We were lucky to catch up with Chrissy Copley recently and have shared our conversation below.
Chrissy, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. If you had a defining moment that you feel really changed the trajectory of your career, we’d love to hear the story and details.
When I look back on my defining moment, it only occurs to me now that that is what it was. As the moment was happening I had no idea it would be what defines me and the way I teach yoga. But it is the moment that I tell people made me the type of teacher that I am.
Back in about 2009, I tried a yoga class for the first time. It was so wonderful that I could not wait to go back to class the next week, When I left the second class, it was the last time I would do yoga for the next 6 years. This was my defining moment. The first class I took was an all levels class allowing beginners and experienced yogis to all be able to practice together. The second class was geared more towards fitness and not very beginner friendly. I was not at a place in my fitness/health journey where I was ready for a more difficult class, and I didn’t know that there were all kinds of different types of yoga or that teachers taught in very different styles. So instead of trying more classes, I quit.
Flash forward to trying yoga again. I was now more physically fit and able to do a lot more. I fell in love. Flash forward again to my first teaching job and i was forced to modify everything I knew to fit the needs of my community. It was then that I realized my second class, the one I remember the most, was what was going to shape my entire yoga teaching career. I knew that I never ever wanted someone to come into my class and leave feeling like they didn’t belong. I never wanted to be the reason someone quit yoga.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
I am a 200 hour certified yoga instructor. I also have another 200 hours in continuing education in the yoga field. I practiced yoga for about two years before deciding to teach. I sort of fell into teaching out of necessity. I started practicing when I lived in Arizona but then moved to rural Virginia. There were not any yoga studios around so most of my experience is self-taught. I eventually found a local community center that had a yoga class one day a week. I started attending that class, as well as a fitness class, and molded right into the community. There was an opportunity to sub a couple classes and without even thinking, I volunteered. I subbed one class before I was asked to have my own class.
The demographic of my community was mostly senior so I was forced to change the way I taught. My experience up until that point was vinyasa yoga and that was a little too advanced for most. So I started teaching chair yoga. I had never done that before but knew enough to be able to modify basic postures while staying seated. My proudest moment from Virginia was being able to move my students from chair yoga to regular vinyasa yoga on the mat.
I now teach yoga in North Carolina and I teach everything from gentle, restorative yoga (I call this my “sleepy time” class) to hot yoga. I have been teaching for 6 years and have been able to grow so much as a teacher. I strive to make yoga available to every single person that walks into my class. I always go back to that moment where I didn’t feel like I belonged in a class and I make sure that no one ever leaves feeling that same way. Someone once told me that when they tell people about my class they say, “She’s the best FIRST class.” I am the one who will get you hooked on yoga and make you feel welcome. Another person told me that my class is the most “forgiving.” I like that comment because it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s easy, but it allows people to take what they need and get rid of the rest.
Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?
I think one of the most helpful things in my field is being able to teach such a wide variety of people. I currently teach at a fitness gym and a rock climbing gym. The gym has a wide range of individuals coming in with a wide range of needs from recovery, general stretching, and the spiritual side of yoga. I also teach a fair amount of seniors at the gym so it really allows me to get back to my roots and bring yoga to a part of the community that might not be able to find a place to practice that suits them. The rock climbing gym also has an incredible amount of diversity and has really opened my eyes to how much yoga plays a part in climbing and other areas of fitness.
I am constantly changing and modifying the postures I teach to suit the needs of the participants in my classes. Some days I am told right before I start class that someone has an injury and they need to avoid certain positions. Thinking on my toes and being able to “go with the flow” has been one of the biggest challenges with the biggest rewards and growth.
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
Word of mouth is the most effective strategy to expanding the yoga community. Students telling their friends and family about the classes they attend is how I get the most people to try my classes. Advertising online with a cool photo is great, but no one really knows how I teach unless they know someone who has been to one of my classes.
Yoga is one of the hardest activities to get people to try. You cannot force people to try yoga; they have to find yoga. But if their friends are going it gives them that extra little push.
Being able to modify classes on the spot to make them beginner-friendly and all levels is also key in growing the amount of people who come to my classes. Again, I never want anyone to feel like they can’t come back, so making everyone feel welcome is key.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.yogawithchrissy.weebly.com
- Instagram: yogawithchrissy
- Facebook: yogawithchrissy
Image Credits
Sharilyn Wells Photography