I am Pam Welch and want to thank you for visiting ZenDog Yoga.
My journey into the world of yoga was a result of my own struggles with fertility. My husband and I had been trying to conceive for three years before making the decision to give up. I returned to my corporate job and began taking a weekly yoga class thinking it could help me find peace. Five months later, we got pregnant on our own. Yoga has taught me to be aware of my body, manage stress and let go of those things beyond my control.
I have experienced and seen the powerful impact “doing nothing” can have on people’s lives (including aiding with fertility, depression, and anxiety), the impact our posture and breath have on the body’s ability to function, and how raising our awareness and making a few simple changes can impact our health in such a positive way.
In 2004 I started teaching Fertility and Yoga to small groups of women in my hometown. The work was so rewarding, seeing many couples begin their families but hectic schedules and location kept many women from attending. In 2019 I created an online Fertility and Yoga class where women –– no matter their location, work schedule or circumstance –– can practice at their own pace and connect with a support network of other women.
If you are struggling with fertility, it is my belief that with focused awareness –– and with a little time dedicated to your inner calm –– you can improve your overall well-being and increase your openness to fertility.
I wish for you courage and strength as you travel this difficult path. If you chose, I would be honored to walk with you sharing my experience and offering support. Visit my website to see available Fertility and Yoga courses and learn more about the how Body-Mind practices can help you to welcome a new life.
After our daughter was born, yoga seemed like the perfect way to ease back into movement. A year later, I realized that not only did I love the practice, but I wanted to learn more and share this gift with others. So, when my daughter was 18 months old, I began my yoga teacher training. Two years later, I completed my training and received my Yoga Alliance RYT-500 in 2003.
During my training, I studied the practice of restorative yoga. It was during my training for the Relax and Renew® certification with Judith Lasater that I was introduced to the idea that restorative yoga could be used as an aid for fertility. This hit close to home, since I had come to believe that stress had been the issue in my own struggle. Over the next couple of years, I studied anything and everything I could find –– especially Alice Domar’s work with Harvard and the Mind/Body Program for Fertility.
In 2004 I started teaching Fertility and Yoga to small groups of women in my hometown. The work was so rewarding, seeing many couples begin their families but hectic schedules and location kept many women from attending. In 2019 I created an online Fertility and Yoga class where women –– no matter their location, work schedule or circumstance –– can practice at their own pace and connect with a support network of other women.
My training and certifications covered several disciplines:
· 2002 – Thomas Myers “Anatomy Trains:” a study of the myo-fascial system, the connective tissue of the body, and the important role it plays in our lives (I still study his work and others to this day)
· 2003 – Yamuna Body Rolling: a method using a ball to release fascia and muscle tightness (I incorporate working with fascia into my classes)
· 2006 – Began studying, and later teaching, Pilates and Pilates Tower work at the YMCA
· 2015 – Level 1 Barre training through the International Ballet Barre Fitness Association completed
· 2015 – Jill Miller’s Yoga Tune-up: works using smaller balls for fascial release (I think everyone should own her “Therapy Balls Plus Pair in Tote” …or, as my clients loving call them, the “blue balls in a bag”)
· 2015 – Leslie Howard’s Pelvic Revolution Workshop
· 2016 – Level 1 training in Hanna Somatics: a mind-body practice for returning the body to a balanced, functional state completed
· 2017 – Fundamentals Training on the Oov: building core strength, balance and overall body awareness
· 2018 – Certified Functional Aging Specialist through the Functional Aging Institute
Whether you have been trying to conceive for 3 months or 3 years this class is intended to help reduce the stress of fertility challenges and improve your chances for conception.
Please visit the Fertility and Yoga page find the practice that is right for you. If you still have questions feel free to reach out. I look forward to working with you.
-Pam Welch
