin, to overeating and endangering my health, and to a mindset that I was not good enough. My self-esteem and self-confidence were nonexistent. I hit rock bottom. I was looking for external things to find peace. Little did I know, all I needed was right within me. Enter yoga.
In 2011, I took my first yoga class and I have never looked back. Through my practice I developed patience, built physical and mental strength, learned how to use my breath to carry me through stressful situations, became more mindful in my daily life, and cultivated compassion for myself. I suffered for years from anxiety and depression. In 2014 I suffered a great loss and my grief was palpable. Yoga saved my life. It healed me from the inside out by learning to accept my life exactly as it was, not as I wished it to be.
Finding peace has been a journey of self-discovery, of learning to love myself just as I am, and of cultivating peace in my heart and my in mind. The peace I was seeking was always within. Yoga helped me realize that.
While I still consider myself a 'work in progress' I can honestly say that the physical and mental benefits of my yoga practice has transformed me.
Practice makes progress. Perfect is an illusion.
Yoga helps you find peace both on and off the mat. When you are able to take the principles of yoga off the mat into your life, that's where the real yoga is practiced.
What types of students have you worked with?
I have worked with teenagers, adults over 55, advanced students, beginner students, students with physical ailments such as rheumatoid arthritis, back issues, knee pain, etc. I teach in a yoga studio so I have worked with a variety of individuals with varying degrees of experience and abilities.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
My advice to a student looking to hire a yoga teacher is to find someone that listens to you and meets you where you are. Yoga is for everybody. If you are breathing, you are practicing yoga. A yoga teacher should be able to modify your lesson to meet your needs. The practice is about you, not the yoga teacher.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
Students should consider their goals and reasons for wanting to take up a regular yoga practice. Is the goal physical (to build strength, gain flexibility) or mental (calm the mind, learn to use the breath to deal with stress) or both? Once you can communicate your needs to your teacher, you can work with your teacher to create lessons that meet your needs.