Kirstin Safakas

I was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder as a child, which plagued me throughout my childhood and teen years, continuing to be in the drivers seat through adulthood. I dealt with debilitating anxiety; a need for complete control, for perfection. After suppressing my pain for so long in my constant desire to excel, I suffered a whole body breakdown in July 2019. I had no choice but to take a leave of absence from work (and from life), and moved into a residential program that I lived at for four months, as a 32-year-old, career-oriented, “healthy-looking” woman with a new husband. The experience was arduous, humbling, emotionally excruciating, and wholly terrifying, but the only way to develop the strength necessary to both break down and rebuild my life.

Moving home in February 2020 felt like being reborn; I entered the world not as an adult but instead as a child once again, finally identifying and changing behaviors that had been normal to me for over three decades. Then the pandemic began… a cultural paradigm shift. The only thing that kept me going was the fire—the courage—within me to adapt to whatever the future held. I exposed myself to a complete lack of control.

In the last six years I have evaluated and reevaluated my work, my relationships, my values, my needs, and my place in the world. I put the work in every day to live with intention, doing things that make me feel good on the outside AND the inside, so that I can be fully present in my life. With the support of my friends, family, and a nourishing yoga and meditation practice, I look at the world through a lens of love.

With these lessons, and a true desire to help others feel seen, validated, and whole in their unique life circumstances, I started my business, Imperfect Yoga Chicago, or IYC. I have loved yoga and meditation and preached about its benefits for years- it was time to make things real! The namesake of IYC is two-fold: one, I believe that any person can benefit from yoga, because nobody and no BODY is perfect. Two, I have learned that living in the moment, dwelling in uncertainty, and accepting imperfection is the secret to a full life. In this, I found freedom, and I hold that same hope for everyone I meet! I practice slowly, consciously, and intentionally, ensuring that each student (that means you!) feels supported and truly within their body and mind. Come and join me in this practice!