Caroline's Story, in Her Own Words:

Caroline Kelley E-RYT 500, BCTMB
 

Yoga:

I’ve been teaching yoga since 2000. My Yoga journey began in 1992 when I became passionate about daily Yoga practice as a way of calming my mind and managing lower back pain. Since then, I have been certified by Teachers and Masters from various lineages and traditions around the world. I received my first 500-hour certification from The British Wheel of Yoga in 2000. I had two exceptional mentors who trained directly with B.K.S. Iyengar. Their faith and encouragement were the catalysts for my traveling to India for six months of extensive studies in Yoga asana, philosophy, and meditation.

 

Upon moving to the U.S. in 2005, I studied with Richard Freeman and Mary Taylor, renowned Ashtanga Yoga Teachers, whose wisdom and teaching style immediately resonated with me. In 2007, my husband and I moved to Boulder, Colorado, for three years so that I could study with them five days a week. I've continued to take a combination of Richard and Mary's 200-hour and week-long immersions almost every year since 2009.

 

Who are my clients?

Between 2010 and March 2020, I lived in San Francisco, where I lead annual Yoga Teacher Training courses and taught private yoga. I maintained a broad spectrum of private clients, including Vice Presidents of financial investment firms, Chief Executives, and lawyers for global companies, including Apple, Twitter, and Dropbox, as well as sponsored athletes, parents, and grandparents.

 

Teacher of Teachers

In 2010 I began teaching the anatomy portion of 200-hr Yoga Teacher Training courses in San Francisco and Oregan. In 2012 my dear friend (and yoga sister) Maile Sivert and I created the curriculum and course material for The Mindful Bodys' 200-hr Yoga Teacher Training Program in San Francisco, which we co-taught between 2012 and 2016. Between 2016 - 2020, I lead the course myself, supported by exceptional guest teachers.

 

On a one-on-one basis, I offer mentorship to certified teachers to help them build their confidence, establish their mission, define their specialties and grow their business.

 

Yoga Retreat Leader

Since 2012 I have lead annual international yoga retreats and local weekend retreats. Destinations have included Italy, Turkey, Mexico, Costa Rica, Peru, and Guatemala. I love to travel and thoroughly enjoy organizing adventures for groups of people who enjoy healthy vacations. 

 

Massage Therapy 

In 2004 I received my first massage certification in Thailand, and in 2009 I completed a 1000-hour Massage Therapy certification through Boulder College of Massage Therapy. As a Nationally Certified Bodyworker, I fulfill continuing education credentials annually. In continuing to expand my knowledge, I mentored under San Francisco's Physical Therapist Harvey Deutch. As a result of my training and Harveys' trust in my skills, he referred his clients to me for massage therapy to aid in their rehabilitation. Many of these clients stayed with me for ten years until I moved my practice to Boulder in 2020.

 

Pilates

I earned my Pilates Mat Certification in 2015. During my mentorship with Physical Therapist Harvey Deutch, I noticed that his treatments included Pilates, and I saw first hand how effective they were. Inspired by my observations and my personal experience with Pilates when healing from a snowboarding accident, I decided to add Pilates to my repertoire. My private yoga clients really appreciated the inclusion of Pilates. I teach Private Pilates and a blend of Yoga and Pilates depending on the specific therapeutic needs of my clients.

  

Why Become Centered?

'From head to heels, you must find your center' - BKS Iyengar

 

When our body is centered, all postural muscles are working harmoniously with one another; this happens when there is the perfect combination of muscle strength and flexibility. Pain arises either from trauma or a group of tense muscles causing an awkward pull across joints, which will, over time, create pain and poor body mechanics. When our mind and nervous system are centered we can focus on the here and now, we feel rational and able to remain stable and grounded in challenging times. 

 

I'm able to share my extensive knowledge of anatomy, movement, massage therapy, philosophy, and mindfulness techniques to encourage long-lasting results that will leave you feeling strong, flexible, and centered in body and mind.  

 

My style:

As a teacher, my approach to teaching is thorough and lighthearted, and my teaching cues help students finetune their practice in a way that is physically and mentally therapeutic. I'm delighted to say that my students call me the 'Alignment Guru,' and I'm honored that they appreciate my genuine interest in their well-being, as well as my deep, intuitive understanding of the body.

 

As a massage therapist, I always begin sessions by asking how you're feeling and observing your posture. I adapt my techniques in honor of your comfort level and to achieve effective results. As with my teaching, I am always thorough. Depending on your specific circumstances, I will often offer exercises to help with rehabilitation or reducing the effects of stress and anxiety.

 

What else?

Nature inspires me. My favorite places are anywhere that you can see thousands of stars in the night sky. My favorite charity is the Sierra Club, and for unknown reasons that even I can't explain, I am obsessed with mountain lions.