Community Corner

Girls on the Mat Yoga to Help Tween Girls Navigate the Difficulties of Growing Up

Kristy St. John will teach meditation and self awareness, along with traditional yoga, to girls ages 9-13 in a six-week workshop called Girls on the Mat.

Local mom and yoga instructor Kristy St. John remembers what it was like as a girl growing up: hard. 

"Girls don't hit each other like boys do, they wage emotional warfare," St. John said. "And the bullying can start as early as elementary school. The odds are stacked against them the minute they're born, from the way society tells them they're supposed to look to commercials. You know it's hard to be a girl growing up, especially if you don't have the right people in your corner telling you you're amazing the way you are."

After completing a yoga workshop with a group of girl scouts and listening to her friends talk about their daughters, St. John got the idea of using yoga to teach young girls the tools of how to listen to their bodies and handle tough situations.

Find out what's happening in Plymouth-Cantonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"One of great things about yoga, it doesn't have to be all the different postures, it's also about meditation and learning to calm ourselves down in tough situations," she said. "It's about giving ourselves techniques, empowering your mind and listening to your body. And really, it's a great way to teach tools to young women - and young men - on ways to handle what's going to happen as you grow and change."

The six week course begins Jan. 8 and is designed exclusively for girls ages 9-13. The course will include meditation basics, the practice of traditional yoga, and self-awareness for growing girls. It also encourages the girls to share and give voice to their needs and concerns.

Find out what's happening in Plymouth-Cantonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"I love the idea of coming in and helping give these girls tools that maybe they can take with them," St. John said. "That when they get stuck in a hard place, they can dig deep and find the balance and the kindness and the compassion they need."

The classes will take place every Wednesday, from 4:30-5:30 p.m. at the Z-Spot Fitness Center, located at 1472 Sheldon Road in Plymouth.

St. John said she is shocked by the amount of response she has received in a short amount of time. The class is already half full, with about 11 girls signed up. The maximum number of girls St. John will accept is 20, so there are spots still available.

If the program is successful, with good responses and feedback from parents, St. John plans to tailor a program for girls ages 14-18 next. She also wants to hold more classes in different studios around metro-Detroit. 

Girls should come dressed in comfortable clothes and bring a yoga mat if available. If they don’t own a yoga mat, the Z spot can provide one.

The cost of the workshop is $45 for all six weeks. 

To sign up for the program, contact St. John at 734-748-2261 or email kris.stjohn@gmail.com.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here