Hi I’m April one of the nutritionists here at Protea Medical Center in Tempe. Today I want to share a little about how yoga has positively impacted my life both personally and professionally and how having access to the Protea Movement Studio has supported that journey in a new way.

I’ve been practicing yoga for about 10 years now. For me it’s more than just physical movement. It’s a holistic practice that connects the body mind and breath. As a caretaker it’s easy to get caught up in constantly giving to others — patients coworkers family — and forget to slow down check in with myself or just breathe.

In the last couple of months I’ve been able to attend classes at the Protea Movement Studio during my lunch breaks or after work. Even just a couple of classes a week have made a huge difference in my mental clarity mood and overall health.

Reconnecting Through Yin

One of my favorite classes is Yin Yoga. I love being able to sneak away at lunch and spend an hour in that calming space. Yin is a slower paced practice where postures are held for longer periods allowing for deep stretching and a kind of meditative release. It’s both restorative and powerful.

There’s something about staying in a posture breathing into the discomfort and allowing it to soften that feels symbolic of how I process stress. Sometimes I walk into class feeling heavy or stuck and by the end I’ve released something my body had been holding on to whether physical tension or emotional weight.

Celeste one of our instructors always reminds us to audibly exhale to sigh it out. It might feel silly at first but it’s incredibly effective. Letting go out loud has helped me move past old habits of holding things in. After class I sleep better feel calmer and even my coworkers notice the difference in my demeanor. They’ll say you look so relaxed and I really am.

Moving Energy Through Flow

In contrast to the stillness of Yin I also love Vinyasa Flow and Swift Flow classes. These are more dynamic and get my heart rate up. Sweating it out and flowing through sequences feels like wringing out my stress. It’s energizing grounding and a great counterbalance to slower practices.

These classes have helped improve my flexibility posture strength and balance but more importantly they’ve given me a greater connection to my body and its signals. Every day looks different. Some days I feel balanced other days a little wobbly but the consistency of showing up and checking in with myself is what matters most.

Why I Recommend It

The mind body connection I’ve cultivated through yoga has made me a better practitioner colleague and human. I feel more present more in tune and more able to manage stress and care for others. I’m grateful to have the Movement Studio right here on site. It makes it so easy to prioritize my well being.

If you’re curious about exploring yoga I encourage you to try it. The Protea Movement Studio offers classes Monday through Saturday with something for everyone from gentle to active beginner to advanced. You can check out the full schedule on the MindBody app and sign up there.

Whether you're seeking physical benefits mental clarity or just a safe space to breathe and reset I hope you’ll give it a try. I’m so thankful for what yoga has done for me and I’d love for you to experience that too.