Teresa Bouchard is a certified Yoga Therapist through Yoga Therapy International and is currently teaching in Whistler. She has practiced yoga for much of her adult life, dabbling in it until finding a skillful teacher in Whistler who motivated her to practice daily. Teresa found yoga to be very helpful in preparing for ski season and staying healthy despite the impact of skiing all day, every day. Many years later, while recovering from major abdominal surgery Teresa discovered the profound healing benefits of yoga while practicing just 15-30 minutes a day. This healing experience led to a lengthy period of exploration into different styles of yoga and ultimately, her discovery of BKS Iyengar and TKV Desikachar and their focus on healing through yoga.
Inspired by their teachings, Teresa embarked on an intense study period, traveling to India several times to study and eventually connecting and studying with her primary teachers, Maggie Reagh & Lindsay Whalen, completing the Yoga Therapy Teacher Training in June 2013. In total she has completed 1500 hours of teacher training with over 1000 of those hours in Yoga Therapy training.
Teresa incorporates key elements of both Iyengar and Desikachar in her teaching, adapting classes and asana practice to the specific needs of students. Her general focus is to increase mobility and stability, reduce stress and to facilitate healing and freedom from pain. Developing self awareness and the ability to assess and self correct as a means to enhance and deepen an individual’s practice is a key component of every class. Teresa encourages all students to begin a daily practice, whether it’s 5 minutes or 50, providing them with the resources, support and knowledge to cultivate a home practice that works for them.
Teresa honed her skills as a teacher on the ski slopes, teaching full time for 9 years and she brings these skills to yoga - keen observation of the student, ability to adjust a teaching plan to the situation at hand and the needs of the student, clear communication, and a deep understanding of the learning process. Her lifelong physical activity and many years of skiing & kayaking have given Teresa a useful understanding of how the body works and how to prepare for and mitigate the effects of intense physical activity through the practice of yoga. As much as yoga has helped in her sports pursuits, Teresa’s training as a skier has been equally helpful in developing the deep internal awareness that transforms one’s personal practice.