Girlyoga Designed to Teach Confidence, Self Worth

To the uninitiated, yoga poses may seem challenging, but perfect form is far from the main goal of a local teacher who offers classes for young girls.

What really matters is instilling self-confidence and self worth.

“I think it’s hard to be a girl,” yoga teacher Terry Wolfisch Cole said. “They learn self loathing as fast as they learn anything else.”

Cole, a resident of Simsbury, is currently offering what she calls girlyoga classes at Yoga Center of Collinsville and The Innerspace in Avon.

Designed for girls pre-teen to about mid-teens, the classes include yoga poses, healthy eating, meditation, relaxation, deep breathing, aromatherapy and journaling.

The girls can just come, be themselves and take the yoga poses as far as they can.

“The great thing about yoga is you can’t fail,” Cole said.

She said her resounding message is, “you don’t suck. You are glorious and majestic and perfect just the way you are.”

Cole said everyone — at any age or any gender — can feel badly about themselves, but the question is how to deal with it.

During the 45-minute yoga portion, Cole will use many balancing poses that require concentration. It’s another way to get the girls to forget about the pressure of the outside world.

The other parts of the sessions, such as the massage circle and journaling, subtle suggesting about healthy eating and meditation help the girls feel nurtured and find some time to reflect, Cole said.

Chrisi Bonchick’s 10-year-old daughter recently took her first class with Cole. Bonchick said it was a great experience. 

"She has spent the last two weeks asking me when the next class is scheduled and I am relieved to finally be able to tell her that it is this week!  She has never taken a Yoga class but found this very engaging and came away from it with a new enthusiasm towards the sport,” Bonchick said. "She enjoyed the interaction with other girls and Terry, learning new techniques and loved the challenge the class presented.  I believe that Terry and this class have kicked off an interest that will last a very long time for Sarah.”

Cole said the yoga does develop flexibility and greater strength but she realizes not all will be steady practitioners.  

“More is better but a little is good,” she said. “The whole goal is greater concentration and greater happiness. “

Kathryn Coyle, who owns the Innerspace with her mother Zoey Trap, said yoga helped her as a teen.

Her mother is a long-time yoga teacher and Coyle took classes in high school. She said she and her mother often fought about the same issues most girls have but yoga helped calm the situation.

“Somehow by the end of the class, it didn’t seem as bad,” Coyle said, adding yoga taught her to keep things in perspective.

“The practice of yoga has been invaluable to me,” she said.

Yoga helps people deal with stress and that is wonderful skill to have, especially for young girls, said Shawn Cole, co-owner of Collinsville Yoga Center.

“The physical exercise, breathing techniques and mediation practice included in most yoga practices provide key techniques to help children improve concentration, cope with stressful situations, manage anger and develop a healthy body awareness,” he said.

“Terry also weaves other practices into each session like journaling, aromatherapy and nutrition to provide added color and depth to her workshops. While our tweens and teens don't always happily receive guidance from their parents or other adults, exposure to these ideas and activities often leave positive, lifelong impressions carried throughout their adult lives.”

Terry Wolfisch Cole, who trained in the Anusara style of yoga, became involved in helping girls through scouting, when her own daughter, now 13, was five.

“I’ve seen how it’s important for the girls to have a soft place to land,” she said.

Cole said her school friends probably would not picture her as a yoga teacher. She didn't grow up an athlete and was the last person picked for teams in gym class. In fact, she started practicing yoga only a few years ago.

“I developed those skills after 40,” she said, adding it is a good way for people to develop greater strength and flexibility. “This gives you an opportunity to gain an edge at something physical.”

Girlyoga is being offered at the Yoga Center of Collinsville March 11, April 8 and May 6 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The cost is $15 per class and participants can pick which sessions they can attend. To register or find out more, go to www.yogacentercollinsville.com or call 860-693-YOGA.

In Avon, the sessions at Innerspace are offered March 25, April 16, May 21 and June 10 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The cost is $15 per session. Call 860-674-1561 or log on to www.theinnerspace.net.

Girlyoga can also be found on Facebook. 

Cole also offers session to Girl Scout troops, birthday parties, youth groups and others. She can be reached at girlyoga@sbcglobal.net