Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Ahrens, E-RYT, LMT..
Thanks for sharing your story with us Melissa. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My love for health and fitness started fairly young. I was always fairly active between dance and trying out different sports in middle and high school. I was an avid runner as well in college and post-college. Yoga was something I was always intrigued but felt super intimated to try…
I stumble into a couple classes in my early 20’s and always left feeling amazing. It wasn’t until I moved to Chicago in 2006 that yoga really stuck. I found myself in a stressful job and I was coping with living in a faster urban environment than what I was previously used to.
A co-worker took me to a class after work one day and nothing was the same after class. I found myself going to class 2-3 times a week after work… I remember sitting at my desk every day in excitement to get to class. During class I started to become curious, I was learning a lot about myself and body through the physical postures in a way I had not expected.
I knew I had to learn more! It was also helping me manage my stress levels and life in general. Fast Forward a couple years… my curiousness for learning more about the body increased and I decided to enroll in the part-time clinical massage therapy program while I continued to work full time.
2009 the economy crashed and I found myself being amongst those laid off. A blessing in disguise I believe. I know it was that push I needed to move in this direction, as I was halfway through my massage therapy program at the Soma Institute.
Soon after I completed my massage program ended I got an opportunity to be a manager of Nature Yoga and at the same time enrolled in their Teacher Training. The rest is history… I have been navigating working a massage therapist and yoga teacher since 2011.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It’s been an interesting road, to say the least!! This career has not always been easy navigated… there is no clear-cut direction that is laid out for you. We are all figuring this out together which is the part I have really been loving lately. For me, I’m always trying to balance evenly between massage and yoga because both can be physically demanding.
If I see too many massage clients I get burned out and if I teach too many yoga classes/privates I get burned out. So I’m always trying to find that nice balance. Working for yourself teaching yoga is not all glamorous as I feel sometimes social media can portray. It’s hard work. It can be isolating at times. No paid time off or sick time, health benefits.
Some days my schedule is booked perfectly. Other days I might have big gaps in my day, or I find myself hustling between classes eating in my car! Lately, I’ve been using breaks in my day to connect and grab a coffee with other yoga teachers. We are all in this together and love that we can share our experiences so we can learn from each other and support one another.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Melissa Ahrens – what should we know?
I am a yoga teacher, massage & cranial sacral therapist, reiki practitioner and aromatherapist. Yes, I know that is a lot. My focus is as a yoga teacher and I believe that’s what most people know me for. I teach vinyasa, restorative, and Yoga Nidra classes.
My vinyasa classes I would say focus more on moving a bit slower, with elements of alignment and longer holds brought in. I get asked a lot to teach restorative yoga I like to think because of calming, grounding presence I provide in my classes and also because of my massage therapy background hands-on adjustments come naturally for me and I have a lot of space to bring that element into restorative classes.
Restorative yoga has become a big passion of mine, I think it’s needed more and more. Especially in Chicago where everyone is on the go all the time, we work hard, we play hard, and we constantly glued to our technology devices. Restorative yoga provides a space for the body and mindfully let go and unwind while being fully supported.
I teach one on one yoga as well. In these sessions, I have the opportunity to bring my other skills depending on what client is wanting to address with one on one sessions.
At the end of the day, my hope is to provide students a safe place to practice asana. A place to explore what yoga means to them. A place I hope will cultivate a deeper awareness within them that they can take with them in their daily lives.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
There are too many to name and I don’t want to leave anyone out. All of my teachers, yoga students, clients, colleagues, family, friends. I wouldn’t be able to do this without everyone’s support.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.melissaahrens.com
- Email: hello@melissaahrens.com
Nature Yoga
Image Credit:
Rudy Rubio, Dan Plehal, Baramesi
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