WOMEN BE WELL IN BODY
Let’s begin the New Year exploring the foundation of wellness: the body! This evening is not your mama’s fitness lecture! We are going to take a look at how we make choices and what it really means to have a healthy body. It definitely does not mean that you need to look a certain way. Explore body positivity and the role of intuition in finding YOUR healthy body.
Talk: What does it mean to be well in Body? By Sneha’s resident health coach Caitlin Grater (30 mins)
Class: Food for Thought Healthy & Intuitive Eating with Caitlin Grater (30 mins)
Class: All levels restorative yoga class focusing on body awareness, positivity and acceptance led by a body positive teacher, Amy Blankenship (60 mins, 7pm start in yoga room)
Your co-pilots for the evening:
Caitlin Grater: Caitlin joined the wellness world as a result of her struggles with allergies and eczema. She discovered that food had an enormous influence on her ability to feel comfortable in her own skin and decided to pursue health and wellness.
She received her first certification in health coaching from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and later graduated from the Swedish Institute College of Health Sciences, earning her licensure in massage therapy and Associates in Occupational Therapy. She studied Chinese Medicine and has a deep and genuine appreciation for wisdom from all medical systems: ancient, modern, East and West.
Caitlin also earned her second health coaching certification from the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy in association with the Institute for Functional Medicine. Changing what and how she ate was her gateway into healing, but the holistic considerations emphasized in functional medicine (such as sleep and stress levels) are also utilized in her practice to address both the source and symptoms of chronic disease.
She recognizes how difficult changing habits can be and that there is no set formula for reaching health goals as each person's journey is unique. She enjoys exploring major areas of health beyond the maxim "eat less and move more.”
As a massage therapist Caitlin draws from an anatomical approach, but deeply infuses energetic practices. She offers a therapeutic, intuitive practice beyond the typical massage menu. She's studied Traditional Chinese Medicine (Shiatsu) and many styles of therapy including myofascial release, ortho-bionomy, craniosacral, pregnancy, and has a certification in medical massage.
Caitlin is a Pittsburgh native who trained at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and spent over a decade in NYC after obtaining her BFA in Dance from NYU. She is a mom to two boys and wife to Ameesh. She is passionate about food, cooking and all forms of music and dance. When not reading articles about health trends, she is most likely cooking or singing her heart out to some Brandi Carlile.
Amy Blankenship: Amy is from West Virginia, where she attended Marshall University. She has called beloved Pittsburgh her home for over 7 years. She was always drawn to yoga and its belief system and began a regular practice in 2016. She received her YTT 200 HR certification from One Point One Yoga in 2020.
Amy is a thyroid cancer survivor and autoimmune disease warrior. Chronic health issues allowed her to discover just how helpful mindfulness and restorative rest can be for chronic pain sufferers. She also understands how it feels to do yoga in a larger body and is currently working toward a certification with Yoga for All.
As a teacher, Amy provides a slow flow paired with intentional breath as well as a restorative practice, including Yin Yoga.
She enjoys exploring her spiritual side and is an avid practitioner of reiki. She loves helping people to feel calm and at ease while allowing the body, mind, and spirit space to heal.
During the day she works full-time for the Pittsburgh Police Training Academy. She also co-runs a dog rescue with her best friend, and lives with her 5 furry children. Amy has been a vegetarian since she was 16, and is always up for a good cup of coffee.