Our Graduates share their “After Graduation” Successes

I have loved the training and look forward to feedback from both you and Jane. Someday I hope to get out your way and would love to take a class with you. I am tickled to share with you that since retiring I am now teaching 4 classes a week! I teach chair at State of Mind Yoga on Fridays, I also teach basics there on Monday nights, and a basic class at a very posh retirement center, where they are eager to bring chair yoga back. On Saturdays, I teach a basic at the park district in a nearby town. I could not be happier and owe so much of my success to you and Jane and all my other teachers along the way and to come.

Triple Hinges – This three part sequence exercise certainly gets in and strengthens our hips and Glutes . I have had 3 students in classes who had hip operations and prior to surgery concentrated on these exercises and recovered much quicker after surgery as a result of having the Glutes and hip area strengthened up.

This is my fourth week teaching my chair yoga classes. I am doing three a week and everyone is loving it. We did the dance to ‘What a Wonderful World’ this week. THANK YOU. Sherry, I am HAVING SO MUCH FUN AND CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH. I hope I get to hug you one day in person. You are a blessing to me and so many others!!!!

Teaching “on the fly” happens all the time. Yesterday I taught my weekly Yin Yoga class. When I entered the room I had my normal group of students as well as two new students seated in chairs – (Enter YVA Chair Yoga and Yoga for Seniors training). I modified Yin Asana’s for the chair for these students. In addition, I had students with lower back-pain (Enter YVA Yoga for Low-Back Pain) and used certain movements for them. But wait – there’s more! I had a student that is 8 months pregnant (Enter YVA Pregnancy Yoga – STOP – there isn’t one!!), so I modified low-back and gentle yoga for this student. Total student population for this session – 27. One never knows what comes to them and we use the skills that we have learned over the years. THANKS Sherry Zak Morris and Justine Shelton for your teachings and instilling the confidence in us to address each class with a deep breath and confidence. You two R-O-C-K!

It’s been a while since I last contacted you both and this past year has been a journey of ups and downs! I wanted to convey to you both that I would in no way be where I am today without the both of you! My yoga business has grown exponentially because of your trainings/teachings that I continue to go back to online; and frankly, my clientele eats it up! Even though I haven’t met you face to face, you both are such a force in my life which helps my teachings to others! In a world of people complaining, I LOVE that I am passing along Gratitude, Love, and Thankful to both of you.

My journey teaching seniors has and continues to be influenced by your knowledge and guidance. As you know, I have completed your chair certification, very close to finishing the gentle yoga certification and once I have completed I will be signing up for Justine’s Low Back Courses. Having a Crown Membership with access to YogaJP has provided me with invaluable resources that I have been able to provide to my students who range in age from mid 60’s to 97. You are both an inspiration to me and I thank you.

I completed the Chair Yoga course several months ago, and it has been such a blessing. I am now teaching Chair Yoga twice a week at our local Regional Wellness Center, and twice a month at the Good Samaritan Nursing Home, and I continually refer to the course materials for insight and inspiration. Communication and support throughout the training and beyond has been great, and I highly recommend Yoga Vista Academy and its course offerings.

Things continue to go well. My chair yoga classes are very popular. One student commented that she could tell a big difference as she had not attended in a while and just started back about six months ago and its a nice comment coming from her since she is a retired educator!

My chair yoga classes are in high demand at Texas Woman’s University (TWU). Students, faculty, and staff are asking for classes. I have so much ambition for chair yoga and the investment has paid off in a number of ways: the Dean of Libraries wants private lessons, the library staff have increased morale because they see monthly chair yoga activities as fun, my TWU Fitness & Recreation supervisor wants to add Chair Yoga to the Group Exercise schedule.

I LEARNED SO MUCH from this course! Justine beautifully presents high quality information here that is particularly special because it is infused with her own personal experiences with herself as well as her clients. I am truly inspired and cannot wait to get out there and work with and help people with back pain. I have chronic back pain as well so that was my first motivation for taking the course; to use it for myself. It has made me so much more aware and present in my own body and has definitely helped strengthen my core. Often after a course I might still feel not very confident with the material to start using it, but the homework assignments and teachback final really make sure you are ready with at least a good amount of the material. I am sure I will refer back to it over the years and will always find something new and useful. Thank you Justine, for sharing your knowledge, your humor, and your heart!

I am so grateful to you for all your support. Coming from a career in education I know that your course presentation and organization was a perfect way to learn all that material. I most appreciate access to the video library and use it often. I am now teaching chair in an assisted living community and a gentle class at a studio…..One more thing……..You were SO RIGHT about the nursing home population. Everything you said was true-EVERYTHING.

Thank you for referring me to Bruce who hired me to work with his mother. I appreciate it!

The layout of the course work is very cohesive. Completing the course has greatly enhanced my teaching skills and helped me to become more confident in my abilities as a Yoga teacher not only to seniors, but other populations as well. Thank you so much for the effort you have put into creating this course. I will be a devoted follower of Yoga Vista Academy in the future!

I’m currently volunteer teaching both a gentle yoga and a chair class at my church. I really loved the course and all the videos that were available for me to study and learn from.

Taking this class has given me a lot more confidence in my teaching. One other reason I took your course was to learn more about how to take care of myself. I am 63 (closer to 64) and have S-curve scoliosis that often gives me pain at L4-L5. Of course there are arthritic changes, too, and thinning discs. I thought it was great that your course offered a holistic approach and discussed anti-inflammatory supplements and topicals. Thank you again for everything. I really learned a lot, and I feel like I gained a friend.

I wish you had more courses. I have now taken all of them. Except for gentle yoga because there is alot of overlap. I think you guys are awesome. You have changed my path in my life. I am not going back to my nursing job because of you. I have been trying to figure out what I love for so long. I am, and always will be a nurse and I am finding that people love that I am a nurse and have gotten a few classes because of it!! So, a million thanks again. I know you are sick of me praising you, but you and Sherry have really changed my life!! Thank you again!!!

I just wanted to let you know I am finishing up my first Happy Back workshop class. It was seven weeks of back education and exercises specific to each persons condition. I start my next one on Oct. 31st and it’s full! I am so happy and grateful that I had the opportunity to do your course. It has given me new passion for my yoga teaching.

I learned so much from Sherry Zak Morris and her Yoga Vista Academy team during the six-month online Mentor Chair Yoga Program! The most impressive results for me are: I have more participants in my classes – my energy is in the flow! I used to get very tired after the sessions. Now I’m filled with energy, love and grace which the students give me back!

The Videos and Online Modules are very exciting; you learn Yoga poses and anatomy from a different perspective. Yes, and I found out that I’m an entertainer! We laugh and giggle a lot more during Chair Yoga! Thank you Sherry Zak Morris, Corey Stiles and Justine Shelton!

Namaste from Switzerland

My classes here are so popular, too. I teach Chair Yoga 4 times a week in my small town of 20,000 people and I have up to 25 in a class!
With much gratitude for the amazing work you do.

If someone were to ask me where to find the best information and lessons about Chair Yoga, I would (and have, many times) send them to Yoga JP and Yoga Vista Academy. Even though the training is remote (as in, not in person), I felt as if I knew Sherry and Justine and the regular teachers and could go to any of them if I had questions. The information provided in the training is comprehensive, and having text and videos plays to everyone’s learning style. I could not recommend this program more. I already was teaching Chair Yoga, but this has made me a better teacher. Thank you to Sherry and the crew.

I love the wealth of experience and knowledge offered by the instructors at Yoga vista academy! I love the variety of poses and progressions that the trainings provide! I know as soon as I learn something that it is going to have a tremendous impact on my students, and I am always excited to share what I have learned with them!

Yoga Vista Academy is helping me to help others and prepare them for longevity!

I am offering a Chair Yoga for Vets on Veterans Day and am confident with my ability and looking forward to the challenge. Thank you for everything!

The Park District thought it would be a great idea to partner up with the local hospital and to offer my class for free for 6 weeks! I already get around 20 people every Tuesday, and yet, they allowed 50 people to sign up! Over 60 people showed up!

I loved the Posture Project Course and use that information all the time. You have inspired me, I have become the queen of props. I have been using balls, magic wands, drumsticks, hats, ninja items, and anything from the dollar store. They love it!!!! Thanks. I could never do this without your certification. I am also in yoga therapy class, and have 3 private older ladies. It is really helping them. Thanks again to you and Justine.

My community has fallen in love with chair yoga because of you and your amazing team!

Today a woman in the community where I live asked if I would teach her and her husband privately in their home. YAY!!! I am certainly thrilled for this opportunity.

I incorporate Yoga Dance into every senior’s chair yoga classes. Once a month I offer an all yoga dance hour. I have witnessed significant increases in student numbers. I am sure this is because it introduces a physical activity to seniors that is fun, socially engaging and imaginative. Seniors love to dance and the feedback is always positive.

I have completed the studying and testing of the low back course now preparing to video sequences and send them in. I am excited to say that I was asked to teach a gentle yoga class with an emphasis on low back care to physical therapists and have now been asked to teach a class at their facility for their clients. This physical therapy facility is who I treated with following my accident (it will be 3 years in April). I am so grateful for their treatment and care and the opportunity provided by Yoga Vista to study online to receive my Chair Yoga, Gentle Yoga and now Low Back Care Certification. What a Journey it has been! Thank you Sherry and Justine.

After getting my Academy certification, I immediately started a chair yoga class at my studio that is always full. Full enough that I’ll be adding two more in September. One of my students gave me a card recently that said, ‘Thank you for caring enough to remember us older folks. Honey, you are a born teacher.’ I also teach private classes for a married couple, 87 and 88. The other day, after class, the wife looked at her husband as he stood from his chair and exclaimed, ‘Oh, Lynda, look at his posture! I don’t see an old man anymore. I see the dashing young man I fell in love with.’ So, was this training course worthwhile for enhancing my yoga teaching repertoire? For enhancing my LIFE? A million times over. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

I know that you value our great news, we mortal Chair Yogi students of yours! For the past five months, each Tuesday morn I have been teaching at the Elenora sixties & better community Center’ and I’m growing in confidence as the class grows! A local retirement Center has given me the go ahead to teach every Wednesday morning there after I gave a Complimentary class to their residents Thanks once again for all your wonderful support!

I have a 90 minute class on Saturdays for Midlifers with asana adapted to individual needs. I have incorporated my chair yoga knowledge in my class as 2 of my students have mobility issues and have trouble getting onto the mat. What a blessing to know how to adapt the postures to the chair. Thank you so much for this certification class Sherry. It is really coming in handy teaching the 40+ age demographic.

Thanks for all that you do!! You have changed my life, I quit my nursing job, I am teaching 2 classes, and possibly one more and I have started to take a course to become a yoga therapist. I could not have done this without your classes and your knowledge and support. Thanks to you and Justine!!

Every class I get compliments and my class sizes are steady and growing. Love it! So much to learn. I hope that I can figure out a way to do this full time!

I have people who have disk problems, low back pain, shoulder problems, heart problems, Plantar Fasciitis, and of course you noticed how crooked my fingers are. Your training certainly helps me to incorporate moves that relieve their pain. There isn’t a class where I don’t have one of my students come up after class and tell me how much better they feel since they started taking Yoga. Actually it gets embarrassing when they keep thanking me for teaching the class. I am sure I get more out of the class then they do.

I had 48 seniors this morning! They keep coming back for more!

I am happy to say that because of your course I am able to teach people with confidence at nursing homes, offices, yoga studios and memory care facilities.

Thanks for my report card, your kind and empowering remarks and certificate. Made my day!!! Today going to see an Egoscue practitioner for my knee deviation. Been sharing the book PAIN FREE with my classes. Life has taught me to be open to healing not fixing. Your holistic way of teaching and thinking is a powerful message for all. So glad you are a part of my life. Love, Moon

I plan on celebrating my completion and certification (your honest and comprehensive feedback is amazing). Really I had an absolute ball last year with this course. Learning the dances, practicing them with my students has completely changed how I approach my chair yoga classes. I always include two yoga dances, and the end of the month culminates in an entire hour of yoga dances. The majority of my students, don’t miss a week and I am finding a significant retention of my students. I know it is due in part, to including yoga dance. But watching your delivery, and learning all the factoids and other bits you add to a class, including naming the postures, has helped to develop my teaching skills. I am a very good teacher because of what I’ve learned from you.

I started a chair yoga class three weeks ago and it is going very well. We had a reporter from our local paper come to class on Friday, it will be written up in our local paper. We are averaging around 21 lovely seniors ! Our reporter friend, 24 years young, did chair yoga with the class!

Since I graduated and got certified, I m starting another chair yoga class in another village and was approached by a local care home to do a class there too. I am seeing if I can fit it into my schedule as the local high school asked me to do a yoga class there for the students and one for the teachers so it is all full steam head!! Thank you Universe.

I just wanted to share with you that today I did my first full chair yoga in a nursing home. Todate I’ve taught to the Parkinson Association, then set up my own chair yoga class in my home town for the active retired, but today I took it to a whole new level where every one was in wheelchair, several amputees, deaf and even one blind man. Now! you’d swear I was doing this all my life as it was one of the most enjoyable, rewarding and humbling class, and boy our seniors love a laugh, they had me sing Joe Dolan-More And More, Neil Diamond-Hands Touching Hands. It was fantastic! Everyone engaged and love it.

So I guess I was so excited about it all that I just wanted to share it with you. This was all possible thanks to you, your team and all your invaluable handouts, videos, tests and teachbacks even though it’s an overwhelming amount of material. Love, love, love you and your Vista Team xxxxx

My gentle class has doubled in size, I had 29 last week!

Thanks again. You and these courses have been wonderful for me. Our chair yoga program at the Y has really grown and I am enjoying teaching a great deal. Namaste.

I had no idea how successful my chair yoga classes would be! I started a class in January as a volunteer at our senior center. From that I have grown exponentially via word of mouth. I am now teaching 6 classes a week, and am being asked to do more.

Thank you from the center of my heart for your patience and kindness. I am SO grateful that you, your amazing team, and chair yoga has come into my life!! I hear from my students how they have benefited from their practice of chair yoga. Classes are full, fun, and flexible.

Sherry, your exercises are helping to correct 30 years of computer abuse. I love your “Sleep Well Yoga” – floor exercises to relieve stress in your body. It is helping my rounded shoulders. I can now get the back of my hands to touch the floor when I am in Cactus pose. Today I presented your Strengthen your core with breath to my Senior Chair Yoga Class. My class loved it.

I’ve had to expand my chair classes as they’ve been a huge success. Word has spread through neighboring studios and they send their Seniors my way. Just wanted to thank you for your updates and constant vigil. Very much appreciated. I see not only great strides in my students but a social bonding as well. They rarely miss a class. Which is a far different story from when I was just teaching mainstream Yoga. If I find I have medical questions I can usually refer back to my notes for the most part and send them in a good direction. I’ve incorporated a bit of humor from my own perspective and hopefully encouraged them to laugh in the face of aging. It has become a beautiful practice for all of us.

I now have four gentles a week! We started a Friday 310 PM class that had 18 participants last week!! Who knew?

Currently I’m offering 7 chair yoga classes a week (plus a twice-monthly healthy brains with yoga segment) and am loving it. I often hear from students how much they appreciate the variety of movement and themes from class to class, and I know that I’ve been able to offer that as a result of this training. One of the best compliments I have received from people who used to practice mat yoga was that they still felt as though they were practicing “real” yoga!

In 4 months, at the age of 53, I will finally leave my federal government job in order to follow my true passion of teaching chair, gentle and low back yoga. I am extremely grateful for your teacher certification that is allowing me to transition to a new chapter in my life. I continue to be impressed with your materials and teaching as each time I reread or repeat a video, I pick up something new.

I love what I do and your courses and guidance have given me an amazing range of insights into ensuring those who attend my classes are given the best support I can give. I hope that I teach with confidence based on knowledge and a growing skill basis. Your courses are so well structured and detailed and I love the detailed functional anatomy understanding I now have.

I also like to imitate your approach of being in partnership with the students, sharing my knowledge so we can all be happier and healthier. I thought I was going to be ‘lost’ once I retired from teaching but have found a new satisfaction in life, knowing I am making a difference in the lives of others, even at my age. I turned 65 last month.

I have loved doing your course and pushing myself to video and look back at the way I run classes, I must admit I have enjoyed the learning experience and pushing myself out of my comfort zone, I now do cd’s and working on getting a proper video camera to make dvd for me to sell. A big Big thank you for the opportunity to learn about myself as well as the wonderful world of chair yoga.

I had 28 people in my chair class Monday 🙂 I might have to cap it soon….Thank you Sherry, for creating such a valuable program, which enables us teachers to go out and help others XOXOXOX

It’s amazing to see the interest in these senior and chair classes. I am not even done with my classes and people are asking me to teach!!

I currently teach 3 chair yoga classes, and my students have commented on how much they like the new format! I have been shamelessly stealing your dances off the videos and have created a 2 of my own (honestly, just rearranging your movements, mostly). The dances are my seniors’ favorite part of the class.

A young man, who has a brain injury as a result of being knocked off his bike, joined my home classes just before the summer break and returned today. He has been having plenty of physio and continues to do so but has practised yoga in the past and is really enjoying getting back to it. In the few classes he did earlier in the summer he just came for half my class which we practise in our chairs but he was keen to stay for the full class once strong enough to manage the transfer onto the z-beds.. so today he did so and his assistant stayed and helped him with the transfer and a few times in positioning himself. It worked really well and he is keen to continue with the full class from now on. He is so motivated, it’s a pleasure to work with him. I really am so grateful Sherry for your part in starting me off on this course.