Professional Yoga Therapist
Teaching timeless yoga principles and techniques and sharing relevant ancient wisdom to contemporary life.
Have you always wanted to try yoga, but are apprehensive? Or maybe you’ve tried and weren’t comfortable with it? Karen Pierce, is a longtime teacher and practitioner who has introduced many people – all ages, sizes and abilities – to the benefits of a regular yoga practice. She teaches group classes, works privately with clients who need uniquely designed plans for specific conditions, and leads yoga teacher training.
Karen was introduced to meditation and yoga as a teen and has continued to deepen her practice over nearly 3 decades. That dedication has helped bring a sense of peace and balance while living in a world that seems to be spinning out of control.
Karen has been teaching in the fitness industry since 1990 and holds many certifications including her 500 e-RYT through Yoga Alliance and is a Registered Yoga School and Continuing Education Provider, is a certified Yoga Ed instructor, a Professional Yoga Therapist, and a member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists. She is dedicated to bringing the practice of therapeutic yoga to all populations in a safe format that is rooted in exercise science. Her style is based on being safe and includes many modifications and adaptations.
You will learn when to push, when to surrender and when to rest. Her approach focuses on falling in love with yoga and her students love her challenging, ever-changing classes and her upbeat, relaxing style. Karen is also the author of Yoga Bear: Yoga for Youngsters - a children's book published by Northword Press (2004) and Co-Contributor to Yoga in America (2009).
As a Yoga Therapist & Educator, Karen works one-on-one with individuals honoring ancient yoga techniques while combining modern wisdom to identify imbalances and empower the person to progress toward improved health and well-being. Through in-depth postural assessment, testing of specific joint range of motion and muscle strength, observing breathing patterns and taking into account the person's Ayurvedic constitution, a customized treatment plan is devised.
Yoga therapy's greatest goal is to guide each person in his/her own deeper awareness, greater understanding, and movement to facilitate healing and wellness.
Karen has worked with clients who have many different health conditions including cancer, joint injuries, hip & knee replacements, back & neck injuries, scoliosis, amputees, depression, anxiety, PTSD, Lyme's disease, skin disorders, fibromyalgia, pre- and post-pregnancy, children, ADD/ADHD, etc. Her specialties also include:
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Children & Teen Yoga
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Chair Yoga
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Yoga on the Ball for core strength & balance
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Myofascial Release with Tennis Balls
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Joint Freeing Series
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Somatic Movement
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Mindfulness Techniques
A life-long student of yoga, she has been blessed to have learned from many world renowned yogi masters. Her style is based on her extensive teaching experience and her studying with multiple lineages, teachers and styles of yoga. Karen takes what is most helpful and meaningful from a vast array of different sources and styles... but her heart belongs to the teachings of Krishnamacharya and her dedication to her mentors who have kept these teaching authentic & alive. They are gifted teachers and she is fortunate to have the experience of the true spirit of yoga and the essence of how it was taught over 100 years ago by Krishnamacharya who was a true pioneer in his ability to translate ancient teachings and make them relevant in a modern context. He inspired thousands of practitioners worldwide and today his teachings are very popular through his many students including his son TKV Desikachar (Viniyoga), BKS Iyengar (Iyengar), Pattabhi Jois (Ashtanga), and Srivatsa Ramaswami (Vinyasa Krama).
Karen is a master of progressive teaching (breaking poses down in a systematic way and teaching series classes that train students to master the actions and the inner attitude to progress in a logical and balanced way over time.) Karen works with movement sequencing (asana and Somatics) in 7 Directions, breath work (pranayama), mantras, mudras, energy work, and the wisdom of Ayurveda (Indian Medicine) so that the yoga can be adapted to all levels of ability. Every session has an intention or sequencing (krama) that is unique to the group or individual and follows Krishnamacharya's principle to "teach what is inside you, not as it applies to you, to yourself, but as it applies to the other." Yoga should always be adapted to the unique needs of each individual. She feels it is her responsibility to pass on this profoundly powerful philosophy. Check out all Yoga Services offered or her Yoga Teacher Training program.
You can listen to some tools Karen shares for yoga activities parents can do at home with their children as well as a 15-min class for Active Agers & Caregivers utilizing a chair and a tennis ball for joint flexibility.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING
"My first yoga class was when I was eleven years old. I was placed in an after school program downtown in Connecticut to keep me occupied during my parent’s divorce. This class was a free class offered by Karen Pierce. She became my first, and most important, contributor to my spirituality. Every Tuesday, I would go to her hour yoga and meditation class and it was my favorite part of my week. She taught me how to properly breath, guided meditations, yoga philosophy and sattva intentions, complex yoga poses and how to prepare for them, and truly took me to the present moment with all of the Vinyasas. I also got to share the gift with friends some weeks, convincing them to attend as well, and they too fell in love! Many of them are yoga instructors to this day. Her classes gave me insight of what I wanted to do when I was older and free to do whatever I dreamed; I wanted to teach and share the gift of yoga and meditation. Thank You Karen, you helped me find the world."
— Olivia Q., Yoga Teacher