Caleigh Seligman was first introduced to yoga by a friend who noticed her high-stress job as a nurse in the pediatric intensive care unit negatively impacting her life. She invited Caleigh to her yoga studio, and after a few classes, Caleigh discovered that practicing yoga was drastically improving her struggles with anxiety and depression. She embraced yoga as the perfect mental health tool to keep her body and mind healthy, ultimately becoming a yoga instructor to share this practice with others.
Caleigh's studio, Guiding Tree Yoga, places a significant emphasis on mental health. They offer regular classes and unique workshops, such as Yoga for Grief and Yoga for Stress and Anxiety, taught by both yoga and mental health experts. Yoga activates the body's relaxation response and can improve additional mental health issues such as depression and PTSD. It helps release stress and tension, returning a person to a state of wholeness, love, and acceptance. Joining a yoga community can provide much-needed social interaction and support.
Yoga provides physical and mental balance, strength, flexibility, community, and healing. Practicing in a studio requires time and money but is a valuable investment. "Going to guiding tree yoga regularly has really been a lifesaver. I have struggled with postpartum anxiety and depression, but going to yoga slows my mind and gives me a sense of calm," says one Guiding Tree member. "Yoga has given me back some "me time" and helped me restore my physical and mental body. "
If you faced challenges in the past while practicing yoga, don't lose hope. “I always encourage folks to try different styles of yoga and different teachers as there is a huge variety out there,” says Caleigh. “Our values of accessibility and inclusivity are an integral part of our business model and the team that was assembled to serve our community.” She recommends trying yoga if other exercises aren't working for you. It's a great way to move and can improve functional movement as you age.
To learn more about Guiding Tree Yoga and the classes they offer, you can visit their website at guidingtreeyoga.com.