YOUR NEAREST LOCATION
Founder
I discovered heated power yoga during a crazy hard time in my life & i will forever be grateful for it. i used to have so much anxiety & worry. i felt bogged down with stress, overwhelm & scary “what if’s.” this yoga changes how i see things & especially how i react to them. yoga helps me see what is possible & it helps me begin again when i come up short. because of this yoga, i am more present, i am more at ease, i am far more grateful & far less stressed. i am kinder to myself & others. i am funnier & more fun, not kidding. this yoga helps me rock n roll through the good times & the bad. this practice makes me a better mom, friend & person in general. the physical benefits are just a bonus. it has changed my life in every way. i created feel better yoga because i wanted to share with others what changed my life in such a big way. feel better yoga opened in september 2016. we have about 20 yoga-sharers on our feel better yoga instructing team & about 30 feel better yoga ambassadors. every one of us on the FBY team shares yoga because yoga changes our lives on the daily & we are beyond grateful we get to share it with you. we offer more than 60 classes a week. i am a certified baptiste teacher, RYT 200 with yoga alliance & i have completed level one, level two & art of assisting with the baptiste institute. it’s truly such an honor to share yoga, serve others & be a part of this growing community. thank you for giving me this opportunity.
how has yoga made a difference in your life?
Yoga has made a huge difference in my life, giving me confidence, Encouraging me to love my body and be able to stay in the messy not so comfortable parts of life.
top 3 fave bands/musicians & all time fave song?
Elton john, Pink.Loving Madison Ryann Ward right now
Fav song – Brave by Sara Bareilles
why FBY?
From the first moment I walked in I felt loved. My biggest why is the immense sense of community here
what makes you crazy?
I’m a bit crazy about time and lateness drives me crazy. If I say I’m going to be late it means i’ll be there right on time usually.
what qualities do look for in a instructor and how do you embody them in your teaching?
My favorite yoga teachers have given me permission to play and explore my practice while also encouraging me to go outside my comfort zone.
I try to give everyone the opportunity to find their personal practice, what works for them right now while inviting growth.
Wife, Mom, runner, reader from Alamance County. When I am not on my mat you will find me spending time with family–two great kiddos(Syd and Henry) and two crazy labradors (Olive and Chamomile), curled up with a book and a cup of tea, or in my hammock in the woods! My day job fills my time with students as a speech language pathologist in a local school. I love to talk about books and healthy living!
how does yoga make a difference in your life?
Yoga has taught me how to pause and reflect. To step out of a place of reaction and come to a place of reflect-action. It reminds me to slow down and enjoy each moment of my life, knowing that I am in control of how I show up.
what’s your top 3 fave bands?
I love all music and my playlists tend to be a variety of genres! I get a little help with that from my teen daughter! My spotify has a lot of Mumford and Sons, Avett Bros, Amy Winehouse, and 90s rock ;)
Why FBY?
The community. Every class I look around and it fills my heart with joy to see people showing up for themselves AND each other. The connections I have made in the studio are lifelong. We share each other’s joys, triumphs, tragedies, and fears. If you need to cry on your mat the whole class, you are supported. When you nail your first crow pose, you are supported. This place is magical. Oh, and the padded floor are AMAZING.
what makes you crazy?
Not carving out time for myself. When I don’t take care of me, everything else falls apart.
what qualities do you look for in a yoga instructor?
I love an instructor that shares authentically both on the mat and off. I look for an instructor that can admit mistakes, learn to get clear, and begin again as often as necessary. I appreciate a practice that has been thoughtfully planned out in body and mind. And I especially love a teacher that can read the room and adapt to what students need–not by making things easier, but by giving tools (words, directions, assists) that lead students to THEIR greatness on their mat that day.
what do people new to FBY need to know?
You are ready NOW!!! Don’t wait for a Monday, Next week, until you lose 5 pounds. You are ready, just as you are, to find and deepen your power!
Honestly, heated yoga scared me–I don’t love being hot, was was worried about EVERYTHING ( I AM an enneagram 6) the heat, what to wear, how much I would sweat, if I could do the poses. But I just showed up and then the magic happened. Show up. . . for YOU!
how has yoga made a difference in your life?
It has taught me to LET GO for goodness sake! You can’t control and plan out your whole life, but you can be present NOW and enjoy the journey! Breathe, baby breathe!
top 3 fave bands/musicians & all time fave song?
Hard one for a music teacher – I love all kinds of music from 90s hip hop to country to Chopin to opera to Ace of Base! Love Puccini’s La Boheme and The Beatles’ Let It Be!
why FBY?
Because fby feels like home. Fby welcomed me and continues to welcome me with open arms every time I walk through the doors. It’s a community. It’s a family. I know you want to come get in this group hug!
what makes you crazy?
Dirty fingernails. Not saying thank you. Panty lines. Clutter. Flat singing.
what qualities do look for in a instructor and how do you embody them in your teaching?
Authenticity. Someone that is true to themselves and isn’t afraid to show it every minute of the class. This allows the class to trust them and in turn follow their lead as a teacher. Curiosity. Someone that is willing to be student and teacher – always learning new things, admitting when they make a mistake, seeking new ways to teach and lead a class, and ways to enhance the practice. Fun! Someone that can let go and let loose! Smile, laugh, and dance in class! Be a friend and mentor. Someone that lights up a room and makes you feel good.
give us the 5-second scoop on you
Heather has been a teacher since 2012 under Rusty Wells, Bhakti Flow YTT and is currently working on her 500 YTT under Tiffany Cruikshank and Yoga Medicine. When she is not doing yoga, she enjoys spending time with her dog, training Brazilian jiujitsu, and saving the elephant through her non-profit ELEI, Elephant Education Initiative.
how has yoga made a difference in your life?
yoga has changed me on the physical, emotional and spiritual levels. Yoga has brought me an inner peace that I have never had before.
top 3 fave bands/musicians & all time fave song?
Bon Iver, Notorious BIG, Van Morrison
Song: Juicy
why FBY?
It feels like home
what makes you crazy?
Overfilling my schedule, being away from my animals and stillness
what qualities do look for in a instructor and how do you embody them in your teaching?
sense of playfulness, compassion, wisdom about the human body and human spirit.
give us the 5-second scoop on you
I am from everywhere & Home is where we are, I’ve always been a bit of a gypsy but Burlington is growing on me. I love life and it loves me back – I look forward to everyday and being in it. when buying a house it has to have a big kitchen because I dance in my kitchen & I cook with my whole family. Dinner is a big deal. Reading , meditating, yoga are all things that make a better person. My Core is happiness…… perspective is everything.
how has yoga made a difference in your life?
GEEZ, where do I start? its changed everything. My whole life shows up on my mat, what I ate & drank, how I slept and how I reacted to my family and friends. That hour on my mat makes me a better person because that hour on my mat my life is looking straight at me. In that – Yoga has created a dialog between my mind & body that didn’t exist before. It’s like learning how to breathe all over again.
top 3 fave bands/musicians & all time fave song?
Cold play lemon jelly PJ Harvey &; led Zeppelin, Beck, Beatles, the Black Keys , Liz Phair… this is not fair.. I can’t pick
why FBY?
Feel Better Yoga is a special place. it is a place of growth.
I came to FBY on opening day. I was already a seasoned yogi of 16 years of practice. And my first class opened my eyes to something that was so hard hard to put into words. I was sure that my mind and body had just experienced a connection for the first time in my life – my mind and body were communicating effortlessly.
when class was over I was still in a daze over what had just happened. I walked to the front desk – introduced myself and asked “what I could do to help”. I immediately knew this community, this space was going to be something big and incredible. Over the past two years my personal growth has been overwhelming. I have learned more about myself in two years than I had the 45 years before. Ive learned how to connect with a community. I learned how to connect with myself in a space that is safe to explore – get clear – and figure shit out. I’ve leaned how to identify the obstacles I’ve created for myself and how to over come them. Ive learned how to create that space for others so they can experience that too.
FBY is a magical place.
what makes you crazy?
wasted time – doing things I don’t want to do, will literally make me insane.
what qualities do look for in a instructor and how do you embody them in your teaching?
When I have an instructor that is in the room with me the whole time. Holding space for me and supporting me. I feel Lighter when I walk out of the room. I learned what it feels like to open your heart and let it support a room. It is a beautiful & scary feeling to hold space for a room full of people with my heart lying in the middle of the room. Anyone can memorize a sequence of poses but it is a true Baptiste Yogi that can hold that space with allowing themselves to be vulnerable.
LET ME HEAR FROM YOU.
how has yoga made a difference in your life?
When life gets crazy, when it all piles on, when things go not so right, Yoga reminds me to breathe deep and helps me process life, thoughts, and some days just reminds me to slow down.
why FBY?
I always had a passion for yoga, to know more and grow in it but I would never walk through the doors of a "yoga studio." I always thought only people "who know how to do yoga" go to yoga studios and that wasn’t me. FBY gave me not just yoga but a community, a WARM welcome, and encouragement every step of the way. FBY reminds me that there’s no reason to go at life alone; we’re all dealing with the same ol’; stuff. Breathe, Sweat, Flow, Let it go! :)
what makes you crazy?
When my hubby takes the first bite of my food from my plate!
what qualities do look for in a instructor and how do you embody them in your teaching?
An instructor that clearly has passion for teaching, and for sharing that passion with others. Someone who’s always looking to learn and grow and then share that with their students.
what does yoga do for you?
Yoga is so much more than what happens on your mat, it starts to change everything in your life once you learn the practice.
what’s your top 3 fave bands & all time fave song?
Hozier, Vance Joy, Leon Bridges, all time favorite song changes daily, but lately it’s Trouble Letting Go by The Avett Brothers
why FBY?
In my life I have a tendency to want the answer or solution right now, FBY reminds me every time I’m on my mat to trust myself, trust my body and my mind. I’m crazy for showing up and going big! FBY taps into my play side, and I love to look at everything upside down.
what do you look for in a yoga teacher & what do you hope your classes get from you?
When I practice, I want a teacher that allows space for creativity and play and all the heart openers I can handle. As a teacher, I want to uplift my students and show them they are capable of so much more than they think.
how has yoga made a difference in your life?
Yoga showed up for me at a time in my life when i was trying to figure out who I was and how to love myself. I don’t have it all figured out but yoga helps me work through what is in my head, get on my mat, breathe, and be a part of something bigger than myself.
top 3 fave bands/musicians & all time fave song?
I truly like a variety of music so this is tricky! My favorite artists right now are Ben Rector, Andy Grammer, and Sara Bareilles. But if I need to jam out in my car or in my power yoga practice it is Cardi B that I put on repeat.
why FBY?
This place brings me more than a workout, it brings me light and love, community and family. I had walls built around myself for so long. I work in a field of constantly creating space for others, I needed to learn how to do that for myself. This community helps me create that space in such a big way. I am open to so much more & i am much more honest with myself.
what makes you crazy?
am i ever not crazy?? being out of my routine makes me the craziest! and when people don’t stay true to their word / do their job
what qualities do look for in a instructor and how do you embody them in your teaching?
When I am practicing on my mat, i want to be able to give myself grace, feel peace, and open to possibility. that is what I look for in an instructor… the ability to create that space for me in the room. That is what I hope to bring to you yogis on your mats when I am teaching too! I try to embody light, love, and laughter while teaching. Yoga is messy, life is messy, let’s get messy on our mats together.
how has yoga made a difference in your life?
yoga makes everything better in my life in every way, when i am regular in my practice. specifically, it helps me show up as my best self.
quick – what are your top 3 fave bands/musicians & all time fave song?
natalie merchant, van morrison, jason isbell. songs? toughest question ever. i’m going with ‘into the mystic’ by van m. it just speaks to me in a big way.
what makes you crazy?
stuff everywhere. i can’t think knee deep in clutter.
what qualities do you look for in a yoga instructor & try to embody in your own teaching?
i love yoga-sharers who are warm & authentic & real & passionate & still very curious about life & learning. that is everything to me.
give us the 5-second scoop on you
Born & raised in NC, love to be outdoors, family vacations most often involve my family of 5 spending time on the lake or beach in our camper where we ride bikes & play on the water wakeboarding, tubing, kneeboarding, & skiing. Beach is my fav place overall with the sun on my face, salty air breeze, & sound of crashing waves….ahhhh. I always tell my kids I’ll try anything once in case they are scared to try something new. Why not let them laugh at their momma try. Funny part is many times I surprise them (& myself) on what I can do.
how has yoga made a difference in your life?
Yoga is my way to relieve stress, let go, drop what is holding me down. It makes me so much happier & calmer, making me a better mom & wife! It’s taught me to breathe first, then work through life’s challenges & curveballs with simplicity instead of over responding. I’m a caregiver at heart being a nurse & a mom, but in order to care for others wholeheartedly, I must take care of myself too…..for me that is yoga!
top 3 fave bands/musicians & all time fave song?
This is tough! I love music, all genres & there’s always something to match my mood! Love to hear Maroon 5 & Camila Cabello, Bebe Rexha, & Halsey’s voices.
why FBY?
FBY is such a warm, welcoming community that accepts everyone how they are. No judgments. Couldn’t ask for anything more.
what makes you crazy?
2 things: 1) Being late! My Dad made my family extremely late to everything. Drove me nuts, never again! 2) Judgments! It’s not necessary & helps no one.
what qualities do look for in a instructor and how do you embody them in your teaching?
I love an instructor that encourages growth, reminds us that where there is commitment to ourselves within our practice & off our mats, there is transformation. It’s unbelievably rewarding when you start to feel & see your own growth & transformation in process. Encouraging growth makes our possibilities endless!