Yoga is more than movement — it’s a way of living, a way of being.

At Willow River Yoga, we guide you in building a practice that supports you both on and off the mat. Through mindful movement, breath, and awareness, you’ll learn how to move in a way that honors your unique body, while reconnecting with yourself on a deeper level.

Rooted in the traditional teachings of yoga and its sister science, Ayurveda, our classes offer a holistic approach to well-being — one that invites balance, presence, and a deeper sense of connection in your everyday life.

Our Classes

Our Mission

Our mission is to make it known that yoga is truly for everyone.

In a world that often feels fast-paced and disconnected, we offer a space to slow down, reconnect, and come home to yourself. Through our classes, workshops, and retreats, we guide you in discovering your yoga — a practice that meets you exactly where you are and supports you in living with greater awareness, ease, and intention.

This is not about perfection.
It’s about connection.
And learning not just to get through life — but to truly live it.

Why Yoga?

The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit root “yuj,” meaning to unite.

At its core, yoga is about creating harmony — between body, mind, and spirit, and between ourselves and the world around us.

While the physical benefits are powerful — increased strength, flexibility, energy, and reduced stress — yoga offers something even deeper. It creates space for you to pause, to listen, and to reconnect with what matters most.

“Patanjali’s eightfold system of yoga contains many elements used in modern treatments for anxiety: cognitive reframing, behavioral recommendations, relaxation techniques focused on breath regulation, mindfulness of sensory input, as well as methods for greater cognitive flexibility, concentration and downregulation of distress.”
As a mind-body practice, yoga allows people to become aware of the link between their minds and bodies in a way which can help them become less anxious. For example, shallow breathing may contribute to a heightened stress response, or repeated patterns of behavior might ultimately worsen overall anxiety (for instance, relying on alcohol to calm down). Yoga increases mind-body awareness, as well as offering a form of relaxation which can replace unhealthy coping mechanisms.
- Yoga for Anxiety article by The Minded Institute
Yoga requires a surprising amount of strength, which is important to help prevent injury and make everyday tasks easier. We increase our strength through repetition and holding poses. We are essentially “weight training” in certain poses by supporting our own body weight in gravity. Over time, we gain more flexibility by practicing yoga regularly and consistently in order to build muscle memory.
In our modern world, our bodies tend to spend a lot of time in our “fight or flight” sympathetic nervous system. This causes stress and inflammation and dramatically lowers the immune system. When we tap into our “rest and digest” parasympathetic nervous system through poses such as twists, inversions and backbends, we give our immune system a boost.
A strong yoga asana practice can help build muscle and breathing fully and deeply increases circulation, both of which can dramatically boost the metabolism.
Moving your body in a sustained and focused way clears stagnation, removes blockages to the flow of energy, and boosts your endorphins.

About Julie

There was a time not long ago when I was heartbroken, grief-stricken, and deeply unwell.

My oldest son, Danny, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly, and my whole world shattered in an instant. I was lost in the dark.

But I found that when I could bring myself to a yoga class, it was the only place where I felt even a small sense of peace.

That small thread led me on a path of curiosity and healing. I began to learn everything I could about yoga, eventually enrolling in Yoga Teacher Training through Devanadi School of Yoga and Wellness — with absolutely no intention of becoming a teacher.

And yet, somewhere along the way, something shifted.

Through my training, I not only deepened my understanding of yoga and its sister science, Ayurveda, but I also began to rediscover myself. I found a new relationship with both life and death… and a quiet sense of meaning within it all.

What started as a way to survive slowly became a path forward.

I began to see that life isn’t one thing or another — it’s both.
Grief and love.
Pain and beauty.
Loss and meaning.

And over time, I learned how to make room for all of it.

That is the heart of Willow River Yoga — a space where you don’t have to choose one part of your story over another… where you are invited to be your whole self.

About Willow River Yoga

Willow River Yoga offers classes, workshops, and retreats throughout western Wisconsin and the greater Twin Cities area.

We provide a safe, supportive, and welcoming space to explore the practice of yoga and its sister science, Ayurveda. Whether you are brand new or have been practicing for years, you will be guided in a way that is accessible, grounded, and easy to understand.

In every class, we weave together movement (asana), breath (pranayama), and mindfulness — helping you build a practice that feels both supportive and sustainable.

Because yoga is not just something you do — it’s something you live.

Why I Started Willow River Yoga

Willow River Yoga blossomed from my Karma Yoga Project during my teacher training.

In the Bhagavad Gita, Karma Yoga is described as the practice of selfless action in service of others — a path toward spiritual growth through meaningful work.

For my project, I began teaching virtual yoga classes to my cousin, who was navigating addiction, and to members of his Narcotics Anonymous community.

What began as a simple offering quickly grew into something more.

I found myself teaching others who were navigating grief, loss, stress, and anxiety — and I began to see how powerful this practice could be in supporting healing.

In many ways, I was simply offering what had once been given to me.

And that remains at the heart of Willow River Yoga today.

Our Classes & Retreats

Online Classes

Live virtual classes are the perfect opportunity to practice in the comfort and convenience of your own home! Practice solo or gather a group of friends and connect with community across the globe.

Class Schedule
In-Person Classes

In-person classes offered at various locations throughout the eastern Twin Cities metro area and western Wisconsin. With a focus on connecting breath to movement, each class offers modifications and accommodations for all.

Class Schedule
Retreats & Workshops

Customized classes, workshops, and retreats offered to individuals and groups. Some of these include: private yoga coaching offered in my home or yours (or virtually), family and friend yoga class series, girlfriend getaways, focused retreat days and weekends, meditation workshops, workplace series, corporate conference mindfulness practices, and so much more.

Retreat Schedule