Jessica Ergener

She teaches with warmth, enthusiasm, and creativity. She sees yoga as a practice that can be strengthening, invigorating, relaxing, and fun; her mission is to make this contemplative and beneficial practice accessible to all. She enjoys teaching all types of students: beginners, experienced yogis, pregnant women, new mamas, children, and individuals affected by cancer. Jess guides her students to find an accessible yoga practice that fits the rhythm of their life and that honors their body and mind to bring more ease to the ebb and flow of their daily life. As an elementary school teacher with a Masters degree in education, Jess made movement activities an integral part of her work with children in the classroom setting. She created an after-school yoga program for children in grades two through five, which led to a summer program where students had a daily practice and each wrote their own yoga booklet. Jess was also a volunteer for nine years at Gilda's Club, a cancer support center, for individuals affected by cancer. She has had the honor to be a guest presenter on meditation techniques and practice for the Stone Center for Yoga’s 200 hr Yoga Teacher Training for three years. When Jess became a mom in 2015, she decided to complete her Pre/Postnatal training to assist other women in navigating their journey toward motherhood through the postpartum period; her journey wasn’t an easy one including a c-section and abdominal separation postpartum. Jess continues to deepen her practice and knowledge. She studied with Sara Meeks, who is passionate about keeping yoga students with osteoporosis safe. Jess completed BabyMoon Pre/Postnatal Yoga teacher training with Carrie Parker at YogaWorks. She started this training for her own personal knowledge. Jess has also completed trainings in Restorative Yoga with Jillian Pransky, Restorative coursework with Judith and Lizzie Lasater, and Istha Yin Yoga Immersion with Ulrica Norberg. She credits yoga teachers Charlotte Stone and Chrissy Carter with infusing her practice with grace and strength. Meditation and mindfulness has played an important part in Jess' practice. She has put her “tush” on the cushion for over fifteen years. She has participated in a year-long course as well as several daylong workshops with Buddhist scholar Andrew Olendzki. Jess is a longtime student of Amita Schmidt and has taken courses with Pema Chödrön, who greatly influences her views on Buddhism. Jess completed Lovingkindness + Compassion Meditation Teacher Training at the Interdependence Project as well as the Open Heart Meditation Teacher Training with Susan Piver and Jenna Hollenstein. She has also completed MBSR Level I through The Center for Mindfulness at Brown. Jess is grateful to her many teachers for informing and deepening her practice on and off the mat and cushion.