Partner Programs
Many community organizations partner with YogaCare to develop specialized programming that is open to participants of specialized programs. See current examples below of how your organization can partner with YogaCare to serve your clients, patients, staff, and community members.
Promotoras Yoga
Wednesday’s 9:30am - 10:30am
For Brighton Park Neighborhood Council's Promotoras Health Promoters program, YogaCare offers weekly group Yoga en Español online. Open only to BPNC promotoras. Contact Carmen Barragan cbarragan@bpncchicago.org for more information.
Shei Montiell, Yoga Instructor
Shei, who comes from a Venezuelan family where she learned Spanish as her native language, began her yoga practice in 2010 and is wholly immersed in this fascinating discipline. In 2014 she became RYT 200hrs certified through her mentor Gopi, a disciple of Sri Dharma Mittra. From then on, Shei has been devoted to sharing all the benefits that yoga has brought into her life. Shei has had the great joy of taking the intensive 500hr teacher training in New York, directly from Sri Dharma Mittra, a Hatha Raja Yoga Master, who has dedicated most of his life to service humanity teaching the ancient knowledge of how to attain radiant health and develop spiritually. Shei is also a certified Chair Yoga teacher, the training she completed recently from the hand of Karen O’Donnell Clark. Shei frequently assists her mentor, Gopi, during workshops and other intensive training offered by Sri Dharma disciples in New York, Chicago, and Costa Rica.
Summer Program & Special Events
Trauma-informed yoga programming is offered to teens attending the Unity Squad at Claretian Associates with YogaCare teachers and is supported by the Safe and Peaceful Communities Fund. Other special yoga initiatives are arranged for Claretian Associates and the South Chicago Neighborhood Network.
Adrienne Cherry, Special Events, Advisor, Teacher & Former Board Member
See full bio HERE.
Larry Turner, Advisor.
Yoga Therapist, Nurse, Psychologist, Addictions Counselor
See full bio HERE.
Summer Program & Afterschool Yoga
Thursdays 7:00 - 8:00pm
Supported by UI Health Mile Square Health Center, YogaCare offers trauma-informed teen yoga for the Major Adams flag corps, staff, and families. Contact Ashley for more information or to register at ashley@yogacareus.org
Ashley Agnew, Site Coordinator and Youth Teacher
Ashley's yoga career began on a spiritual journey, including as an apprentice for Marshawn Feltus of ACT Yoga, participation on the community council of SEYN, Vinyasa yoga certification from Yoga Six in 2018 through a scholarship from Rise Up Wellness, and is currently pursuing her 300hr Certification in Kundalini Yoga. She has worked for the Youth Advocacy Program and is in partnership with WeAreLight's youth efficacy system. She is building her company Kingdom Yoga Fitness LLC and also teaches as the Meditation Specialist with The Eikon Chicago LLC.
Yoga Support Group
Mondays 5:30 - 6:30pm In-person or on Zoom
In partnership with UI Health Mile Square Health Center, YogaCare offers a Yoga Support Group for patients of Mile Square system-wide who are coping with mental health or substance use. The group meets weekly To Register: Text your name and "YOGA" to (773) 245-6937 to verify eligibility or email info@yogacareus.org - Must be a Mile Square patient to attend.
Employee Wellness
Thursdays 7:00 - 7:30pm
We offer Chair Yoga for Mile Square employees weekly with Darlene Blackburn. The link for the class is provided for staff at Mile Square. Contact your supervisor if you are a Mile Square employee looking to register or email Greg Van Hyfte about Employee Wellness Chair Yoga: info@yogacareus.org.
Karen Tara Gomez, Yoga Therapist
Karen has a wealth of experience in rehabilitative work, specializing in Neural and Orthopedics, after receiving her BS in Physical Therapy from St. Louis University. Further education in Athletic Training and Exercise Physiology at the University of Illinois at Chicago working with collegiate athletes focusing on Hockey and Volleyball. She could no longer separate the physical body from the mind and spirit/energy. Her yogic journey began in 2006 with Bikram Yoga, and has since had certification in Level 1 & Level 2 of Amrit Yoga (a combination of Hatha and Raja yoga), Advanced Yoga Nidra, and Yoga Therapy. Her personal practice of Bikram and Amrit yoga has brought her full circle, bringing a spiritual practice into her physical realm.
Darlene Blackburn, Chair Yoga Teacher, Advisor, YogaCare Alumna 2016
Darlene Blackburn was studying yoga in the 1970’s with Azar Hapi, but in 1977 became Artist in Resident in Calabar University in Nigeria West Africa. As an African Dancer, Teacher and Founder of “The Darlene Blackburn Dance Troupe” from 1968 to 2007, Darlene had many accomplishments and became very well known in the dance world. Darlene got back into yoga in 2015 at YogaCare’s Englewood location. She received a scholarship from YogaCare to become a certified Yoga Instructor under Yirser Ra Hotep in 2017 and did additional training as a certified chair yoga instructor from Yoga Vista Academy with Director Sherry Zak Morris and Jane Musgrave, Co-Director of Marigold Yoga. Darlene also in 2019 took further training to certify in yoga for arthritis from Ann Swanson, author of “Science of Yoga.” Darlene considers herself a professional student studying at Yoga Circle and is still studying with Yirser Ra Hotep when he comes to Chicago.
Special Community Programs.
Thursday’s 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Parent University participants have Yoga en Español at Steinmetz College Prep.
Open only to Northwest Center program participants.
Contact Erika Amaya for more information at eamaya@nwshc.org.
Shei Montiell, Yoga Instructor
We are also launching a new program with Northwest Center's Parent University in Spanish that Shei Montiell will be teaching. Shei’s bio is above.
The Northwest Center's new yoga program Parent University at Steinmetz College Prep as well as their program at Blackhawk Park with the Chicago Park District is also launching this spring.
Bring YogaCare to Your Organization!
Would you like to launch programs like these to benefit your staff, clients, patients, and community members? Find out more below!