Stephanie Wheelahan changes lives through yoga, as she did her own life after the grip of postpartum depression led to alcohol abuse.

I have a deeper capacity to deal with life and stress, said Wheelahan, sober for more than two years. I have the capacity to get through life feeling grounded through lifes happenings.

Since the yoga created such a large shift in my life, Wheelahan said, she became a trained instructor to help others and recently opened Nourished Roots Yoga at 34 Main St., Thomaston.

Whether its relief from trauma, anxiety, or every day stress that clients are seeking or just overall wellness or physical changes Wheelahan and her team of seven instructors have just the right remedy, clients say.

Wheelahan, by all accounts a gifted teacher, has created a warm, inviting space reflective of her personality, they say.

Nourished Roots Yoga cultivates an environment where growth and connection thrive. Its not just about attending classes; its about embracing a deeper practice than what you may find elsewhere, said client Sara Siminow.

Each class and instructor serve a unique purposeStephanie has created a sanctuary for mindful movement. She is the guiding force behind this space and has crafted a one of a kind environment that feels like home.

Student Nicole Ianniello said Wheelahan taught the first formal yoga class she ever took and the impact was powerful.

It was serene and beautiful, and at the end she went up to each student to chat and ask how they felt, Ianniello said. Stephanies care and ability to connect with people creates a comforting environment. Stephanie has created a studio that mirrors herself. Its a warm, inviting, and comfortable space for all people to practice.

Yoga is an ancient and complex mind and body spiritual practice that can build strength, structure, stability, Wheelahan said.

Its become a popular way of promoting overall wellness physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, Wheelahan said. Mentally and emotionally it helps you bring into center. Youre focusing on what youre doing in the moment. It can result in better health choices, better sleep.

Wheelahan, a mom of two boys, 8 and 5, said she overcame alcohol abuse through yoga.

Wheelahan said while suffering postpartum depression after giving birth to her first son, the downward spiral began.

She knew she needed an outlet, but workouts at the gym didnt satisfy me.

I was really struggling mentally with alcohol abuse , she said. I was just a mess. I was not well.

She turned to yoga and in her case didnt use programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous or others.

Wheelahan said she has been sober for more than two years.

A year into sobriety, she studied more about yoga for recovery and it led her to a program called Y12, which stands for Yoga for the 12 Steps of Recovery.

Wheelahan became a trained instructor in that approach and plans to offer it at Nourished Roots in the fall.

She said the Y12 yoga helps people cope with anything that made a profound impact on their physical, mental, and emotional health from childhood and forward.

The language used during recovery classes differs from other yoga styles and is heavily rooted in finding comfort and support in ones own body, she said.

The class offers different options to come back to yourself, is focused on moving in a way that feels comfortable, and geared toward relaxing tension in the body, she said.

The language we use is different because its more of an invitation, Wheelahan said. If its comfortable for you, you can explore.

When teaching from a trauma informed lens its more about experienceI hope for healing, she said.

Nourished Roots yoga offers a variety of classes from beginners to experienced, she said, and most of the instructors are trauma informed.

She chose the studio name because yoga is about nourishing your roots from the inside out so one grows into the person theyre meant to be.

I love to watch people become the best versions of themselves, Wheelahan said. Most people are healing from something.

Wheelahan said she loves everything about teaching yoga.

I love the people, I love the students, I love being part of the community, she said. I love hearing how they overcame things.

Student Amber Blackthorn said the studio is revitalizing our little town, while also building community.

Its a welcoming space for all to join, whatever the goal or reason, Blackthorn said. She creates a sensation of balance, peaceful but with room for laughter.

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A CT woman used yoga to heal. Her studio 'has created a sanctuary' for others, clients say - Hartford Courant