Sarah Michalowski, DSW, LCSW, RYT 200, Yin & Restorative 100 hr

Doctorate of Social Work, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Registered Yoga Teacher, Yin & Restorative 100 hrs, Reiki-2; Certificates in Yoga Nidra, Sound Healing, Pranayama Techniques

Letting go and surrendering is a challenge and a process, which the practice of yoga can help with.  We first need to find steadiness and ease in our own seat (Sthira Sukhamāsanam, Patanjali’s Sutra 2.46), through both asana and meditation.  And as we begin to achieve steadiness and ease, we can then quiet the mind chatter and fluctuations of the mind (Yogaś citta vrtti nirodhah, Patanjali’s Sutra 1.2).  Those two Sutras are the foundation of my classes.    

I am a RYT-200 and Yin & Restorative-100 hour trained.  I have taken additional advanced level yoga teacher training modules through Aligned Flow with Christy Linson and am enrolled in the 300hr training.  I completed trainings in Yoga Nidra, Sound Healing, different Pranayama Techniques, and am Reiki Level 2 certified.  I take a variety of style yoga classes, but find myself drawn to beginner-level classes. I appreciate how they allow me to slow down, connect my breath with my movement, and cultivate a deeper connection between my mind and body throughout my practice

As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Doctorate in Social Work, I understand the importance of the mind-body connection and holistic treatment.  I attended Yoga Teacher Training to combine the therapeutic aspects of yoga with mental health and began teaching yin and restorative yoga.  I have since expanded my teachings to gentle beginner (stretch to rest) and beginner flow classes.  

My classes invite you on a healing journey to reconnect with your inner stillness by relaxing the body, calming the mind, slowing the breath, connecting with the spirit, and soothing the nervous system.  “We don’t use our body to get into a pose, we use the pose to get into our body” - Bernie Clark.  Through holding simple poses, pranayama, meditation, music, mantras, affirmations, and mudras, I create space for you to slow down, turn inward, and cultivate a deeper connection with yourself.  I thoughtfully integrate my clinical expertise into my yoga teaching, offering students a unique opportunity to safely explore, process, and transform their experiences through movement and mindfulness.

I am the co-creator of the “Holding the World Within: Using the Mat as Sanctuary" Workshop series designed to use yoga, breath, meditation, and sound to hold space for grief, loss, mental health, social justice, and more.  These workshops honor each person’s lived experiences, stories carried, and the narratives created.  They offer space for reflection, connection, and healing, while fostering a deeper understanding of ourselves and one another.

With extensive experience in the mental health field, I have supported individuals navigating trauma, PTSD, grief, and loss.  I have supervised clinicians seeking social work licensure and have worked in both undergraduate and graduate level social work programs.  I created a course titled: Mental Health, Treatment Approaches, and Self Care Techniques to help students make the connection between yoga, holistic health, and mental health.  In January 2020, I traveled to Matamoros, Mexico to provide holistic trauma support through yoga and art therapy to asylum seekers.  My other interests include photography, biking rail trails, hiking, and paddle boarding.  

Testimonials

“Sarah’s Yin & Restorative yoga - Monday, 7:30 pm - is "A Secret Garden." This is one of my favorite classes! Sarah is innovative, soothing and I am learning to let my body relax into different postures. The aesthetics and the ambience are incredible! Sarah adds various modalities for a peaceful. setting and when the class is over, I simply do not want to move! Only to say it was beautiful, quiet, & transformative. I appreciate the effort and time that you put into your teachings . . . you make it look easy. You must love what you do because the narrative and space that is created, is unprecedented! I highly recommend this class.” - GM 

“Sarah is a compassionate teacher whose calm, reassuring demeanor and clear cueing create a supportive and relaxing environment. Thank you for a lovely class—I truly enjoyed the experience and look forward to practicing with you again.” - J.K.P

Get to know Sarah…

What is a challenge in your own yoga practice?

One of the challenges in my own practice is stillness—quieting the fluctuations of the mind and fully surrendering to the present moment.  I often share with my students that although I teach still practices such as Yin and Restorative Yoga, stillness continues to be both a challenge and a teacher for me. It is often said that we teach what we most need to learn, and I find that to be true in my own practice.

What is something you’ve learned about yourself from teaching yoga?  

I have learned that each time we step onto the mat we are a beginner student, regardless of the style or level of class we take.  I have also learned that our practice is uniquely our own.  As I remind my students, however you show up on the mat - physically, emotionally, or otherwise - is welcomed, allowed, and accepted.  It is through patience and self-compassion that we learn to honor where we are in each moment and deepen our connection to ourselves.

What about teaching lights you up the most?

I feel most at home and lit up when teaching and holding space on the mat.  I love witnessing the subtle yet profound shifts students experience, whether it’s fidgeting less, surrendering more fully into a shape, or experiencing an emotional release during Yin Yoga; finding deep rest and relaxation in Restorative Yoga; or discovering greater ease in a Gentle Beginner class.  These moments create space for students to turn inward, honor their bodies, and reconnect with themselves physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

General Weekly Schedule and Other Workshops

Mondays 7:30pm: Yin & Restorative Yoga (In-Studio & Live-Stream)

Thursdays 11:00am: Stretch to Rest (In-Studio & Live-Stream)

Holding The World Within: Using The Mat As Sanctuary