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Unwritten
Join us for Unwritten, where we delve into the inspiring stories of individuals who have made drastic changes to find their most authentic selves. After all, the path is still unwritten.
Unwritten
Healing Through Breathwork and Community with Tatsiana
Join us this week on Unwritten as we chat with Tatsiana O’Neill, owner of It’s All About You Yoga. Tatsiana is a yoga instructor and breathwork practitioner who shares her journey of healing, self-discovery, and the transformative power of breathwork. In this episode, we dive into the importance of community support, finding peace through somatic practices, and the courage it takes to embrace vulnerability. Whether you’re new to breathwork or looking to deepen your practice, this inspiring conversation will leave you feeling empowered to release stagnant energy and step into your own transformation. Tune in for a journey of connection, healing, and growth!
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Hey it's Stephanie. Thank you so much for tuning in to another episode of unwritten. I am a portrait and headshot photographer specializing in helping women feel amazing, celebrated and seen. Yeah. Today I'm super excited because I have my friend Tatiana here. Hi, Stephanie. Hi, Tatiana. If you don't know Tatiana, you are missing out. She is a yoga instructor in Baraboo, and she also has recently become certified into Medically Breathwork and as I said that. My breath got kind of. You kind of like in try. Really felt that somehow. I felt it. Maybe I'm nervous a little bit. Why? I don't know. We'll find out. I'm sure you can. Well, I'm sure your subconscious tell you something right now. Yeah. Well, part of, my journey to health and wellness. First off, yoga was amazing, and I need to get back into it. But I was a pretty as I was there for a couple of years. Especially through my laboratory. Yeah. Through the. And I say divorce, but it was really, like a coming back into me or, rediscovering myself. Maybe not even rediscovering. Maybe finding myself for the first time in yoga was, like, such a huge part of, healing process. And also, asthma has always been an issue for me. So, holding my breath has always been. I'll. There's a whole I won't say it. You know, I, I, if I'm upset, I hold back. It's a natural response that still holding the breath is like it's a right of way of like, kind of some sort of a protection mechanism. Yeah. It's a trauma response to, okay, if I just don't say anything, maybe everything will go. Yeah. Or I can just like, I'm not ready to deal with it. Let me just hold it in. Yeah. Yeah. But holding in it doesn't mean that, you know, it's good for you. Oh, yeah. No, not for now. You're like. For now, I think the best mechanism for me to hide away. Escape it. But you still. This energy didn't go away. Yeah. It gets stuck. Yeah. So what do you want to talk about? First you want to talk about yoga or you want to talk about somatic healing? I'm going to do both. Doesn't matter. Honestly, I think that. I asked you to talk about, somatic breathwork. So let's start there. And why don't you just tell my listeners kind of what it is and why you got into it? How about all start from beginning when the first time got introduced to it? Perfect. So it's been at least ten years ago. There was a lady who was, offering in my studio to do some breathwork workshops. So it's like a private group, and, honestly had no clue what to expect. But I am the person who is interested to try things, especially something that it's would be considered among a lot of people like the wall stuff. And as like this is the more we have that will be, the more exciting it is for me. So. And, it was back then, I don't know if you remember when I was teaching out of my home when they just started. Yeah. Like, I get, myself into, like, okay, I'm doing it. This is going to be my life. And then, I wasn't able to afford back then to rent anything because I still needed to build up clientele. And that's why I decided that I'm going to teach at least a small groups here and there, out of my house until I'm ready. And that's when it's happened in my house. And then this lady would, run a few workshops and it would be a very intense breathwork, like intense like she would always say that this breathwork would quite work. Right? It requires you to put yourself into uncomfortable states for a reason. So that you can start pulling this, energy that's been dormant within you. Like the trapped energy I was trapped. On. And you actually have to release it. Yes. And, back then, I was like, realizing this is truly something amazing happening here because I would find myself like, like in cathartic states where I would be like, I sometimes I don't even know why I'm crying, but I know that it's releasing. I know it's liberating. I know that it's something it's just amazing happening. And then then just releasing something dramatic. There'd been hold like I'd been holding on forever. Was it scary? Not for me. Okay. No, I was, open for that idea. Because I always felt better. I always felt liberated, drained me for the rest of the day because it was just like, imagine that you crying, like, uncontrollably sometimes because the emotions such a strong, like thing that had been going on through my, like, running through my system. And, back then, I promised myself that I will get certified in it someday. The irony is, I got certified in the midst of a pandemic. That we couldn't. When we can't breathe, when. We can't break. Yeah. Yeah, there was online training, and I figured I already know enough not to worry about not to take it in person. And take online training. Because you had had that experience already. Had experience already tried to several times back then when I tried it several times in the group already was able to do it on my own. Technically that's what it's that I do. This breathwork is committed. Discipline yourself to lay down and do this for an hour and get ready to be uncomfortable. What is the difference between somatic breathwork then and for instance, mindfulness, breathing. Mindfulness and breathing is a very meditative. It's about getting ready into this quiet, peaceful, relaxing, calming state. Yes. And then if you dedicated enough time, you can get into deeper layers of that, you know, deeper, deeper, deeper subconscious level. And then, the Somatic Breathwork is all about, you know, putting of whatever is sitting within you, putting in the to the surface and work on it. Right. But then when you releasing, you can actually find yourself in those kind of a blissful states that could be related to those, mindful breath works that you can do in a regular meditation. And. So the word of my weekend is release. And, I'm using the word relief because I think I'm finally at the stage of my healing journey to realize that I am in control of my thoughts. And that mindfulness and meditation. Being with friends, having great conversations. Writing. Journaling. You can fill it in however you want that I've found my peace. I've found how to make peace. Some relief is that's what relief means to me is peace. So somebody comes in to. Your yoga studio or to see you as somatic breath practitioner. Is that what they're seeking? Are they seeking peace. What a yes, I would say so. It's a big part of it because when we are not in the right set of mind, when we're all over the place. Right. Coming kind of look into harmonic balanced self would be, you know, probably, I would say equals to peace, you know, from agitation to. Calmness to hear. So finding the the opposite, I would say. Yeah, I'm just visualizing, yoga class at the beginning. Everyone's just like, oh, I was on my bike yesterday for 45 miles, you know, and everyone's chatting. And then at the end, everyone's just like, they're just. Yes. Yes. What made you decide to, you know, you you mentioned woo, and you kind of laughed at it a little bit, but I really think woo is the answer. Like, who is the reality that. So how? Because when we first met, when we met at Sundara, you had recently come to the US and you were in The Dalles. Yeah. How did you transform yourself from that person to the person you are now? Is there a thread that you've always kind of followed throughout your life? Okay, no. I when I first moved to S, I was so far away from yoga world and world. It was just I was not even. I got myself into yoga like a lot of people would do, actually, because of the physical pain, because I was looking for solutions. It's like what we really recently talked about, you know me again getting into that next loop over pain and then I'm again looking for solutions. Yeah. So back then I was there and when I wasn't able to sleep because of the pain, I was doing everything that it could have think of back then and then say yoga would be the next natural step because everybody says yoga is good for you and blah, blah, blah. And then there was a yoga studio in there back then on the Water Street. And so I'm going to give it a try. And then it's like something clicked. That's when it's all started. And something clicked. Was that, oh, I can do this, I want to be this or. Clicked like, I think I found my passion. Okay. Yes. Because literally within have a year I got myself into teacher training. Yeah. Let's talk about that. Because, you know, with when we are kind of on our path spiritually, physically, things just kind of fall into place. So how did it fall into place that quickly for you? It was like since like it's had to be like step by step, step by step. It was all lined up for me. I was like within the first three months or so like that's it. I think I need to do the training, I, I really solid on that. And then I came to the teacher who was running the place and I said, hey Matthew, do you have any recommendations where I can start my first teacher training? And it's like, cheer. Like he literally was right there. Here's the brochure. It's right there on his desk. So it was very convenient training for me because they were offering modules once a month, and then you can stretch it easily for a year, or if not more to get you 200 hour. And, with my work and everything, it was comfortably sitting my schedule and, so okay, I'm going to do it. And then I call the teacher and saying, I read the, the, well, what's the word? Because for. A prerequisite. Yeah. Thank you. So that you need to have in order for you to start a training. And one of them was you need to practice yoga, at least for two years in order for you to start taking teacher training as, like, I'm sorry. I'm not even have a year in. But I really want to. And she's like, okay. And that's how I got myself in. Yeah. And it's all started like, you know, remember, like with other friends of our common friends, we were, yogis together. We were doing taking classes together. But then, you know, when I got certified, literally. And the next day becoming a teacher, and I'm taking the place. Role of a teacher. Yeah. You're like, I was here, I am sure. Yeah. Yeah. Was it hard at all because, English wasn't your first thing, then? Was. Yeah. And that was. You're so kind of. Yeah, I remember I was writing the whole, you know, script of what I'm going to do in the class. Those, you know, silly letters right and left and both sides of my mat so that I will remember which, you know, right arm left. Like. No. Yeah. Yes. What is the training like, is it, do you have to come up with a class or is it kind of like, physical, not physical therapy, but, a trainer similar. You have to come up with different classes. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Like themes and things like that. It's you. At first it was, like, very mechanical. Even though all my friends were. All the students were really encouraging. I am actually beyond grateful to them that they were like, yeah, you're doing just great. It's all good. You know, even though internal. I felt like, really? Yeah. Back then. Yeah, it was, but it's I mean, it's I think like everything else, you got to start somewhere. Yeah, it's going to be uncomfortable. No matter where you start. Now, how did your business change during Covid or did it? I know I kind of started towards tail end a bit, so it was mess. Mess for optional at that point. Yes. Yeah. At first it was a shock. I thought, I'm going to lose the business. A lot of yoga studios closed because of the Covid. A lot of people, a lot of studios didn't survive it. I was beyond grateful to good have of my students committing to do online with me. Yeah. They're not. They didn't like it. And some of them very small percentage. Yeah. Like, oh, I can do it out of a comfort of my home. Yeah. I can lay down in that final relaxing pose of Shavasana and then it can fall asleep in it because I'm in my own PJs at home. Yeah. And you don't have to go outside. But yeah. So especially in the winter. So about a year or something. Like this I was running until and gradually starting opening up. But the loss that, I gained from it is having this zoom option now. Yeah. You still do that? I still. Do that. Like this morning I had a class that I had six people in person and four people online. Oh that's awesome. Yes. Usually it's like, you know, maybe ten, 20% of the people who wouldn't be joining in the zoom majority still, like in person. But I gain because of that. It seems like everybody that I talked to, had some sort of awakening during Covid because of. The. The time we had to pause. Yeah. Did you have anything happen? I know you you were. Well, you did the somatic killing. We can. Yeah. Back to that. Oh, here you go. Yeah. I was about to say not what. She avoided, directly to the. Yes, there was a moment, and it was like I was questioning myself what I'm doing. Yeah. Like, really, is it's the right thing to do right this moment. Right? Yeah, but it was. But it was. And where do you practice it? So I do it at the studio. Okay. Wide open and do privates. Sometimes I'll do workshops on that. Okay. I. Have one group that once a month meets me over the zoom. Oh, yeah. So here and there. What type of person? Would you recommend. Like. Doing this? Doing this, learning more. Is there. Yeah. Why don't you. You know what I mean? I would say. Everybody. Yeah. The only. Issue that I run in sometimes is the person who intrigues by the fact, but not willing to go that route, that deep rabbit hole. You can it. It's either their ego stops them or fear that stops them to go into the like. I'm not ready to be vulnerable. It's I would always say it requires strength to be vulnerable. Yeah. You know I love Bessel. Bessel van der Kolk. He wrote this book called The Body Keep Score. And when I read that book the first time, it was the first time I realized even though I was a massage therapist for. Almost. 20 years. I actually didn't realize that people can heal themselves. Yeah. It's all within us. Yeah. And the more we can be open to the help, especially with breath and body. Yeah. And I think with yoga, too, what I learned, okay, is, is like the stretching of the muscle that releases so much. It's not just, oh, stretching the muscle. It's like you're stretching your your everything. You're stretching. I don't know, I could do that. You're strengthening your, you're with a group of people that are like minded. There's so many positive things about. Yeah, you're feeding off the energy of everybody else. Yeah. And you. So that's why I had a little bit of a zoom is slightly different. There's pluses and minuses to it because when you zoom you by yourself and there could be little bit different level of mindfulness. Especially if you do struggle with being seen. Yes. But then when you're in the group you're actually like feeding off of each other. And do you think you will ever give up being a yoga instructor to do breathwork full time? No. It's so ingrained in you. Yes, it's together unless like, you know, something like dramatically happens to me that I can't. Because it's all overlapping. You know a lot of people who first time coming to yoga have like I never I've done yoga before and then I receive the feedback the same that you know, for the rest of the day of the yoga class I felt fine. Good way. Yeah. And then all that they've done is the classical stretches lunges, warriors, planks, cobras. Right. But what they didn't realize that it sneaks kind of on into that. Because every single time in the class I'll say let's take a deep breath. Yeah. How about we'll. Do well. Together, right? Yeah. It seems like such a normal thing. A regular thing that, you know, we always do it in daily life, right? With us realizing it or not. But then in the class and counseling. Take a deep breath. Tickety. Let's take a breath here. Concentrate on your exhale. Concentrate. And deep inhale here. Right. Pointing out like certain. You know, like a certain poses has a relationship more with the certain inhale. So certain exhales or pauses like let's take a deep inhale. Fold and you know. Yeah. Can you talk about the, the square breathing that. And the benefits of that what it is and the benefits of that. So overall it's soothing calming technique. Right. People for have a hard time to fall asleep. I would always say go like lay down and do the square breath breathing. It's, taking you to parasympathetic nervous system which is slowing down system. Right. And it's just helping your brain to be all over the place to be in one thought. That's mentally thing, right? Physically you are doing you kind of like slowing down the breathing in general, right? You're softening things. And that's pretty much like all together, combination of like. Again, this it's all all goes. Back to that. Yeah. Exhale. So off topic question is visualization manifestation? Do you do that in your daily practice? I try to, it requires discipline. This stuff works. I really do believe that this stuff works. And especially if you're putting all your heart into it. Yeah. Because I don't believe in stuff like I'm thinking about it just thinking about it, not putting emotion to it, and probably nothing. Yeah. When you start feeling like with the full, like, hard like heartedness, being grateful like beyond to the point that it's almost tears coming to your eyes, then it's like that's that's a perfect place to start putting your desires into it. And if somebody doesn't know, how to begin that process with feeling gratitude, how do you direct your students? Because a lot of them are first timers. Yeah. I would always say it's impossible to jump from negative to positive right away. Instantly you have to do gradual. So the gradual will be, let's say you were in the worrisome state right now. Then I will offer maybe a, square brush technique to start with that it is started taking their mind at least starting taking the mind out of that worry thought. Then that will take them to a neutral space, right? They're neither happy, neither. Worried. But the from the neutral step is easier to make a next step further, and then I will say I like the technique of, like, building up. Think of your ordinary day and then think, oh, little pleasures that brings you joy. Like right now ask it to make a cup of tea. I always like to compare it to like a like forever example, holding hands, like holding the cup and then feel the warmth of like, the I is good, So the more details you give yourself in your mind of those little things that's already starting, you know, like ruling in that. And then I'll give them. Now think of something that brings you really, like, lovely, you know, moment in your life. Like, imagine that you're taking yourself for a hike and some someplace beautiful. It's always brings them, you know, until next level and then build up, build up, build up. Like I will say, my last step would be think of the most happiest memories ever that you experience in your life that is like I compete life worth leaving moments. Yeah. The moment they're there, then it's very easy to be grateful. Yeah, but like, be grateful now. For. The I always like, in my photography sometimes I'm, you know, back to back to back with headshots and I always ask people if I can't get them like that connection, you know, what makes you the most happy? And I kind of hesitated, hesitate with guys because I think they're going to say sex, and I don't want to go there in my photo sessions. Would they, though? They I don't know. I'm not a guy. That's what I think. They think about all the time. Pins and. Yeah, what they brought up. Yeah, yeah. But with women, when I say that and they, they do the smile. And I, I'll ask, what are you thinking about? And if they're moms, they always think about their kids. Kids? Yeah. And it's like, such a gift. Oh, pets. Pets. Yeah. Dogs. Dogs. Cats. Kids. Yeah. So it's amazing how the simplest things are, you know? Source. Pleasure. Yeah. Now tell me and tell my listeners how they can find you. And do you have any specials going on? Because I know it's the new year, and if you don't, I don't blame you. But just go ahead. All right. They can find me in downtown barrel, in the same building where the Green Vine and etc. and, my studio located, and then basement level, and, it's all about you. Studio.com is the website where you can you should find all the information you can arrange and meet with me if you have for the questions. So you want to see the studio. Ultimate special for first timers is 30 days of unlimited classes for $45. And then after that, we have some options. Oh, yeah. It's always been the deal, but specials, like I work workshop, I run workshops, every Sunday is a some sort of a theme class. Like this Sunday we work all up on the upper body, shoulders, neck, head, the certain people who are always having tension there. And then, you know, obviously they're like, I know this is going to be the whole hour dedicated just to that. Yeah. And the I mean, summertime you have your outdoor class, we have, Devils Lake yoga classes. I have one class that we, having every Thursday morning in the park. Yeah. There is always something. Yeah. And it's such a great group of people and really the best people in Baraboo. I think. Hearts wide open. Smile. If you're having a bad day, you go to yoga, and within two seconds you're somebody. Very friendly bunch. Yeah. Yeah. Sometimes people are afraid to show up in the in the group of people that they don't know. But I have a feeling that they immediately feel welcomed because everybody's like, hey, my name is this and that. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Welcome. Yes. It's really lovely. It is lovely. And the you know, something that stands out to me is, you know, even through grief, happiness, there's always a place for all your feelings. In yoga. Yeah. And somatic healing. Yeah. Is there anything else you would like to add for anybody that's listening? I would. And it's not necessarily that, you kind of, like, need to come to the studio to give a yoga try, but I would always recommend if you've never done yoga before, give it a try. And fans of online stuff that you can take not necessarily has to be from me. Right. Like and I don't want to sound biased, but I want to sound biased towards yoga as a practice itself, as the philosophy itself. It's either physical, it's either breathwork, it's either meditation. You know, I highly recommend, lots of lots of YouTube stuff you can take. And then just try it for yourself. How good it is. Yeah, yeah. To start. Just start somewhere. Yeah. Listening to your body and asking, like, intuitively, what I want to try today. Should I try meditation or even just listening to, binaural beats or like some frequency music that would be already next step towards yoga, I would say because energy work, it's spirituality in some way. It's like when it comes to if you would ask, would from my perspective, what yoga is, the first thing I will say, it's energy work. I give off. Energy. Yeah. And we all are energy. We all are energy. And it we only. Can. Take care of ourselves, you know. So it's such a great way to just take care of yourself. There's no there's no better way. Yeah. Like energetically, where energy is everything. We need to make sure we're in alignment. Yeah. Moving that energy or taking in to a higher levels. Yeah. Do you find that? You get more out of the class then sometimes you're. The. My your people. I know that I always get something out of the class. Yeah. Like to at certain point. Like I even catching myself in the slot that when I am arriving to the class and I'm in some sort of a state of mind or physically, I know for sure, then when I feel better, it's kind of like almost like guaranteed. Yeah. Even though I'm not fully 100% doing things with my students, sometimes I am leading them. I know that even just being in the environment of the group of people who are showing up for the same reason I want to feel better. Yeah, I would feel better. Yeah. And again, it's that energy, that group environment of yeah, everyone's raising their vibration. You're in a room together. We're sharing. That. You're sharing that. Yes. Yeah. So it's some sort of like feels like a little bit selfish perspective, but it's just a natural. It's the natural thing. Yeah. And then let's say I had a rough morning and they know that like sometimes I don't feel like coming and I could I. Can. Admit because I teach more than 20 classes a week. All over the. Place, all over the place. And I feel like another yoga class with. Truth. Yeah. But like, thank God that I can teach it. Thank God that I sometimes sometimes I'm forced to teach it. Yeah. Like it's my job. Yeah. You know, I am beyond grateful that sometimes I'm forced to teach you because it's like after the class. The glasses are why you. That's why I know with gratitude in my job, too, I travel a lot to Madison. And sometimes, like. Hide open and drive. But it's like, oh, I'm so grateful that I have a place to go to. Yeah. I gives you do what I love. I'm so glad. I'm so grateful. I have a car that drives me. Exactly. Yeah. And it's just like those little. I have legs that taking me. There. Yeah. And people that want to hire me and, you know, it's like, yeah, purpose is huge. I mean, it's like, would you be interested living the life, being 24, seven on the couch, just on the. Phone. It I mean, I do love my couch, but no. But you love your couch because. Because I don't always get to sit on it. Yeah. You probably would hate your couch if you would. You first. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. That is very true. I love my couch. To. I love my couch with my dog on you, Kitty. Yeah. I love always. Yeah. But you you loving it because you've been busy prior it. Yeah. Yeah. And I love my couch because I've worked really, really hard to get to the point where I have a safe, beautiful place that's just mine. Yeah. And you it because of that more. Yeah. Yeah. Appreciative of it because of it more. Yeah. Yeah. It was not appreciated so much. You know I never really appreciated couches until I bought my own, you know, and like had my whole. Exactly. You, you actually put in an effort to buy it. I yeah I went to the store. You made. You were earn the money to buy it. Yeah. And.