Nicole Dodds

My name is Nicole, and I have been practicing yoga for 15+ years. 

I started doing yoga in college as an outlet for anxiety/depression and have journeyed through various life phases since then that have shown me a very clear correlation between my physical activity and mental health. Over time I’ve learned to do what makes me feel good in the long-term vs. short-term indulgences. 

I love to share my personal journey and connect with people who are still finding their way. After having my daughter in 2018, I found motivation to reprioritize my health following struggles with PCOS and weight. I lost about 80 pounds, rediscovered my addiction to daily sweat sessions and settled into a more active lifestyle that is so much more fun for the whole family. For me, all of this anchors back to: being active = improved mental health and happiness! 

Amidst the pandemic I finally took a big leap and dedicated my evenings and free time to finish my Registered Yoga Teacher certification. I cannot say enough positive things about the balance that it brings to my life personally and professionally. Because of this, I felt compelled to introduce as many people as possible to yoga.

In the summer of 2021 I created a free, community focused yoga class offering a unique outdoor experience. My goal is to help others recognize the strength and purity of nature by offering an outdoor space that evokes a sense of calm and free of judgement. This space allows for everyone to realign focus on themselves.
Something we rarely do.

So during warm weather months, I hold once-weekly sunset sessions, each with a unique focus but always with options to modify which makes it perfect for all levels.

Following the start of my community class, I was recruited to work at a local boutique fitness studio, Melt House of Fitness. Melt offers all heated classed at a high level of intensity for people looking to have a unique and challenging experience. The studio is heated, dark and uses loud immersive music to help students tune into their practice. The community at Melt is incredible and I have enjoyed teaching regularly scheduled classes along with hosting specialty workshops like, Arm Balance and Inversion instruction.

One thing to know about my yoga style: it will always be different and fresh. My favorite thing is to find new poses and new modifications to add a unique spin to traditional Vinyasa yoga. We’ll always start by slowing down, grounding in the breath and then ramping up to vigorous, strength-building, creative flows and finishing with a quick but effective stretch and savasana. 

Social Media:

https://www.instagram.com/namastetough

https://www.instagram.com/nicolelata/