We were lucky to catch up with Rachel Lundberg recently and have shared our conversation below.

Rachel, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Parents play a huge role in our development as youngsters and sometimes that impact follows us into adulthood and into our lives and careers. Looking back, what’s something you think you parents did right?

I grew up in a loving home in the small town of Palisade, Colorado. We had a bit of land and a hobby farm with a garden, chickens, rabbits, a goat, and even a horse for a little while. It was a simple, grounded way to grow up, and I’m really grateful for it.
My mom was always baking, gardening, canning, sewing—you name it. I learned to hand sew early on and loved helping her with canning. From her, I picked up a love of nature and an eye for beauty in everyday things.
My parents encouraged me to work hard, be kind, and stay true to myself. When I showed an interest in movement, they supported me through dance lessons, which became the foundation of my career today.
Most of all, they always believed in me—and that’s had a lasting impact. I still feel that support, and it’s something I don’t take for granted. They gave me a strong start, and their influence continues to show up in both my life and work.

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.

Hi, I’m Rachel Lundberg—yoga educator, movement specialist, mentor, and founder of YogaOAK University and Thrive Yoga and Wellness. My work is centered around helping people reconnect with their bodies, regulate their nervous systems, and experience the kind of deep alignment that goes far beyond just physical posture.

My journey into this work has been anything but linear. I started in dance—modern and classical ballet—and spent decades exploring the language of movement. After the birth of my third child, I stepped into my first yoga class and was immediately drawn to the precision and intelligence of the Iyengar tradition. That class lit a fire in me that never went out. I went on to study alignment, anatomy, and yoga therapeutics in depth, and eventually began teaching in 2006.

Over time, I built a career that blends the technical rigor of alignment-based yoga with the softness and compassion of nervous system healing. I’ve studied with brilliant mentors like Julie Gudmestad, John Schumacher, Carlyn Sikes, and Yana Lewis in India—and even had the opportunity to meet B.K.S. Iyengar himself during a formative trip to Bangalore. These teachers shaped me, but it was my own lived experience—especially my healing journey through chronic illness—that taught me how powerful this work really is when it’s personalized, embodied, and grounded in lived wisdom.

Today, I offer a range of programs and services designed to meet people where they are. Through YogaOAK University, I train yoga teachers and healthcare providers in Alignment-Based Yoga through my signature ABYS Certification™ (Levels 1 & 2), along with specialized continuing education courses. I’ve also developed InBodyWise Yoga™, a holistic approach that integrates brain, body, and heart, and 6 Weeks to Calm™ and Embodying Calm™, which help clients regulate their nervous systems and build resilience through a progressive system based in neuroscience and my own recovery from chronic illness.

In 2022, I also became the owner of Thrive Yoga and Wellness, a beautiful community studio in Oregon City, Oregon. I hadn’t planned on owning a physical space again, but when the opportunity arose, I said yes. Thrive has become the in-person home for a lot of the values I hold dear—community, care, and deep practice.

What sets my work apart is that I don’t teach cookie-cutter yoga. I teach people how to slow down, listen to their bodies, and live their yoga in a way that is sustainable and healing. My teaching is rooted in anatomical precision, but also in compassion, safety, and real-life application. Whether someone is recovering from injury, living with chronic stress, or simply looking to feel more grounded and whole, my work is here to support that journey.

What I’m most proud of is that this work is real. It’s lived. I’ve walked through burnout, illness, reinvention, and expansion—and I bring all of that to the mat and to the people I work with. I’ve trained over 100 teachers, supported thousands of students, and watched people come back to life through this practice.

If you’re new to my work, I’d love for you to know that you’re welcome here exactly as you are. Whether you join an online course, dive into a teacher training, or step into the studio at Thrive, there’s a place for you in this work. My brand isn’t about performance or perfection—it’s about presence, integrity, and building a life that feels good from the inside out.

Let’s move on to buying businesses – can you talk to us about your experience with business acquisitions?

In 2022, just as we were all beginning to emerge from the thick of the pandemic, I made an unexpected move—I bought a yoga studio. Thrive Yoga and Wellness was a well-loved and established space in Oregon City, and while I hadn’t been planning to take on a brick-and-mortar business (especially while YogaOAK University was really starting to blossom online), the opportunity came through a dear friend who was ready to sell. The moment she mentioned it, I felt a deep, intuitive yes.
The studio wasn’t profitable at the time, and I knew taking it on would come with challenges. I stepped into a whole new learning curve—becoming a landlord, managing a large physical space, and coordinating a team of teachers and classes, all while keeping the heart of the community intact. It stretched me in ways I hadn’t expected, but also called on strengths I had cultivated over years of teaching, mentoring, and building programs from the ground up.

The acquisition itself was a beautiful example of women supporting women. It was a simple handshake deal, funded through a loan I received from a women’s business support group. That act of trust and community made it possible for me to step in with a clear vision and a deep respect for what had already been created.
I’m proud to say Thrive has been profitable since day one under my ownership. But even more than that, I’m proud that we’ve been able to preserve its soul while continuing to grow. It’s become a vibrant part of my work—an in-person extension of the deeper alignment, embodiment, and community that I’ve always stood for. And, it has become the playground from which I continue the growth and development of YogaOAK University.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

One story that really reflects my resilience and capacity to pivot happened during the early days of the pandemic, when everything I had built around in-person teaching and training had to suddenly stop. Up to that point, I had already developed online programs—like 6 Weeks to Calm™ and a course called Yoga Foundations. I was running those programs virtually, but I was still offering all of my yoga classes and teacher trainings in person.
Then the pandemic hit. Like so many of us, I had to pivot—quickly. What started as a scramble to move classes to Zoom turned into something much deeper. I realized this shift wasn’t just a stopgap. It was an opening. Moving online allowed me to reimagine how I could reach students and teachers—not just locally, but around the world.
That was the seed that grew into YogaOAK University.
This wasn’t just about transferring content online. It was about creating a truly embodied learning experience in a virtual space. I took everything I had learned from decades of teaching, my deep study of alignment, anatomy, and somatics, and my passion for mentorship—and built an educational platform that could grow with my students, no matter where they were.
Resilience, to me, isn’t just about adapting to what’s happening—it’s about letting challenge reshape you in a meaningful way. The birth of YogaOAK University was a turning point. It allowed me to align my work with my values even more fully: accessibility, true embodiment, and connection to the wisdom of self.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thriveyogaoc.com/ https://www.yogaoakuniversity.com/
• Instagram: @thrivewellnessoc , @yogaoak_university
• Facebook: YogaOak University, Thrive Yoga and Wellness
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-lundberg-09197a8

Image Credits

Sarah Markstaller