Chelsea Schmitz-Gillam

Yoga Instructor

Hi there! My name is Chelsea Schmitz-Gillam and I've been offering youth yoga to the community for the last nine years. I care deeply about offering young people a space where they can feel genuinely seen, heard, valued and connected as part of a larger community. The spark that's created when a group of people are sharing breath, stories and creative movement reminds me both that there is incredible beauty in this world and being with community is a powerful way to tap into the magical flow of the universe.

As a highly sensitive individual who has also experienced anxiety, depression and perfectionist tendencies, the effects of a meditation and mindful movement practice on my wellbeing have been deeply transformative. I believe all people should have access to an intentional community centered in breath, movement and connection and I create my youth yoga class as an offering to young people that I only wish I would have had access to earlier in life. 

In my classes, we explore mindfulness and self-care practices for holistic support and wellness. We explore a variety of ways to connect with self and community, including through intentional breath work, meditation, mindful movement, journaling and community building talking circles.

I was trained and certified to teach kids and youth yoga through Kripalu Center in Massachusetts and have taken a variety of trainings and workshops on trauma informed yoga practices. These learning spaces; other professional trainings centered in youth, family and equity work; as well as my lived experience working with young folks for the last sixteen years inform the way I hold space for young people in class. 

In addition to offering youth yoga classes, I also work at the Legal Rights Center as a juvenile defense attorney and restorative practices facilitator and Circle keeper working in public schools around the Twin Cities. Prior to this work, I was a practicing attorney and restorative facilitator with The Civil Rights & Restorative Justice Project Project in Boston. While at Northeastern University School of Law, I focused my studies on issues related to Prisoner's Rights; the School to Prison Pipeline; and Restorative Justice. I also worked as a High School English and Reading teacher in the Recovery School District in New Orleans. 

In the last few years, I've also come into one of my favorite roles of all - a Mama Bear to my two kiddos - little Myles Bleu and Otis June.