Today we’d like to introduce you to Alex Bogart. They and their team shared their story with us below:
Alex Bogart first discovered yoga when she was practicing as a Licensed Professional Counselor teaching her clients how to practice Mindfulness and Meditation practices. She quickly fell in love with yoga and the peace and contentment that it brought her so much that she would bring her yoga mat into her therapy office and practice before work and during lunch. She became more serious with her yoga practice after she had her first child, as she found that it helped her in her postpartum recovery. Since yoga has been a part of her daily life, helping her to find strength, balance, peace, and contentment in this crazy world.
“Living in Moncks Corner, I noticed how we always have to drive so far away to get what comes so easily to others who live in the Lowcountry. When I saw the need in this community, I felt a calling to bring yoga to Moncks Corner. I was driving upwards of 45 minutes in one direction to practice at a studio, which is unrealistic for many. I’ve met many people and introduced many to the love of yoga, and I’m so excited to meet you on your mat.”
Alex completed her 200-hour certification with the Yoga Den of North Charleston. She is also licensed as a Licensed Professional Counselor and loves to bring words of wisdom and healing into her yoga practice from all she has learned as a practitioner. She also has experience working as a mommy and me fitness instructor.
“I believe that yoga is more than stretching. It is a time to relax, unwind, heal, find strength, and let go and allow yourself to find stillness and peace of mind on your mat.”
Would it have been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
One of the biggest challenges in the world of yoga is the perception that it is only meant for the super bendy people who can fold themselves into a pretzel. This, in part, is due to the influence of social media. Yoga on social media is bombarded with pictures and reels of people doing headstands, handstands, and other challenging poses that are not accessible to most people. These posts can be very intimidating to those new to yoga and tend to deter them from stepping foot into a yoga studio because they feel like they need to belong. Ohana Yoga aims to teach the community that everybody is welcome in this space and that yoga is meant for all people regardless of any physical limitation they perceive would hinder their ability to practice yoga.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Before becoming a Certified Yoga Teacher, I worked as a Licensed Professional Counselor for South Carolina. In my practice, I taught mindfulness and meditation practices to my patients who struggled with anxiety and mood disorders, which naturally led me to the world of yoga. After I became a mom, I stepped away from working as a therapist to be a stay-at-home mother, and during this time, I felt isolated and lonely. I began exercising with a mom and me fitness group and was later asked to become a Mom and Me Fitness instructor. This opportunity helped me become comfortable with teaching in group settings and inspired me to register for yoga teacher training through the yoga studio I was a member of.
I am now a 200-hour Certified Yoga teacher, and my favorite classes to teach are All Levels, gentle yoga, Vinyasa, and Power yoga. I’m known to incorporate concepts that I have learned in my experience of being a therapist into my classes. I’m a huge psychology nerd, so I want people to come into my classes and practice self-exploration and gain more insight into their present moment and how to live in the moment instead of dwelling on the past or allowing their minds to go too far into the future where anxiety kicks in.
What do you think about happiness?
I am happiest when I feel like I have made a difference in this world, big or small. I firmly believe that if you have a gift, you are not meant to keep that gift to yourself; instead, you are meant to share that gift with your family, friends, and community. I am happiest when I share my talents and my gifts. I am also happiest when I can spend time in nature. Nature helps me feel grounded in the present moment, and when I can spend time in nature and appreciate its beauty, it helps me to unwind, relax, and worry less about trivial stuff.
Pricing:
- $19 for drop in classes (studio & virtual)
- $89/mo for unlimited monthly studio membership
- $89/mo for unlimited monthly virtual membership
- $99/mo for unlimited monthly studio+virtual membership
- $89/mo for mom+me membership
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ohanayogachs.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ohanayogachs/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083081092969
