Sheila is the owner and co-director of Heartsong Yoga Center in East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, which she established in 1993.
Sheila has over 30 years of experience teaching in the studio, local schools, community and corporate settings. Sheila feels lucky to have found the benefits of yoga and meditation back in the early 90s when she was a new mom and feels that these practices were incredibly helpful in navigating what felt like a “stressful demanding complicated life” at the time.
Her training and teaching style is eclectic, drawing from the gentle Kripalu style of yoga to the strong and dynamic practice of Ashtanga Yoga, to the soulful Bhakti style of New Orleans' Wild Lotus Yoga. As a certified yoga teacher and yoga therapist, over the years she has enhanced her education with the addition of studies with Mindful Yoga Therapy (for veterans and all who have experienced trauma) and a deep dive into Give Back Yoga University’s “Yoga and Recovery Symposiums”.
Sheila is passionate about providing safe and inclusive spaces for people to experience yoga, especially Chair Yoga with students of all ages, knowing that you are "never too old to begin, and movement is medicine". Sheila's signature class is called “Freedom Yoga”, free for anyone in recovery, loved ones, and allies, that builds on the power of community and belonging to reduce stigma and to change how society approaches addiction and recovery.
Becoming a part of the Living Whole Online community has been a serendipitous journey. In the summer of 2021 Sheila met Dr. Hayward and her father Chuck when he became interested in adding yoga to his health routines at the age of 90. Not only did he become a dedicated Chair Yoga student, he became a dear friend to Sheila and her family. Sheila would say that he “changed her life” while he would say “she changed his”. His passion for healthy living, vegan lifestyle, and natural curiosity and joy inspired Sheila to deepen her exploration into Living Whole, which brought her to a true friendship with Kathryn and connection to LWO.
Sheila is thrilled to share her passion for yoga and to offer tools to enhance radiant health and well-being in body, mind and spirit on this wonderful platform, in honor of Chuck, and for all curious searchers and seekers of peace.
You can learn more about Sheila and her work at www.heartsongyoga.com.